2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Sa — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,558 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Sa, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 94.6% was above the average for cars of a similar age (91.2%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.5% | 39 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.0% | 31 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 12 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 12 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 12 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.4% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 31 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 16 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 13 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 11 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 11 |
| 6 | Wipers | 6 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 18.4% | 286 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.2% | 252 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.4% | 116 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.6% | 87 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 37 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 8 |
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 | 779 | 4.2% |
| 30-60k | 689 | 6.2% |
| 60-90k | 74 | 8.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,299 | 5.6% |
| Petrol | 259 | 4.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 43 | 4.7% |
| 2024 | 763 | 5.1% |
| 2025 | 751 | 5.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Tiguan Sa
Before buying a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Sa, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 2.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (2.5% 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.
- Brakes (2.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (0.8% 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 Tiguan Sas pass their MOT?
94.6% of the 1,558 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Sa MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Sa?
Tyres, recorded in 2.5% of tests, followed by brakes (2.0%).
Does the 2021 Tiguan Sa get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.2% in the 0-30k band to 8.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,558 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.