Vauxhall Zafira: common problems, best years and what to check
Seven-seat MPV; cheap to buy but check the heater resistor and fire recall. Covers 2008–2018 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Vauxhall Zafira a good used buy?
Best buy
2015–2019 Zafira Tourer 1.4T or 2.0 CDTi
Avoid
Zafira B with unrecalled heater
Who it suits: Large families on a budget who need seven seats.
What's good
- Seven seats for little money
- Flex7 folding system
- Cheap to buy
- Big glass area
What's not
- Heater fire recall on older cars
- Diesel DMF and EGR bills
- Heavy depreciation
- Discontinued
By the numbers
- #59 most common model on UK roads, with about 138k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2014: 24.7k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 50% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 2.0 CDTi (C) uses a belt (90k / 6 yrs): budget £450–£700 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: EGR / DPF / swirl flaps (up to £1,200).
Vauxhall Zafira common problems by generation and engine
Vauxhall Zafira Zafira B (2005–2014) · 7-seat MPV
How to spot it: 05 plate to 14 plate. Rounded MPV with a sliding Flex7 rear seat system.
1.6 / 1.8 petrol (Z16XEP / Z18XER, petrol, 2005–2014)
Simple; belt-driven
- Timing belt£300–£50060k / 4 yrs
1.9 CDTi (Z19DT, diesel, 2005–2014)
Strong; DPF/EGR issues
- EGR / DPF / swirl flaps£300–£1,20080k+
Faults on any Zafira B (2005–2014) engine
- Blower motor resistor fire risk (recall)£0–£300any · Check: Check recall completed
Vauxhall Zafira Zafira Tourer C (2012–2019) · 7-seat MPV
How to spot it: 12 plate to 19 plate. Boomerang daytime lights and huge panoramic windscreen option.
1.4 Turbo (A14NET, petrol, 2012–2019)
Reasonable
2.0 CDTi (A20DT, diesel, 2012–2019)
Frugal; DMF wear
- Dual-mass flywheel£700–£1,20060k+
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Vauxhall Zafira years
How many Vauxhall Zafiras from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. Years that fall off the road faster: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 — check these harder.
Vauxhall Zafira MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Vauxhall Zafiras pass their MOT first time 4 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (63% vs 67%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 52% | 57% | 111k miles |
| 2009 | 53% | 58% | 106k miles |
| 2010 | 55% | 59% | 108k miles |
| 2011 | 56% | 61% | 106k miles |
| 2012 | 60% | 63% | 96k miles |
| 2013 | 62% | 66% | 91k miles |
| 2014 | 65% | 69% | 87k miles |
| 2015 | 70% | 72% | 80k miles |
| 2016 | 70% | 75% | 69k miles |
| 2017 | 74% | 78% | 60k miles |
| 2018 | 77% | 81% | 52k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Coil spring: fractured or broken6.3 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction4.61 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4.24 per 100
- Position lamp: not working4.17 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.89 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.83 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed3.04 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.77 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm32.14 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine18.58 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened18.5 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear14.62 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn13.24 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick12.24 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded11.6 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded9.32 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Vauxhall Zafira have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6/1.8 petrol (B) | belt | 60k / 4 yrs | £300–£500 |
| 2.0 CDTi (C) | belt | 90k / 6 yrs | £450–£700 |
Vauxhall Zafira running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Vauxhall Zafira ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Vauxhall Zafira vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Zafira | 138k | 6–20 | 152 l | 2015–2019 Zafira Tourer 1.4T or 2.0 CDTi |
| Ford S-Max | 61k | 19–28 | 700 l | 2016+ Mk2 2.0 TDCi 150 |
| Volkswagen Touran | 53k | 12–22 | 743 l | Mk2 2.0 TDI |
| Ford Galaxy | 44k | 19–28 | 300 l | Mk4 2.0 TDCi |
| Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Peugeot 5008 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Vauxhall Zafira
- Recall check on Zafira B heater
- DMF on diesels
Vauxhall Zafira FAQ
›Is the Vauxhall Zafira reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2015–2019 Zafira Tourer 1.4T or 2.0 CDTi. Avoid: Zafira B with unrecalled heater.
›What is the Vauxhall Zafira MOT pass rate?
63% of Vauxhall Zafiras passed their MOT first time in 2025 (134,224 tests), below the 67% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: coil spring: fractured or broken.
›What are the most common Vauxhall Zafira problems?
The costliest known faults are EGR / DPF / swirl flaps; Dual-mass flywheel; Timing belt. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Vauxhall Zafira have a timing belt or chain?
1.6/1.8 petrol (B): belt; 2.0 CDTi (C): belt.
›What is the best year Vauxhall Zafira to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2016, 2017, 2018 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Vauxhall Zafira cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.4 Turbo 35–40 mpg; 2.0 CDTi 45–52 mpg. Insurance groups 6–20. A minor service is about £150–£220 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Vauxhall Zafira?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Vauxhall Zafira ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.