2023 Volkswagen Golf — MOT failures & pass rate
1,046 MOT tests on the 2023 Volkswagen Golf are in this dataset, and 95.6% of them passed. Small family cars of a similar age fail 5.9% of the time, so this is 1.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.3%) and visibility (1.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, washers and catalyst emissions — wipers alone was recorded 8 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 3.3% in the 0-30k band and 9.3% in the 60-90k band, a 6.0-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 13.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2023 against 4.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.3% | 24 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.3% | 14 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 7 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 6 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.4% | 4 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 8 |
| 2 | Washers | 8 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 6 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 5 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 4 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 4 |
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 | 13.5% | 141 |
| 2 | Suspension | 5.7% | 60 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.6% | 27 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.3% | 24 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 19 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 7 |
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 | 706 | 3.3% |
| 30-60k | 277 | 6.1% |
| 60-90k | 54 | 9.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 665 | 3.6% |
| Hybrid | 276 | 5.8% |
| Diesel | 105 | 5.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 30 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 44 | 9.1% |
| 2025 | 972 | 4.3% |
What to check before buying a 2023 Golf
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 2.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (2.3% 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 (1.3% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (0.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2023 Volkswagen Golfs pass their MOT?
95.6% of the 1,046 2023 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2023 Volkswagen Golf?
Tyres, recorded in 2.3% of tests, followed by visibility (1.3%).
Does the 2023 Golf get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.3% in the 0-30k band to 9.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,046 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.