In 2025, 167,163 Volkswagen Passat cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 71% passed first time, compared with 68% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Passat about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 92 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 3 years old, 85% of Passats passed first time (all cars that age: 88%). By 20 years, that figure is 61% (all cars: 58%). It is weaker than average when young but holds up better than most from around 5 years.
Volkswagen Passat All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Passat passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 1,235 | 85% | 88% | 48,028 |
| 4 years | 1,500 | 88% | 87% | 60,281 |
| 5 years | 1,729 | 89% | 86% | 62,968 |
| 6 years | 6,187 | 86% | 84% | 76,789 |
| 7 years | 10,774 | 84% | 81% | 90,501 |
| 8 years | 13,875 | 81% | 78% | 102,853 |
| 9 years | 14,935 | 79% | 75% | 114,249 |
| 10 years | 15,200 | 77% | 72% | 121,499 |
| 11 years | 14,499 | 69% | 69% | 124,706 |
| 12 years | 11,646 | 67% | 66% | 131,212 |
| 13 years | 13,132 | 65% | 63% | 141,437 |
| 14 years | 15,030 | 64% | 61% | 148,522 |
| 15 years | 9,886 | 63% | 59% | 145,768 |
| 16 years | 9,514 | 63% | 58% | 143,314 |
| 17 years | 7,416 | 61% | 57% | 149,665 |
| 18 years | 5,975 | 59% | 57% | 152,531 |
| 19 years | 3,890 | 57% | 57% | 153,363 |
| 20 years | 2,912 | 61% | 58% | 156,696 |
What fails most on a Volkswagen Passat
The area that lets the Passat down most, relative to other cars, is seat belts and airbags: 1.6% of tests failed on it, 4.9 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on visibility and lights and electrics.
Share of Passat tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 6.8% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 4.7% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 4.7% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 4.6% |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | Tyres | 3.7% |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | Emissions and leaks | 2.9% |
What to check when buying a used Passat
Based on where the Passat fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Seat belts and airbags: Pull every belt out fully and let it retract, check the buckles latch, and make sure the airbag light goes out after starting. More
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
- Tyres: Check tread across the whole width (uneven wear hints at alignment or suspension faults), and look for cuts, bulges and mismatched brands. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Passat
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a PassatFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volkswagen Passat?
In 2025, 71% of Volkswagen Passat cars passed their MOT first time, across 167,163 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 68%.
What do Volkswagen Passat cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (6.8% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (4.7% of tests); tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (4.7% of tests).
Other Volkswagen models
Volkswagen Golf (73%), Volkswagen Polo (66%), Volkswagen Transporter (66%), Volkswagen Tiguan (78%), Volkswagen Caddy (68%), Volkswagen Up (79%). All Volkswagen models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.