2012 Chevrolet Cruze 1.7L Diesel · LR62 TWG

The Cruze presents as a fundamentally sound vehicle with a clean bill of health at its most recent MOT on 29 November 2025 at 110,503 miles. The maintenance trend over the past two years is stable, though not entirely without concern. The 2025 pass came with three advisories: front inner brake pads wearing thin, a corroded offside rear coil spring, and a perishing offside rear tyre. These are not immediate failures, but they signal that the car has entered a phase where age-related deterioration is beginning to surface. The fact that the previous test in November 2024 recorded zero defects makes the sudden appearance of corrosion and wear items in 2025 worth noting rather than alarming. The mileage pattern tells a story of extremely light recent use. Between the November 2023 test at 109,070 miles and the November 2025 test at 110,503 miles, the car covered just 1,433 miles over two full years. Before that, mileage accumulation was more typical, with roughly 1,400 miles covered between August 2022 and November 2023. The near-standstill usage since late 2023 could explain why some components have deteriorated without triggering failures, rubber perishing and corrosion often worsen during periods of inactivity rather than use. The annual average of around 7,900 miles over the car's fourteen-year life is unremarkable for its age. Buyers should focus their physical inspection on the rear suspension and braking system. The offside rear coil spring was flagged as corroded in 2025, and the nearside rear spring was fractured outright during the failed test on 15 November 2023, just five days before the retest passed. That fracture was repaired, but corrosion on the opposite side now suggests the springs are reaching end-of-life as a pair, and replacement should be budgeted for. The rear brake pads were below 1.5mm in the 2023 failure, and the front inner pads were flagged as wearing thin in 2025, indicating the car has been driven gently enough that brakes last, but not so gently that they avoid wear entirely. Inspect the disc condition alongside pad thickness, as corroded discs often accompany infrequently used braking systems. The perishing offside rear tyre and the small windscreen chip noted in 2022 are minor items, but the tyre advisory in 2025 suggests the rubber is ageing rather than wearing through use. Check the date codes on all four tyres and the spare. Given the corrosion appearing on the coil springs, a thorough underside inspection for structural rust, particularly around suspension mounting points and the exhaust system, is advisable before purchase.