Used car guide · 2007–2017

Vauxhall Antara common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Vauxhall Antara, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 61,152 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

61,152MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
18,420on the UK register
2008best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20172016201520142013201220112010200920082007

What usually goes wrong with a Vauxhall Antara?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Vauxhall Antara in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Vauxhall Antara MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 6.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Number plate lights

    up to 4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 2.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Sidelights

    up to 6.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 4.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

Vauxhall Antara MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2008 Vauxhall Antara did best (52% passed first time, 5 points below all 2008 cars) and the 2016 did worst (60%, 17 points below all 2016 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201660%77% -172,419
201558%74% -166,198
201457%70% -137,804
201356%67% -1119,882
201254%64% -1017,156
201152%62% -102,498
201050%60% -10745
200952%59% -71,959
200852%57% -51,513
200749%57% -8978

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Vauxhall Antara

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 6.9× as often on the Vauxhall Antara as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the number plate lights? (Flagged at MOT 4× as often on the Vauxhall Antara as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the Vauxhall Antara as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Vauxhall Antara?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score