Volkswagen reliability: MOT results 2024
Figures updated
Ranked 22 of 52 makes
2,861,120 Volkswagen cars aged 3 to 20 had an MOT in 2024, and 27.2% failed first time (UK average 28.5%). Allowing for age and mileage, a Volkswagen is 8% less likely to fail than the average car of the same age and mileage. At their first MOT, 11.4% failed (UK 12.7%).
Volkswagen models ranked
| Model | Score | Fail rate | First MOT | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen T-Roc | 157 | 9.1% | 8.0% | 68,236 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 131 | 18.2% | 11.0% | 232,516 |
| Volkswagen Touareg | 130 | 23.9% | 10.7% | 37,130 |
| Volkswagen Arteon | 124 | 13.7% | 13.3% | 7,351 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 124 | 25.1% | 9.5% | 839,338 |
| Volkswagen California | 123 | 17.8% | 9.7% | 9,765 |
| Volkswagen CC | 122 | 27.2% | – | 13,924 |
| Volkswagen ID3 | 122 | 10.1% | 10.6% | 11,840 |
| Volkswagen Passat | 122 | 28.6% | 12.1% | 183,448 |
| Volkswagen Sharan | 118 | 24.5% | 16.1% | 35,778 |
| Volkswagen Amarokvan | 114 | 24.0% | 12.9% | 21,047 |
| Volkswagen EOS | 113 | 35.9% | – | 12,236 |
| Volkswagen T-Cross | 112 | 10.9% | 9.8% | 20,504 |
| Volkswagen Scirocco | 110 | 31.1% | – | 46,779 |
| Volkswagen Touran | 110 | 32.4% | 12.1% | 73,141 |
| Volkswagen up! | 109 | 20.3% | 9.7% | 123,567 |
| Volkswagen Craftervan | 108 | 30.0% | 12.9% | 7,182 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 108 | 35.7% | – | 13,077 |
| Volkswagen Bora | 106 | 43.0% | – | 2,982 |
| Volkswagen Transportervan | 106 | 30.1% | 17.4% | 259,029 |
| Volkswagen Caravelle | 104 | 31.1% | 16.6% | 12,152 |
| Volkswagen Caddyvan | 102 | 31.6% | 17.3% | 145,467 |
| Volkswagen E-Golf | 102 | 13.7% | 11.8% | 6,526 |
| Volkswagen ID4 | 99 | 13.9% | 13.9% | 2,715 |
| Volkswagen Polo | 87 | 32.9% | 11.8% | 600,518 |
| Volkswagen Beetle | 85 | 41.5% | – | 38,887 |
| Volkswagen FOX | 82 | 48.3% | – | 26,108 |
Volkswagen MOT failure rate by age
What Volkswagen cars fail on
| Area | Tests failing | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 9.4% | About average |
| Lights and electrics | 9.1% | ▼ 22% less often |
| Brakes | 6.6% | About average |
| Tyres | 6.5% | About average |
| Visibility | 4.0% | ▼ 15% less often |
| Body and structure | 3.5% | About average |
| Exhaust and emissions | 3.5% | About average |
| Steering | 1.4% | ▼ 36% less often |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.1% | 1.1× as often |
| Wheels | 0.3% | ▼ 19% less often |
Most common Volkswagen MOT faults
- Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.4% of tests
- Coil spring: fractured or broken2.4% of tests
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.2% of tests
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.9% of tests
- Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.7% of tests
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.7% of tests
Compare Volkswagen cars with their rivals
- Ford Focus vs Volkswagen Golf
- Volkswagen Golf vs Vauxhall Astra
- Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo
- Vauxhall Corsa vs Volkswagen Polo
- MINI Hatch vs Volkswagen Polo
- Volkswagen Golf vs Audi A3
- Volkswagen Polo vs Toyota Yaris
- Volkswagen Golf vs BMW 1 Series
- Volkswagen Golf vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class
- Volkswagen Polo vs Honda Jazz
- Volkswagen Polo vs Renault Clio
- Volkswagen Golf vs Honda Civic
- Nissan Qashqai vs Volkswagen Tiguan
- Ford Kuga vs Volkswagen Tiguan
- Kia Sportage vs Volkswagen Tiguan
- Volkswagen Polo vs Skoda Fabia
Frequently asked questions
›Are Volkswagen cars reliable?
By MOT results, Volkswagen ranks 22 of 52 makes in 2024, with a reliability score of 109 (100 is average for the same age and mileage). 27.2% of Volkswagen cars failed their MOT first time.
›What is the most reliable Volkswagen?
The Volkswagen T-Roc, with a score of 157. The lowest-scoring is the FOX (82).
›What do Volkswagen cars fail their MOT on?
Seat belts and airbags: 1.1% of Volkswagen MOTs failed on it, 1.1 times the rate for similar cars. The single most common fault was “Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024, Open Government Licence v3.0. How we calculate the league.