BMW 1 Series vs Volkswagen Golf
The BMW 1 Series has the better MOT record of the two — 16.0% fail rate versus 18.3% for the Volkswagen Golf across comparable years. The biggest single difference is suspension, where the Golf records failures noticeably more often.
16.0%
1 Series fail rate
18.3%
Golf fail rate
2.27pp
Difference
Side by side
| Metric | BMW 1 Series | Volkswagen Golf |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests analysed | 2,288,981 | 5,426,375 |
| Pass rate | 84.0% | 81.8% |
| Fail rate | 16.0% | 18.3% |
Where they differ
| Category | 1 Series | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Visibility | 3.5% | 0.0% |
| Body, structure & corrosion | 0.0% | 3.3% |
| Brakes | 4.5% | 5.4% |
| Tyres | 6.3% | 5.5% |
| Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 7.5% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.