Vauxhall Sintra Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free Vauxhall Sintra car check
Is the Vauxhall Sintra reliable? We analysed 31,621 real MOT tests across 4,278 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific Vauxhall Sintra? Enter the reg for a free check:
The Vauxhall Sintra is below average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, parking brake recording little or no effort and brake pipe excessively corroded. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Vauxhall Sintra.
Vauxhall Sintra Number Plates
Number plates registered to a Vauxhall Sintra. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
Vauxhall Sintra MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a Vauxhall Sintra to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
Vauxhall Sintra Problems — What Goes Wrong?
The most common reasons a Vauxhall Sintra fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.
Vauxhall Sintra Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical Vauxhall Sintra owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
Vauxhall Sintra MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Vauxhall Sintra year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 7,384 | 61.0% | 76,589 | 96,801 | 120,300 |
| 1998 | 15,200 | 61.0% | 77,669 | 96,884 | 118,649 |
| 1997 | 8,931 | 61.1% | 80,362 | 98,992 | 118,841 |
How Long Does a Vauxhall Sintra Last?
Based on 4,278 Vauxhall Sintra vehicles on UK roads.
Vauxhall Sintra Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all Vauxhall Sintra MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used Vauxhall Sintra
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
61.1% MOT pass rate from 8,931 tests
61.0% MOT pass rate from 15,200 tests
The best year to buy a used Vauxhall Sintra is 1997, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 61.1% across 8,931 tests. The 1998 model year has the lowest pass rate at 61.0% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the Vauxhall Sintra Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Sintra THIS CAR | 61.0% | 31,621 | 97,424 mi | 29 yrs |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 69.7% | 26,893,546 | 58,908 mi | 33 yrs |
| Vauxhall Astra | 71.9% | 25,288,868 | 76,280 mi | 34 yrs |
| Vauxhall Zafira | 71.9% | 8,488,627 | 75,062 mi | 27 yrs |
| MG ZS Excite Vti-tech | 86.2% | 13,674 | 27,369 mi | — yrs |
Compared to the Vauxhall Corsa (69.7% pass rate) and the Vauxhall Astra (71.9% pass rate), the Vauxhall Sintra trails behind on MOT reliability.
Found a Vauxhall Sintra you like?
Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.
Check a specific Vauxhall SintraShould you buy a used Vauxhall Sintra?
The Vauxhall Sintra has an overall MOT pass rate of 61.0% across 31,621 real MOT tests — below the UK average, so reliability should be a key concern.
The most common problems on the Vauxhall Sintra are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (4,716 recorded failures), parking brake recording little or no effort (3,421), and brake pipe excessively corroded (2,813). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.
A typical Vauxhall Sintra owner drives around 6,303 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.
In terms of longevity, most Vauxhall Sintra models stay on UK roads for around 29 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.
Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.