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.

The 2017 Vauxhall Antara

Too few Vauxhall Antara cars first registered in 2017 had an MOT during 2025 for reliable MOT figures. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Vauxhall Antara as a whole.

11on the UK register at the end of 2025
Dieselfuel type
What to check on a 2017 car
  • MOT history

    Check the reg below: its MOT history shows what has been failed or advised, and whether the mileage adds up.

  • Service history

    Look for regular servicing and receipts for big jobs like a cambelt or clutch.

  • Finance and write-offs

    MOT records don’t show outstanding finance or insurance write-offs. A history check does.

  • Test drive

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check every warning light goes out, and make sure the gears and brakes feel right.

Other years

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, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Diesel

  • Suspension arm

    up to 4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    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.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    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.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 1.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    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.

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