Volkswagen Caravelle common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 18,360 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Caravelle in Great Britain, and 65.1% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volkswagen Caravelle at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 18,360
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 65.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.3% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 34.9%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.7%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 1,052 off the road (SORN): 9,209

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Caravelle fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
13.5%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
13.5%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
10.2%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Body, chassis and structure
7.3%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
5Tyres
5.8%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
6Visibility
5.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
4.2%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
3.8%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
2.0%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Brake performanceBrakes5.3%
Suspension armsSuspension4.4%
ConditionTyres4.0%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.9%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.8%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.1%
WashersVisibility3.1%
SpringsSuspension3.0%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2021	544	82.4%	6.4%
2020	711	81.4%	4.6%
2019	828	77.5%	7.2%
2018	672	76.8%	5.8%
2017	973	73.4%	5.0%
2016	1,025	71.6%	6.6%
2015	716	69.1%	7.3%
2014	625	73.6%	5.0%
2013	702	72.2%	6.7%
2012	814	71.0%	6.3%
2011	661	67.2%	9.4%
2010	595	64.0%	7.2%
2009	400	58.5%	6.8%
2008	546	57.3%	10.1%
2007	566	51.8%	8.5%
2006	562	55.2%	8.5%
2005	643	54.4%	8.9%
2004	478	55.2%	10.0%
2003	547	53.4%	7.5%
2002	679	57.4%	9.7%
2001	624	59.8%	9.6%
2000	496	54.8%	10.9%

Mileage

Caravelle mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
3 years	34,400 miles	454
4 years	42,100 miles	649
5 years	48,400 miles	737
6 years	56,900 miles	738
7 years	65,700 miles	765
8 years	76,700 miles	1,014
9 years	81,100 miles	769
10 years	86,800 miles	726
11 years	90,700 miles	634
12 years	99,500 miles	819
13 years	112,700 miles	684
14 years	114,600 miles	625
15 years	120,500 miles	526
16 years	135,500 miles	423
17 years	141,600 miles	595
18 years	150,900 miles	547
19 years	165,100 miles	607
20 years	169,800 miles	569
21 years	178,700 miles	456
22 years	192,600 miles	667
23 years	196,600 miles	683
24 years	195,900 miles	533
25 years	191,500 miles	454

Checking a particular Caravelle?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Volkswagen Caravelle: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Caravelle?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volkswagen Caravelle was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 13.5% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (13.5%) and brakes (10.2%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Caravelle?

65.1% of 18,360 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Caravelle in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.3% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Volkswagen Caravelle is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 7.7% of initial tests on the Volkswagen Caravelle found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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