What is the Volkswagen MOT pass rate?

71.9% of 2,625,665 class-4 initial MOT tests on Volkswagen cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average across all published models.

Which Volkswagen has the best MOT pass rate?

Of the Volkswagen model groups with a substantial sample, the Golf Match Edition TSI EVO has the highest initial pass rate at 91.3% across 8,299 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.

Does a good Volkswagen pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?

No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.

MOT pass rates / Volkswagen

Volkswagen MOT pass rates and common failures

Name: Volkswagen MOT statistics
Creator: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Volkswagen cars passed 71.9% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 2,625,665 class-4 initial tests and 85 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Volkswagen 33rd of 59 makes in the dataset.

Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Volkswagen is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.

Checking a Volkswagen?

Make-level pass rates cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.

Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

What Volkswagen cars fail on

The items most often behind a first-test failure across Volkswagen model groups, as a share of Volkswagen tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.

Condition — 4% of Volkswagen tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
Exhaust Emissions — 3.5% of Volkswagen tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
Headlamp Aim — 3.2% of Volkswagen tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
Brake Performance — 3.2% of Volkswagen tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
Anti-roll Bars — 3% of Volkswagen tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
Suspension Arms — 2.5% of Volkswagen tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
Mechanical Brake Components — 1.3% of Volkswagen tests. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.
Tread Depth — 0.7% of Volkswagen tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.

Volkswagen MOT pass rate by age

Age at test	Tests	Initial pass rate
3–5 years	442,718	87.6%
6–9 years	778,508	80.3%
10–14 years	793,967	67.5%
15–30 years	610,354	55.8%

Volkswagen models by MOT pass rate

Model	Tests	Initial pass rate
Golf	730,632	72.9%
Polo	543,572	65.5%
Transporter	217,793	65%
Tiguan	164,275	79.9%
Passat	153,043	70.7%
Caddy	131,320	68.4%
UP	103,157	79.4%
Touran	66,375	68.1%
T-roc	49,442	90.4%
Beetle	37,628	57.4%
Scirocco	36,469	69.2%
Touareg	33,953	75.3%
Sharan	29,062	76.1%
FOX	25,105	51.7%
Amarok	19,374	75.6%
Polo Match TSI	14,506	88.4%
CC	13,834	72.8%
Caravelle	12,720	63.4%
T-cross	11,978	88.8%
Golf Life TSI	11,549	90.5%
Jetta	11,522	64.1%
EOS	11,446	64.1%
Golf Match Edition TSI EVO	8,299	91.3%
California	7,808	81%
Polo Match EVO	7,667	85.5%
Tiguan Match TSI EVO	7,221	89.4%
ID3 Life	6,411	89.3%
Transporter T28 Highline TDI	6,291	84.3%
E-golf	6,280	86.1%
Arteon	6,215	86.6%
Tiguan R-line TSI S-A	6,155	90.6%
Tiguan Match TSI EVO S-A	6,147	89.9%
Transporter T28 Startline TDI	6,138	78.7%
Polo Match TSI S-A	5,263	88.9%
Lupo	5,218	60%
Crafter	5,041	68.9%
Golf Style TSI	4,969	92%
Bora	4,843	58.4%
Golf Match Edition TSI EVO S-A	4,528	91.8%
Tiguan Life TSI	3,703	89.2%
Golf R-line TSI	3,535	89.1%
T-roc R-line TSI EVO S-A	3,358	92.1%
Tiguan Elegance TSI S-A	3,356	92.4%
Tiguan Match TDI	2,998	87.8%
Transporter T30 H-line TDI S-A	2,987	84.4%
Transporter T30 Highline TDI	2,971	83.1%
Golf Life Etsi S-A	2,933	92.3%
Tiguan R-line Tech TDI	2,701	87.3%
ID3 Family	2,622	90.9%
Transporter T32 H-line TDI S-A	2,454	86.8%
Golf GTI TSI S-A	2,401	90.7%
Tiguan Life TSI S-A	2,324	89.5%
Golf R-line Etsi S-A	2,275	89.5%
Touareg V6 Black Edition TDI A	2,242	89.1%
Transporter T30 Startline TDI	2,145	73.9%
Transporter T28 H-line TDI S-A	2,140	84.5%
LT	2,086	54.8%
Tiguan R-line Tech TDI 4M SA	2,005	87.6%
ID4 1ST Edition	1,954	85.1%
T-roc Black Edition TSI EVO SA	1,922	92.8%
T-roc SEL TSI EVO S-A	1,921	93.1%
Tiguan R-line Tech TDI S-A	1,919	89.5%
Tiguan Match TDI S-A	1,884	90%
Golf Style Etsi S-A	1,864	90.7%
T-roc Active TSI EVO	1,822	90%
Golf R TSI 4motion S-A	1,799	88.8%
Golf GTD TDI S-A	1,704	88.3%
ID3 1ST Edition	1,678	91%
Golf GTE S-A	1,660	87.5%
Polo Active TSI	1,632	92.2%
Golf Match Edition TDI	1,608	88.4%
Golf R-line TDI S-A	1,607	87.6%
Passat SEL TDI S-A	1,561	88.4%
Tiguan Match TDI 4motion S-A	1,521	88.9%
E-up	1,508	91.5%
Golf Match Edition TSI	1,360	88.2%
T-roc R TSI 4motion S-A	1,344	92.9%
UP GTI	1,343	85.9%
Golf Style TDI S-A	1,333	90.6%
Transporter SE TDI S-A	1,142	83.9%
Passat R-line TDI S-A	1,038	89.6%
Transporter T32 Highline TDI	1,026	83.7%
T-roc R-line TSI EVO	1,015	91.9%
ID4 Life	1,010	90.9%
Transporter T32 SE TDI BMT S-A	1,005	84.1%

Methodology and limitations

MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.

Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.

Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Check the actual car

Enter the registration for that Volkswagen's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.