Volkswagen Golf reliability and MOT data

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: Volkswagen

Model: Golf

Model reliability rank
54
MOT-based rank from 5,469,795 selected-period tests.
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Overall MOT pass rate
78.3%
Share of this model's 5,469,795 selected-period MOT tests that pass.
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Efficiency, emissions & tax
Average MPG
101.9 mpg
CO2 emission
105 g/km
Euro emissions
Euro 6
Tax cost
£155/yr
Average vehicle miles
105,782
Solid average mileage for this model.
Life expectancy miles
116,657
Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.
Average vehicle age
13.7
Comfortable mid-life age pattern.
Market share
1.79%
1.79% share within the active represented vehicle pool.
Vehicles represented
745,863
745,827 valid MOT, 36 under 3 years.
Tests analysed
5,469,795
5,469,795 MOT tests in the selected period.
Rarity ranking
Based on Make & Model
Common
745,863On the road
Insight summary

Volkswagen Golf is a common model in this snapshot, with 745,863 represented vehicles and 1.79% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 78.3% from 5,469,795 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 54. The current pool shows an average of 105,782 miles and an average age of 13.7 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 116,657 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, driveshaft boots and parking brake. The practical read is that the Volkswagen Golf looks like a solid used-car baseline rather than a rare find, with age, mileage and common wear items doing most of the explaining.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)
FuelVehicles
DIESEL370,431
PETROL365,550
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)8,994
ELECTRIC783
OTHER93
LPG6
GAS BI-FUEL4
GAS DIESEL2
DIESEL49.7%370,431 vehicles
Euro NCAP Safety
NCAP rating
5 / 5
Adult
80%
Children
86%
Pedestrian
85%
Safety systems
79%
Top 25 most common defects (by model)
DefectCount
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))108,073
Nearside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))56,654
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))56,156
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))49,232
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))45,982
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))45,312
Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))45,281
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))41,674
Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))34,675
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))32,128
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))31,980
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))31,622
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))29,730
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))29,518
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))29,271
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))29,037
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))28,634
Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))27,804
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))27,760
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))27,678
Nearside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))27,155
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))26,973
Nearside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))26,822
Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))25,100
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))23,426
All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 937,677 defects across this top 25 set
01
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))
11.5% of displayed top 25
108,073
02
Nearside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))
6.0% of displayed top 25
56,654
03
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))
6.0% of displayed top 25
56,156
04
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))
5.3% of displayed top 25
49,232
05
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
4.9% of displayed top 25
45,982
06
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))
4.8% of displayed top 25
45,312
07
Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))
4.8% of displayed top 25
45,281
08
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))
4.4% of displayed top 25
41,674
09
Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
3.7% of displayed top 25
34,675
10
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
3.4% of displayed top 25
32,128
11
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
3.4% of displayed top 25
31,980
12
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
3.4% of displayed top 25
31,622
13
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
3.2% of displayed top 25
29,730
14
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))
3.1% of displayed top 25
29,518
15
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
3.1% of displayed top 25
29,271
16
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))
3.1% of displayed top 25
29,037
17
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))
3.1% of displayed top 25
28,634
18
Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))
3.0% of displayed top 25
27,804
19
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
3.0% of displayed top 25
27,760
20
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))
3.0% of displayed top 25
27,678
21
Nearside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))
2.9% of displayed top 25
27,155
22
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))
2.9% of displayed top 25
26,973
23
Nearside Front Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))
2.9% of displayed top 25
26,822
24
Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
2.7% of displayed top 25
25,100
25
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))
2.5% of displayed top 25
23,426