2021 Volkswagen Golf — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf passed 92.6% of its 63,030 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (8.3% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests against 1.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, shock absorbers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 914 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.0% versus 5.7%.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 7.1% of the time against 8.6% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 10.8% in 2021 to 7.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 2,976 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.5% | 953 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 744 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.1% | 686 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.7% | 435 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 307 |
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 | 914 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 806 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 626 |
| 4 | Wipers | 547 |
| 5 | Washers | 500 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 403 |
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 | 23.0% | 14,486 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.6% | 4,169 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.0% | 3,809 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.6% | 2,914 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 1,587 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.0% | 625 |
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 | 29,779 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 27,659 | 8.2% |
| 60-90k | 4,880 | 11.7% |
| 90-120k | 569 | 14.2% |
| 120-150k | 95 | 10.5% |
| 150k+ | 45 | 20.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 38,954 | 7.2% |
| Hybrid | 14,122 | 7.1% |
| Diesel | 9,954 | 8.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 259 | 10.8% |
| 2023 | 1,270 | 5.8% |
| 2024 | 31,075 | 7.6% |
| 2025 | 30,406 | 7.2% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Golf
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.7% 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 (1.5% 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 (1.2% 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 2021 Volkswagen Golfs pass their MOT?
92.6% of the 63,030 2021 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Volkswagen Golf?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by visibility (1.5%).
Does the 2021 Golf get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 20.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 63,030 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.