Chevrolet Kalos

Registered from 2005 to 2008.

What fails its inspection

Great Britain's MOT record for the 2007 1.4 petrol. 254 of 756 tests failed, 34%.

Better than 4% of 2007 cars. The typical one fails 27%, across 935 models with enough tests behind them to say.

Where	Share of failures	Failed tests
Lights and electrics	52%	133
Brakes	46%	116
Suspension	44%	113
Steering	24%	62
Body and structure	23%	59
Visibility	20%	51

The defects inspectors cite

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

Where it stands out against its peers

Steering: failed more often than 92% of 2007 cars — 24% of its 254 failed tests, where an ordinary 2007 car has 5%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

Brakes — 46% of its failures
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Suspension — 44% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
Steering — 24% of its failures
- A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Lights and electrics — 52% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Body and structure — 23% of its failures
- The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
Visibility — 20% of its failures
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

When it starts failing

At 100–120k miles this one fails 29% of its inspections, about what an ordinary car of the same age does.

Odometer	Rate	Its age	Tests
20–40k miles	22%	16%	79
40–60k miles	30%	21%	158
60–80k miles	35%	24%	243
80–100k miles	39%	27%	183
100–120k miles	29%	29%	51

714 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.

Half of these have more than 60k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.