2017 Volkswagen Golf — MOT failures & pass rate
386,816 MOT tests on the 2017 Volkswagen Golf are in this dataset, and 90.6% of them passed. That is 2.5 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.1%) and visibility (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 7,814 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.8% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 2.8pp more often than petrol ones (11.3% vs 8.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.1% | 19,564 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.3% | 8,868 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.2% | 8,491 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 7,095 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.8% | 6,949 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 2,268 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 7,814 |
| 2 | Wipers | 6,784 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 6,562 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 6,100 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 5,962 |
| 6 | Washers | 3,093 |
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 | 23.3% | 89,989 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.6% | 60,280 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.3% | 55,152 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.6% | 21,766 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 10,857 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 5,840 |
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 | 79,459 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 187,103 | 8.8% |
| 60-90k | 90,727 | 12.2% |
| 90-120k | 23,177 | 14.0% |
| 120-150k | 4,899 | 14.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,434 | 13.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 224,233 | 8.5% |
| Diesel | 149,498 | 10.6% |
| Hybrid | 12,604 | 11.3% |
| Electric | 480 | 12.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 77,564 | 8.1% |
| 2022 | 77,057 | 8.2% |
| 2023 | 77,379 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 77,463 | 10.4% |
| 2025 | 77,353 | 10.9% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Golf
On a 2017 Golf, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.1% 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.
- Visibility (2.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.2% 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 2017 Volkswagen Golfs pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 386,816 2017 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Volkswagen Golf?
Tyres, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by visibility (2.3%).
Does the 2017 Golf get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 13.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 386,816 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.