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Chevrolet Matiz Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid

What the Chevrolet Matiz fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 19,595 MOT tests across 6 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).

Segment: city car | Fuel: Petrol

67%

Chevrolet Matiz pass rate

76%

Chevrolet average

82%

All-model average

The Chevrolet Matiz has an average MOT pass rate of 67%, which is 9 points below the Chevrolet average and 15 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Chevrolet Matizs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 4 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.

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What the Chevrolet Matiz Fails Its MOT On

Of the 4,042 MOT tests on the Chevrolet Matiz that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.

Lights and electrics

47%

Cars and vans the same age: 48% · Typical repair £15-£200

Suspension

43%

Cars and vans the same age: 41% · Typical repair £150-£600

Brakes

33%

Cars and vans the same age: 26% (the Matiz fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450

Body, chassis and structure

21%

Cars and vans the same age: 18% · Typical repair £200-£1200

Tyres

18%

Cars and vans the same age: 17% · Typical repair £50-£300

The 3 single faults it failed on most

  1. Position lamp: not working (14% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
  2. Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (13% of failed tests, suspension)
  3. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (11% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)

Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.

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Chevrolet Matiz Years to Avoid

Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Matiz year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.

Failed more often than cars their age

  • 2006: 63% passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars (10 points lower, 2,329 tests)
  • 2007: 65% passed, against 73% for all 2007 cars (8 points lower, 3,928 tests)
  • 2005: 65% passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars (8 points lower, 1,108 tests)

Passed more often than cars their age

No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.

A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.

Chevrolet Matiz Reliability by Year

MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.

2005
65%
2006
63%
Lowest
2007
65%
2008
67%
2009
69%
2010
70%
Highest
YearFuelEnginePass RateFail RateAll Cars
2010Petrol0.8L70%29%75% (-5)
2009Petrol1.0L69%30%75% (-6)
2008Petrol0.8L67%32%74% (-7)
2007Petrol1.0L65%34%73% (-8)
2006Petrol0.8L63%36%73% (-10)
2005Petrol0.8L65%34%73% (-8)

Chevrolet Matiz Running Costs

Want to know the full annual running costs for the Chevrolet Matiz? Including fuel, road tax, the MOT and predicted repairs based on MOT pass rates, plus an estimated insurance group.

View Chevrolet Matiz Running Costs

Chevrolet Matiz FAQ

What are the most common Chevrolet Matiz problems?

In 2025, MOT tests on the Chevrolet Matiz that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (47% of the 4,042 failed tests), suspension (43%) and brakes (33%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (14%). Across 19,595 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 67% ended in a pass.

Is the Chevrolet Matiz reliable?

The Chevrolet Matiz has an average MOT pass rate of 67%, from 19,595 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 7 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.

Which Chevrolet Matiz years should I avoid?

Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2006 (63% of 2,329 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars), the 2007 (65% of 3,928 tests passed, against 73% for all 2007 cars) and the 2005 (65% of 1,108 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.

How much does it cost to fix common Chevrolet Matiz faults?

As a rough guide, brake work on a Chevrolet Matiz typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.

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