2019 Volkswagen Tiguan — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 159,552 MOT tests, the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan recorded a 91.1% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail at 9.4%, so the 2019 Tiguan sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.2%) and brakes (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 3,973 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2019 Tiguan fails 6.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.0 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.4pp more often than petrol ones (9.8% vs 7.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.2% | 6,715 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.3% | 3,636 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.5% | 2,335 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 2,258 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 2,131 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 1,521 |
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 | 3,973 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 3,002 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,100 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,964 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 1,837 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,463 |
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 | 22.4% | 35,741 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.2% | 28,974 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.7% | 15,411 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.4% | 11,778 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 4,469 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 578 |
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 | 61,036 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 77,785 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 17,735 | 11.8% |
| 90-120k | 2,504 | 13.2% |
| 120-150k | 388 | 12.6% |
| 150k+ | 97 | 9.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 96,695 | 9.8% |
| Petrol | 62,857 | 7.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,413 | 5.8% |
| 2022 | 40,361 | 7.9% |
| 2023 | 39,819 | 8.6% |
| 2024 | 39,006 | 9.3% |
| 2025 | 38,953 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Tiguan
On a 2019 Tiguan, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.2% 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 (2.3% 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.
- 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.
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 2019 Volkswagen Tiguans pass their MOT?
91.1% of the 159,552 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Tyres, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by brakes (2.3%).
Does the 2019 Tiguan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 9.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 159,552 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.