What year Vauxhall Carlton is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1983 Vauxhall Carlton has the highest pass rate at 77.8%, out of 235 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Vauxhall Carlton MOT failures?

The most common Vauxhall Carlton MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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Vauxhall Carlton — Reliability by Year

25,182 vehicles · MOT data 1980–1994 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Vauxhall Carlton was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year

1983

77.8% pass rate · 235 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1982

53.0% pass rate · 1,791 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1994	68.6%	122,834 mi	1,008
1993	66.9%	131,762 mi	4,421
1992	63.9%	128,341 mi	3,201
1991	60.6%	122,654 mi	1,525
1990	61.5%	122,780 mi	1,308
1989	64.6%	124,415 mi	1,166
1988	61.3%	116,090 mi	841
1987	62.5%	107,915 mi	524
1986	68.0%	56,567 mi	308
1985	68.0%	55,615 mi	261
1984	72.0%	62,579 mi	228
1983	77.8%	58,553 mi	235
1982	53.0%	80,979 mi	1,791
1981	75.0%	88,173 mi	3,054
1980	72.9%	67,172 mi	5,311

Which year Vauxhall Carlton is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 55,615 miles (newest year) to 131,762 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Vauxhall Carlton.

See the buying guide →

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