2012 Volkswagen Eos — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Volkswagen Eos passed 82.1% of its 2,283 recorded MOT tests. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (16.3% fail rate), the 2012 Eos comes out 1.6pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.8%) and tyres (6.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and brake pads — coil spring alone was recorded 132 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.8% in the 0-30k band and 22.7% in the 150k+ band, a 13.9-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.2pp more often than petrol ones (18.4% vs 16.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.8% | 179 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.9% | 158 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 110 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.0% | 92 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 36 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 26 |
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 | 132 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 67 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 36 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 33 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 30 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 30 |
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 | 27.4% | 626 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.5% | 537 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.5% | 468 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.3% | 121 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.3% | 99 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 66 |
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 | 113 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 710 | 15.5% |
| 60-90k | 748 | 18.6% |
| 90-120k | 458 | 20.7% |
| 120-150k | 187 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 66 | 22.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,754 | 18.4% |
| Petrol | 529 | 16.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 463 | 15.1% |
| 2022 | 450 | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 458 | 19.0% |
| 2024 | 455 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 457 | 20.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Eos
On a 2012 Eos, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (7.8% 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 (6.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.8% 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 2012 Volkswagen Eoss pass their MOT?
82.1% of the 2,283 2012 Volkswagen Eos MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Volkswagen Eos?
Suspension, recorded in 7.8% of tests, followed by tyres (6.9%).
Does the 2012 Eos get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,283 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.