Volkswagen Golf MOT Check
MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Volkswagen Golf. Check any Golf by registration number below.
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78.2%
Avg Pass Rate
-7.4%
vs Volkswagen Avg
46
Year Ranges
Good
Reliability
Volkswagen Golf — MOT Reliability Overview
The Volkswagen Golf has an average MOT pass rate of 78.2%, which is 7.4 percentage points below the Volkswagen brand average of 85.7%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your Golf on the road.
The most common reasons a Volkswagen Golf fails its MOT are vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired. If you are preparing your Golf for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.
Typical mileage for the Golf is around 42,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used Golf, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.
Before buying a used Volkswagen Golf, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.
MOT Pass Rate by Year
How the Volkswagen Golf performs at MOT across different model years.
2024
Based on 42 vehicles
0.0%
2023
Based on 115 vehicles
1.1%
5.6%
2022
Based on 704 vehicles
0.0%
115k mi
2021
Based on 4,064 vehicles
0.5%
7.2%
128k mi
97k mi
2020
Based on 21,096 vehicles
2.2%
6.9%
40k mi
61k mi
2019
Based on 131,118 vehicles
3.0%
8.9%
42k mi
66k mi
2018
Based on 164,071 vehicles
3.4%
9.7%
68k mi
2017
Based on 185,257 vehicles
3.6%
10.7%
78k mi
2016
Based on 171,100 vehicles
3.6%
11.8%
2015
Based on 175,020 vehicles
3.9%
13.4%
133k mi
2014
Based on 168,917 vehicles
4.4%
15.6%
138k mi
2013
Based on 143,366 vehicles
4.6%
17.5%
139k mi
2012
Based on 131,225 vehicles
6.2%
25.1%
152k mi
2011
Based on 128,844 vehicles
6.5%
27.3%
2010
Based on 115,097 vehicles
6.7%
29.5%
2009
Based on 113,592 vehicles
6.8%
28.1%
2008
Based on 105,782 vehicles
7.2%
29.4%
2007
Based on 107,909 vehicles
7.2%
29.8%
2006
Based on 80,601 vehicles
7.1%
30.4%
2005
Based on 56,579 vehicles
7.0%
28.7%
2004
Based on 35,479 vehicles
8.1%
31.6%
2003
Based on 44,187 vehicles
6.6%
29.0%
2002
Based on 37,890 vehicles
6.6%
29.6%
2001
Based on 21,404 vehicles
6.6%
29.4%
2000
Based on 11,955 vehicles
6.5%
28.7%
1999
Based on 56,509 vehicles
3.8%
28.1%
164k mi
1998
Based on 145,000 vehicles
0.0%
0.1%
24k mi
42k mi
80k mi
1997
Based on 25,402 vehicles
2.4%
21.7%
1996
Based on 23,574 vehicles
3.3%
21.2%
1995
Based on 19,792 vehicles
3.5%
23.1%
1994
Based on 12,514 vehicles
2.8%
21.6%
1993
Based on 9,226 vehicles
2.7%
18.8%
1992
Based on 2,031 vehicles
1.7%
19.4%
1991
Based on 6,133 vehicles
1.5%
16.4%
1990
Based on 5,891 vehicles
1.9%
21.4%
1989
Based on 4,333 vehicles
2.2%
17.0%
1988
Based on 2,385 vehicles
2.7%
17.9%
1987
Based on 1,612 vehicles
1.6%
18.2%
1986
Based on 1,195 vehicles
2.9%
17.5%
1985
Based on 830 vehicles
2.3%
17.1%
1984
Based on 657 vehicles
2.2%
14.6%
1983
Based on 1,403 vehicles
2.0%
12.9%
1982
Based on 325 vehicles
2.2%
11.8%
1981
Based on 104 vehicles
4.8%
11.3%
1980
Based on 57 vehicles
0.0%
2.4%
0
Based on 1,064,709 vehicles
91k mi
Top MOT Failures — Volkswagen Golf
The most common reasons a Volkswagen Golf fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
Typical Mileage — Volkswagen Golf
Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 1998 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used Golf.
At 3 Years
24,000
miles
At 5 Years
42,000
miles
At 10 Years
80,000
miles
Other Volkswagen Models
Compare MOT reliability across Volkswagen models.
Volkswagen Golf — Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Volkswagen Golf MOT and reliability.
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Golf?
What are the most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Golf?
Is the Volkswagen Golf reliable?
How do I check the MOT history of a Volkswagen Golf?
What mileage should I expect on a Volkswagen Golf?
Check Your Volkswagen Golf's MOT History
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