MOT fail rates by first-use year

2020 Volkswagen Golf MOT fail rate and common faults

How Volkswagen Golf cars first used in 2020 did at their MOTs from 2023 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 120,038 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 5 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 5 (n=39,642)9.8%

All cars at 5 years (n=9,425,360)15.3%

Difference−5.5 pts

MOT tests of 2020 cars, 2023 to 2025120,038

What stands out

In 2025, at 5 years old, Volkswagen Golf cars first used in 2020 failed 9.8% of MOTs (39,642 tests), 5.5 points below the 15.3% for all cars that age.
From 2023 to 2025, as these cars went from 3 to 5 years old, the fail rate moved from 8.8% to 9.8%.
Volkswagen Golf cars first used a year earlier, in 2019, failed 11.2% at the same age of 5 years (53,572 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Volkswagen Golf at 5 years, is shock absorber leaking, at 0.7 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 0.3).

MOT fail rate by test year

Volkswagen Golf cars first used in 2020: 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
2023	3 years	8.8%	40,216	12.1%	−3.3 pts
2024	4 years	9.0%	40,180	13.4%	−4.3 pts
2025	5 years	9.8%	39,642	15.3%	−5.5 pts

Most common faults at 5 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Golf MOTs at 5 years: cars first used 2017 to 2020, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=227,054). 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
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear	1.5	1.4
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	1.3	1.7
Tyre with cords exposed Wear	1.3	0.9
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear	1.2	1.7
Wipers not clearing screen Wear	0.9	2.1
Shock absorber leaking	0.7	0.3
Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Wear	0.6	0.5
Headlamp aim: too low Wear	0.5	0.7
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear	0.5	0.8
Headlight aimed too high Wear	0.4	0.6

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=227,054). 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	12.5	13.5
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	10.9	8.6
Shock absorber misting oil	10.1	1.6
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	9.7	8.8
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	4.4	6.4
Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt	2.0	2.4
Tyre tread close to the legal limit, under the 1.0 mm rule Wear	1.8	1.9
Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre	1.8	2.1
Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view	1.6	1.6
Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear	1.5	1.7

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=227,054). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 5 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Golf MOTs at 5 years: cars first used 2017 to 2020, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=227,054). 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
Petrol	66.4%	10.2%	150,774	14.2%	35,506 miles
Diesel	28.4%	13.6%	64,455	17.5%	49,032 miles
Hybrid	4.9%	11.7%	11,124	12.4%	40,283 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 5 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Golf MOTs at 5 years: cars first used 2017 to 2020, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=227,054). At 5 years, Volkswagen Golf cars at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed more often (20.1%, n=4,466) than those at under 30,000 miles (7.5%, n=64,750). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Under 30,000 miles	7.5%	64,750	11.1%
30,000 to 60,000 miles	11.7%	126,750	16.2%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	16.3%	29,176	20.8%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	20.1%	4,466	23.7%

Car tax rules for a 2020 car

Cars first registered from 1 April 2017 pay a first-year rate set by CO2 emissions, then the standard rate each year. A petrol, diesel or hybrid car with a list price over £40,000 also pays the expensive car supplement for five years, from the second tax payment.

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 from September 2015 usually meet Euro 6, the diesel standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
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

2019 Volkswagen Golf 2021 Volkswagen Golf

Other Volkswagen models first used in 2020

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Volkswagen Polo (2020)	5 years in 2025	13.5%	26,344	15.3%
Volkswagen Tiguan (2020)	5 years in 2025	11.2%	23,785	15.3%
Volkswagen T-Roc (2020)	5 years in 2025	9.2%	16,828	15.3%
Volkswagen T-Cross (2020)	5 years in 2025	12.7%	7,556	15.3%
Volkswagen Passat (2020)	5 years in 2025	11.5%	5,855	15.3%
Volkswagen up! (2020)	5 years in 2025	9.5%	3,495	15.3%
Volkswagen e-Golf (2020)	5 years in 2025	12.4%	2,564	15.3%
Volkswagen Touran (2020)	5 years in 2025	12.2%	2,237	15.3%

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 2020 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.