2016 Volkswagen Caravelle — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Volkswagen Caravelle passed 82.1% of its 6,110 recorded MOT tests. Against MPVs of a similar age (15.3% fail rate), the 2016 Caravelle comes out 2.6pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.4%) and tyres (5.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, pins and bushes and shock absorbers — coil spring alone was recorded 266 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.7% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.4% | 513 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.9% | 363 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.2% | 196 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 194 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 151 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 134 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 266 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 201 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 168 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 142 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 138 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 129 |
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 | 22.5% | 1,377 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.5% | 945 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.7% | 899 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.1% | 432 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.2% | 315 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 105 |
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 | 521 | 10.4% |
| 30-60k | 2,222 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,048 | 20.2% |
| 90-120k | 737 | 21.0% |
| 120-150k | 187 | 24.1% |
| 150k+ | 395 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 6,036 | 18.1% |
| Petrol | 74 | 8.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,210 | 16.8% |
| 2022 | 1,181 | 14.8% |
| 2023 | 1,217 | 18.4% |
| 2024 | 1,250 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 1,252 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Caravelle
On a 2016 Caravelle, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.4% 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.
- Tyres (5.9% 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 (3.2% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Volkswagen Caravelles pass their MOT?
82.1% of the 6,110 2016 Volkswagen Caravelle MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Volkswagen Caravelle?
Suspension, recorded in 8.4% of tests, followed by tyres (5.9%).
Does the 2016 Caravelle get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.4% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,110 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.