Volkswagen Passat common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 175,903 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Passat in Great Britain, and 71.5% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volkswagen Passat at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 175,903
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 71.5%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.6% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 28.5%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 9.0%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 44,097 off the road (SORN): 171,762

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

Failure areas

Where the Passat 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.

1Suspension
12.2%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
8.5%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Tyres
8.3%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Brakes
4.9%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Noise, emissions and leaks
3.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
6Body, chassis and structure
3.7%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Visibility
2.6%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
8Seat belts and airbags
1.6%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Steering
0.9%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.4%
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.

ConditionTyres5.1%
Suspension armsSuspension4.4%
SpringsSuspension3.9%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.7%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.6%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.4%
Tread depthTyres3.3%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes2.6%

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
2022	2,482	87.3%	6.3%
2021	3,667	87.9%	4.7%
2020	5,817	88.4%	4.7%
2019	7,323	86.1%	5.2%
2018	10,778	84.1%	6.3%
2017	13,876	81.0%	6.5%
2016	14,941	79.4%	6.5%
2015	15,204	76.9%	7.6%
2014	14,501	69.4%	9.8%
2013	11,647	67.1%	10.3%
2012	13,136	64.7%	10.7%
2011	15,034	64.4%	11.0%
2010	9,890	62.8%	11.8%
2009	9,520	62.6%	12.6%
2008	7,420	60.7%	12.4%
2007	5,975	59.0%	12.3%
2006	3,890	57.1%	11.5%
2005	2,912	60.8%	8.8%
2004	2,389	60.3%	9.0%
2003	2,091	59.3%	10.7%
2002	1,316	61.2%	9.7%
2001	770	58.8%	8.4%
2000	374	57.0%	11.5%

Mileage

Passat 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
2 years	41,700 miles	2,105
3 years	51,800 miles	2,914
4 years	56,900 miles	5,324
5 years	63,700 miles	6,413
6 years	76,600 miles	9,080
7 years	89,400 miles	12,425
8 years	101,000 miles	14,109
9 years	110,900 miles	15,477
10 years	116,100 miles	14,195
11 years	121,500 miles	12,919
12 years	132,200 miles	11,942
13 years	141,900 miles	14,521
14 years	144,100 miles	12,199
15 years	141,900 miles	10,237
16 years	146,200 miles	8,112
17 years	150,200 miles	6,608
18 years	151,000 miles	4,803
19 years	152,700 miles	3,452
20 years	159,000 miles	2,434
21 years	158,700 miles	2,343
22 years	155,800 miles	1,633
23 years	158,800 miles	1,028
24 years	157,100 miles	540
25 years	156,500 miles	352

Checking a particular Passat?

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 Passat: common questions

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

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

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volkswagen Passat was suspension: 12.2% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (8.5%) and tyres (8.3%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Passat?

71.5% of 175,903 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Passat in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.6% 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 Passat 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. 9.0% of initial tests on the Volkswagen Passat 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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