Volkswagen Arteon MOT pass rate & common failures
35,770 MOT tests on the Volkswagen Arteon (2017–2024) give it an 89.4% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 10.5%, so the Arteon sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.1% of tests against 1.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, shock absorbers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 736 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.3% in the 0-30k band and 14.6% in the 150k+ band, a 6.3-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.0% fail against 12.7% for hybrid, a 2.7-point gap across 21,321 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Arteon model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2,944 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 11,759 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 10,530 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 4,983 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 3,298 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 2,139 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 90 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.1% | 2,552 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.7% | 610 |
| 3 | Suspension | 1.5% | 548 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 399 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.7% | 258 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 259 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 177 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.3% | 92 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 736 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 544 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 511 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 306 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 220 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 163 |
| 7 | Wipers | 150 |
| 8 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 142 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 20.5% | 7,345 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.0% | 5,352 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.4% | 2,635 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.7% | 2,384 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 888 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 290 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 10,648 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 17,253 | 11.0% |
| 60-90k | 5,900 | 12.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,477 | 15.0% |
| 120-150k | 347 | 16.1% |
| 150k+ | 144 | 14.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 20,496 | 10.0% |
| Diesel | 14,442 | 11.4% |
| Hybrid | 825 | 12.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,188 | 10.5% |
| 2022 | 5,781 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 7,284 | 10.7% |
| 2024 | 8,792 | 10.9% |
| 2025 | 10,725 | 10.7% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Arteon
- Tyres (7.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (1.7% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Suspension (1.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Arteon?
89.4% of the 35,770 Volkswagen Arteon MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.6% fail rate, across model years 2017–2024.
What does the Volkswagen Arteon most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 7.1% of tests, then brakes (1.7%).
How much does mileage affect Arteon MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.6% for 150k+, a 6.3-point difference.
Is the petrol or hybrid Arteon more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 10.0% of the time against 12.7% for the hybrid. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 35,770 MOT tests. 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.