2023 Volkswagen Passat — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2023 Volkswagen Passat passed 95.5% of its 308 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.1 percentage points better than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 6.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.3%) and emissions & environmental (1.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are on or after 01/01/2014, headlamp aim and shock absorbers — on or after 01/01/2014 alone was recorded 3 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2023 Passat fails 3.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 0.0% at 60-90k, a spread of only 3.3 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 9.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.9% of tests failed in 2023 against 6.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 3 |
| 3 | Suspension | 0.7% | 2 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 2 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.3% | 1 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.3% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | On or after 01/01/2014 | 3 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 2 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 1 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 1 |
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 | 9.1% | 28 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.9% | 12 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.3% | 10 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.6% | 8 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.3% | 4 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.0% | 3 |
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 | 122 | 3.3% |
| 30-60k | 151 | 6.0% |
| 60-90k | 31 | 0.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 244 | 3.3% |
| Petrol | 44 | 9.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 51 | 3.9% |
| 2024 | 88 | 1.1% |
| 2025 | 169 | 6.5% |
What to check before buying a 2023 Passat
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.3% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (1.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (0.7% 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.
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 Passats pass their MOT?
95.5% of the 308 2023 Volkswagen Passat MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2023 Volkswagen Passat?
Tyres, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (1.0%).
Does the 2023 Passat get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.3% in the 0-30k band to 0.0% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 308 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.