2018 Volkswagen Touran — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 21,313 MOT tests, the 2018 Volkswagen Touran recorded an 87.8% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail at 12.2%, so the 2018 Touran sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and lighting & signalling (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and stop lamp — wipers alone was recorded 840 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2018 Touran fails 9.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 11.2% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.3 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.8% of the time against 12.4% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.4% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 1,224 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 917 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.8% | 800 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 532 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 331 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 295 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 840 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 630 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 474 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 471 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 395 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 278 |
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 | 25.4% | 5,412 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.2% | 3,878 |
| 3 | Other defects | 11.5% | 2,449 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.7% | 1,437 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 768 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 228 |
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 | 6,581 | 9.9% |
| 30-60k | 9,695 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 3,460 | 13.9% |
| 90-120k | 933 | 12.0% |
| 120-150k | 338 | 12.4% |
| 150k+ | 304 | 11.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 15,051 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 6,262 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,343 | 12.4% |
| 2022 | 4,234 | 10.7% |
| 2023 | 4,213 | 11.7% |
| 2024 | 4,254 | 13.3% |
| 2025 | 4,269 | 13.0% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Touran
On a 2018 Touran, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.8% 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 2018 Volkswagen Tourans pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 21,313 2018 Volkswagen Touran MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Volkswagen Touran?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.3%).
Does the 2018 Touran get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.9% in the 0-30k band to 11.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 21,313 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.