Volkswagen Golf MOT pass rate and common failures

73% of Volkswagen Golf MOTs passed first time, above the 69% for all cars at the same ages.

73%passed first time (cars its age: 69%)
7.7mVolkswagen Golf MOTs counted since May 2018
6,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's Volkswagen Golfs against every car first registered the same year, at the same ages. Newer cars have only had their first few MOTs, so they look better. Years with fewer than 5,000 MOTs are left out.

Share of MOTs passed first time, by year first registered. All cars: every car first registered that year, at the same ages.
Registered	Golf	All cars	MOTs
2023	91%	88%	12k
2022	92%	88%	47k
2021	90%	86%	85k
2020	90%	86%	155k
2019	89%	85%	266k
2018	87%	83%	374k
2017	87%	83%	508k
2016	86%	80%	535k
2015	85%	78%	604k
2014	82%	74%	576k
2013	79%	71%	494k
2012	73%	68%	464k
2011	69%	65%	457k
2010	66%	62%	413k
2009	66%	61%	410k
2008	62%	59%	398k
2007	59%	58%	416k
2006	55%	56%	330k
2005	53%	56%	260k
2004	50%	55%	188k
2003	55%	55%	209k
2002	54%	56%	189k
2001	53%	57%	113k
2000	53%	59%	67k
1999	53%	62%	41k
1998	54%	63%	19k
1997	60%	65%	12k
1996	59%	65%	11k
1995	59%	66%	6k
1992	66%	69%	5k
1991	68%	70%	15k
1990	67%	71%	15k

Compare two years of the Golf, age for age.

First-time pass rate by age

Share of MOTs at each age that passed first time. Ages with fewer than 10,000 Volkswagen Golf MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Coil spring fractured or brokenOther cars its age: 2.52.9
Tyre tread below the legal limitOther cars its age: 2.62.6
Drive shaft CV boot splitOther cars its age: 1.52.0
Wiper does not clear the windscreenOther cars its age: 2.41.8
Brake pads less than 1.5mm thickOther cars its age: 1.91.8
Tyre has ply or cords exposedOther cars its age: 1.31.6
Shock absorber has a serious fluid leakOther cars its age: 0.91.6
Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirtOther cars its age: 0.81.6

Out of every 100 Volkswagen Golf MOTs, against other cars at the same ages.

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Shock absorber misting oilAdvisory. Other cars its age: 1.96.7
Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effectAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.93.1
Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed positionFail. Other cars its age: 0.10.2
Sound deadening material not fully secureAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.00.1
Side repeater light intensity significantly reducedFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.1
Electronic power steering warning lamp indicates a system malfunctionFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.1

Out of every 100 Volkswagen Golf MOTs. Only items noted well above other cars of the same ages.

Miles a year

Typical miles a year between one MOT and the next: 7,500 at 3 years old, 4,500 at 20. Rounded to the nearest 1,000.

Counted from DVSA records of 286,058,652 MOTs, 20 May 2018 to 18 October 2026. A test and its retests count as one MOT, and a fail put right at the test counts as a first-time fail, as the DVSA counts it. About Volkswagen Golfs in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a Volkswagen Golf's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.