Alfa Romeo 156 MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 1,064 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 60.1% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average.
Checking a Alfa Romeo 156?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 15–30 years | 1,063 | 60.1% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Alfa Romeo 156 to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Headlamp Aim — 8.8% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Exhaust Emissions — 8.7% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Suspension Arms — 5.9% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Position Lamps — 5.6% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Condition — 4.9% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Brake Performance — 4.9% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Alfa Romeo 156 are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 686 licensed and 2,840 SORN vehicles in the Alfa Romeo 156 generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Alfa Romeo 156
Before you buy
- Headlamp Aim — 8.8% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Exhaust Emissions — 8.7% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Suspension Arms — 5.9% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Position Lamps — 5.6% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 94% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 12,427. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual 156 — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Alfa Romeo models
- Alfa Romeo Giulietta — 67.9% pass
- Alfa Romeo Mito — 61.9% pass
- Alfa Romeo Giulia — 85.9% pass
- Alfa Romeo 159 — 56.2% pass
- Alfa Romeo Stelvio — 88.1% pass
- Alfa Romeo Spider — 69% pass
See every Alfa Romeo model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Alfa Romeo 156 MOT pass rate?
60.1% of 1,064 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Alfa Romeo 156 passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the 156 fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are headlamp aim (8.8% of tests), exhaust emissions (8.7% of tests), suspension arms (5.9% of tests), position lamps (5.6% of tests).
How many Alfa Romeo 156 are left in the UK?
686 were licensed and 2,840 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular 156 is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.