2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A — MOT failures & pass rate

Across 3,304 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, visibility and brakes. Its pass rate of 91.5% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.6%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 15.2% in the 90-120k group versus 6.6% in the 0-30k group.

Pass rate

3,304

MOT tests analysed

8.5%

Fail rate

in line with

vs cars of similar age

Avg age at test (yrs)

How it compares

Fail rate for this model-year against the segment and national averages for cars of a similar age.

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	6.2%	205
2	Visibility	1.2%	41
3	Brakes	1.2%	39
4	Lighting & signalling	0.9%	30
5	Suspension	0.8%	25
6	Emissions & environmental	0.7%	23

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Tread depth	60
2	Brake pads	42
3	Headlamp aim	34
4	Wipers	24
5	Washers	23
6	Malfunction indicator lamp	23

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	22.6%	745
2	Brakes	10.0%	331
3	Suspension	5.5%	181
4	Other defects	4.4%	146
5	Visibility	2.6%	87
6	Road wheels	1.0%	32

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — 2020 Golf R-Line S-A
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	1,102	6.6%
30-60k	1,705	9.0%
60-90k	409	9.8%
90-120k	66	15.2%

Failure rate by age

How this model-year's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — 2020 Golf R-Line S-A
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2022	34	5.9%
2023	1,090	8.5%
2024	1,115	8.6%
2025	1,065	8.5%

What to check before buying a 2020 Golf R-Line S-A

Before buying a 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 6.2% of tests for this year.

Tyres (6.2% 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.
Visibility (1.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Brakes (1.2% 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 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-As pass their MOT?

91.5% of the 3,304 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.5% fail rate.

What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen Golf R-Line S-A?

Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by visibility (1.2%).

Does the 2020 Golf R-Line S-A get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 15.2% in the 90-120k band.

Methodology & source. Based on 3,304 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.