Volkswagen T-Roc MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 9 model years and 296,143 tests, the Volkswagen T-Roc passes its MOT 93.6% of the time. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 8.5% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.6%) and visibility (2.0%) 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 5,457 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.6% versus 4.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 6.2% of the time against 7.5% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every T-Roc model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 134 | 97.8% | 2.2% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 84,620 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Visibility |
| 2019 | 90,612 | 93.7% | 6.3% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 54,520 | 93.8% | 6.2% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 45,450 | 94.0% | 6.0% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 19,128 | 94.0% | 5.9% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 1,654 | 95.7% | 4.3% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.6% | 10,722 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.0% | 5,899 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.3% | 3,937 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 3,789 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 1,573 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 1,289 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.3% | 773 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.1% | 360 |
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 | 5,457 |
| 2 | Wipers | 5,249 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,737 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 3,502 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,595 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,105 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 793 |
| 8 | Shock absorbers | 637 |
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 | 21.6% | 64,036 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.4% | 36,651 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 20,098 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 8,420 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.4% | 7,038 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 574 |
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 | 148,479 | 4.6% |
| 30-60k | 124,503 | 7.9% |
| 60-90k | 20,323 | 10.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,403 | 12.7% |
| 120-150k | 347 | 14.7% |
| 150k+ | 82 | 14.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 241,640 | 6.2% |
| Diesel | 54,501 | 7.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,601 | 5.4% |
| 2022 | 40,732 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 58,533 | 6.3% |
| 2024 | 79,674 | 6.6% |
| 2025 | 99,603 | 6.8% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen T-Roc
- Tyres (3.6% 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 (2.0% 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 (1.3% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen T-Roc?
93.6% of the 296,143 Volkswagen T-Roc MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 6.4% fail rate, across model years 2017–2025.
What does the Volkswagen T-Roc most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.6% of tests, then visibility (2.0%).
How much does mileage affect T-Roc MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.6% for 150k+, a 10.0-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel T-Roc more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 6.2% of the time against 7.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 296,143 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.