2010 Volkswagen Eos — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 13,139 MOT tests, the 2010 Volkswagen Eos recorded a 75.8% pass rate. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (19.1% fail rate), the 2010 Eos comes out 5.1pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 14.2% of all tests — 7.0 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, linkage ball joint dust cover and ball joint dust cover — coil spring alone was recorded 890 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.4% versus 11.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 23.6% of the time against 24.5% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 35.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 23.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.2% | 1,866 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.2% | 948 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 874 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.6% | 869 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 325 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 308 |
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 | 890 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 587 |
| 3 | Ball joint dust cover | 544 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 421 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 357 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 251 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 35.1% | 4,611 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.8% | 3,921 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.3% | 3,189 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 1,919 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.8% | 899 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.5% | 589 |
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 | 255 | 11.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,221 | 19.5% |
| 60-90k | 4,743 | 23.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,750 | 27.0% |
| 120-150k | 1,572 | 26.5% |
| 150k+ | 598 | 25.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,279 | 24.5% |
| Petrol | 4,860 | 23.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,856 | 23.8% |
| 2022 | 2,724 | 22.0% |
| 2023 | 2,730 | 24.9% |
| 2024 | 2,482 | 24.2% |
| 2025 | 2,347 | 26.2% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Eos
On a 2010 Eos, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (14.2% 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 (7.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2010 Volkswagen Eoss pass their MOT?
75.8% of the 13,139 2010 Volkswagen Eos MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Volkswagen Eos?
Suspension, recorded in 14.2% of tests, followed by tyres (7.2%).
Does the 2010 Eos get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,139 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.