MOT fail rates by first-use year

2009 Volkswagen Golf MOT fail rate and common faults

How Volkswagen Golf cars first used in 2009 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 182,538 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 16 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 16 (n=40,699)37.7%

All cars at 16 years (n=4,858,625)42.6%

Difference−4.9 pts

MOT tests of 2009 cars, 2022 to 2025182,538

What stands out

In 2025, at 16 years old, Volkswagen Golf cars first used in 2009 failed 37.7% of MOTs (40,699 tests), 4.9 points below the 42.6% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 13 to 16 years old, the fail rate moved from 34.7% to 37.7%.
Volkswagen Golf cars first used a year earlier, in 2008, failed 40.0% at the same age of 16 years (40,753 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Volkswagen Golf at 16 years, is driveshaft CV boot split, at 5.8 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 2.9).

MOT fail rate by test year

Volkswagen Golf cars first used in 2009: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2022	13 years	34.7%	49,672	38.3%	−3.6 pts
2023	14 years	36.7%	47,693	40.3%	−3.5 pts
2024	15 years	37.2%	44,474	41.6%	−4.3 pts
2025	16 years	37.7%	40,699	42.6%	−4.9 pts

Most common faults at 16 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Golf MOTs at 16 years: cars first used 2006 to 2009, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=168,445). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Driveshaft CV boot split	5.8	2.9
Coil spring broken	4.9	3.9
Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	4.6	1.8
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	3.6	3.1
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear	3.5	3.0
Side/position light not working Wear	3.0	5.9
Handbrake too weak	2.8	2.5
Brake light not working Wear	2.7	4.0
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear	2.6	2.0
Tyre with cords exposed Wear	2.3	1.8

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=168,445). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	20.8	18.2
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement	14.0	8.7
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	10.8	11.2
Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot severely deteriorated	9.0	3.5
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	9.0	9.5
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive	8.5	10.7
Shock absorber misting oil	8.1	4.1
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened	7.5	5.3
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	7.2	6.8
Coil spring: corroded	5.5	7.4

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=168,445). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 16 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Golf MOTs at 16 years: cars first used 2006 to 2009, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=168,445). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Diesel	52.6%	43.1%	88,678	42.8%	135,860 miles
Petrol	47.4%	39.0%	79,763	42.6%	104,252 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 16 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Golf MOTs at 16 years: cars first used 2006 to 2009, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=168,445). At 16 years, Volkswagen Golf cars at over 150,000 miles failed more often (46.4%, n=38,683) than those at under 30,000 miles (15.8%, n=1,131). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Under 30,000 miles	15.8%	1,131	20.6%
30,000 to 60,000 miles	25.9%	8,727	32.1%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	35.6%	26,679	41.4%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	41.7%	46,281	45.9%
120,000 to 150,000 miles	44.1%	45,220	46.8%
Over 150,000 miles	46.4%	38,683	46.1%

Car tax rules for a 2009 car

Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Diesel cars first registered before September 2015 usually do not meet Euro 6, so a 2009 diesel usually pays the ULEZ daily charge. A few models met Euro 6 early.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Volkswagen Golf

2008 Volkswagen Golf 2010 Volkswagen Golf

Other Volkswagen models first used in 2009

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Volkswagen Polo (2009)	16 years in 2025	46.5%	22,137	42.6%
Volkswagen Passat (2009)	16 years in 2025	37.1%	9,589	42.6%
Volkswagen Tiguan (2009)	16 years in 2025	39.3%	5,637	42.6%
Volkswagen Touran (2009)	16 years in 2025	42.8%	4,756	42.6%
Volkswagen Scirocco (2009)	16 years in 2025	38.8%	4,854	42.6%
Volkswagen Fox (2009)	16 years in 2025	49.5%	4,336	42.6%
Volkswagen Beetle (2009)	16 years in 2025	46.5%	1,695	42.6%
Volkswagen Eos (2009)	16 years in 2025	38.1%	1,123	42.6%

More on the Volkswagen Golf

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2009 Volkswagen Golf cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.