In 2025, 34,536 Volkswagen Sharan cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 76% passed first time, compared with 74% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Sharan about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 106 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 4 years old, 85% of Sharans passed first time (all cars that age: 87%). By 20 years, that figure is 53% (all cars: 58%). It starts out ahead of the average car but falls behind from around 15 years, which is worth knowing if you are buying an older one.
Volkswagen Sharan All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Sharan passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 1,158 | 85% | 87% | 36,305 |
| 5 years | 1,336 | 86% | 86% | 54,395 |
| 6 years | 6,364 | 86% | 84% | 114,609 |
| 7 years | 3,270 | 84% | 81% | 98,519 |
| 8 years | 3,476 | 81% | 78% | 117,321 |
| 9 years | 3,210 | 79% | 75% | 126,506 |
| 10 years | 3,086 | 75% | 72% | 126,928 |
| 11 years | 2,704 | 71% | 69% | 120,661 |
| 12 years | 2,116 | 68% | 66% | 120,673 |
| 13 years | 2,027 | 67% | 63% | 115,505 |
| 14 years | 2,078 | 68% | 61% | 124,229 |
| 15 years | 600 | 55% | 59% | 144,763 |
| 16 years | 392 | 52% | 58% | 138,467 |
| 17 years | 448 | 51% | 57% | 139,234 |
| 18 years | 522 | 50% | 57% | 140,663 |
| 19 years | 462 | 52% | 57% | 138,919 |
| 20 years | 461 | 53% | 58% | 141,873 |
What fails most on a Volkswagen Sharan
The area that lets the Sharan down most, relative to other cars, is tyres: 10.1% of tests failed on it, 1.2 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on visibility and steering.
Share of Sharan 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 | 7.1% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.5% |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | Tyres | 3.4% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 2.9% |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Suspension | 2.9% |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | Emissions and leaks | 2.5% |
What to check when buying a used Sharan
Based on where the Sharan fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- 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
- 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
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. 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 Sharan
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a SharanFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volkswagen Sharan?
In 2025, 76% of Volkswagen Sharan cars passed their MOT first time, across 34,536 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 74%.
What do Volkswagen Sharan cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (7.1% of tests); tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (3.5% of tests); a tyre cords visible or damaged (3.4% of tests).
Other Volkswagen models
Volkswagen Golf (73%), Volkswagen Polo (66%), Volkswagen Transporter (66%), Volkswagen Tiguan (78%), Volkswagen Passat (71%), Volkswagen Caddy (68%). 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.