Vauxhall Carlton (1994)
1994 Vauxhall Carlton
CarHunch analysed 1,008 real MOT records for the 1994 Vauxhall Carlton. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 1994 Vauxhall Carlton has a first-time MOT pass rate of 68.2%, which is 11.8 percentage points below the UK average of 80%—a meaningful gap that reflects the age and condition of surviving examples. With 11.5% of vehicles ever having a dangerous defect recorded, this sits at a manageable level, though it's worth factoring into your inspection checklist.
These Carltons are averaging 124,319 miles, which is reasonable for their age, but the real concern is the 1.56 failures per vehicle—they're not just scraping through, they're accumulating multiple defects. Before buying, budget for around five minor advisories and at least one genuine repair; prioritise a full inspection of the cooling system, suspension, and brake components, as these older saloons tend to accumulate age-related wear rather than catastrophic faults.
What to check before buying a 1994 Vauxhall Carlton
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a Vauxhall Carlton
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (97%) | 973 | 68.4% | 1.57 |
| Diesel (3%) | 30 | 64.4% | 1.3 |
| LPG (0%) | 5 | 64.1% | 1.6 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1994 Vauxhall Carlton vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 1994 Vauxhall Carlton vehicles fall between 97,193 and 146,930 miles.
1994 Vauxhall Carlton — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 13 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (22% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 1994 Vauxhall Carlton
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
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19%
Oil leak
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17.8%
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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17.7%
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements
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17.4%
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
-
16.5%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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16%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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12.8%
Fuel pipe/s corroded
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11.8%
Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1994. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Vauxhall Carlton?
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