2011 Volkswagen Eos — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Volkswagen Eos passed 79.0% of its 8,612 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points worse than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 17.8%. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 11.4% of tests against 6.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, linkage ball joint dust cover and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 483 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.4% versus 10.8%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 20.9% of the time against 21.2% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.4% | 978 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.1% | 525 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.5% | 470 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.0% | 429 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 183 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 175 |
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 | 483 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 307 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 281 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 176 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 160 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 139 |
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 | 27.8% | 2,393 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.6% | 2,289 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.7% | 1,869 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.4% | 468 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 358 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 342 |
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 | 232 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,067 | 17.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,384 | 21.0% |
| 90-120k | 1,896 | 24.2% |
| 120-150k | 781 | 24.8% |
| 150k+ | 252 | 25.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,417 | 21.2% |
| Petrol | 3,195 | 20.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,733 | 18.0% |
| 2022 | 1,754 | 19.7% |
| 2023 | 1,717 | 20.9% |
| 2024 | 1,720 | 22.5% |
| 2025 | 1,688 | 24.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Eos
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.4% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.4% 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 (6.1% 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 (5.5% 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 2011 Volkswagen Eoss pass their MOT?
79.0% of the 8,612 2011 Volkswagen Eos MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volkswagen Eos?
Suspension, recorded in 11.4% of tests, followed by tyres (6.1%).
Does the 2011 Eos get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,612 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.