1980 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1980 perform at MOT as they age

46 years

Current Age

74.2%

Latest Pass Rate

944

Total Tests (All Years)

81,501 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1980 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

29 yrs40.5%

→ ↑8.5%

30 yrs49.0%

→ ↑9.0%

31 yrs58.0%

→ ↓3.5%

32 yrs54.5%

→ ↑6.6%

33 yrs61.1%

→ ↑3.5%

34 yrs64.6%

→ ↓0.8%

35 yrs63.8%

→ ↑1.0%

36 yrs64.8%

→ ↓3.0%

37 yrs61.8%

→ ↑4.2%

38 yrs66.0%

→ ↑4.0%

39 yrs70.0%

→ ↑2.7%

40 yrs72.7%

→ ↑1.5%

41 yrs74.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
29 yrs	40.5%	121
30 yrs	49.0%	96
31 yrs	58.0%	88
32 yrs	54.5%	101
33 yrs	61.1%	90
34 yrs	64.6%	79
35 yrs	63.8%	69
36 yrs	64.8%	71
37 yrs	61.8%	68
38 yrs	66.0%	47
39 yrs	70.0%	50
40 yrs	72.7%	33
41 yrs	74.2%	31

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1980 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2021 (41 yrs)	74.2%	31
2020 (40 yrs)	72.7%	33
2019 (39 yrs)	70%	50
2018 (38 yrs)	66%	47
2017 (37 yrs)	61.8%	68
2016 (36 yrs)	64.8%	71
2015 (35 yrs)	63.8%	69
2014 (34 yrs)	64.6%	79
2013 (33 yrs)	61.1%	90
2012 (32 yrs)	54.5%	101
2011 (31 yrs)	58%	88
2010 (30 yrs)	49%	96
2009 (29 yrs)	40.5%	121

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

40.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 121Avg Mileage 87,192Top Failure Suspension — 38.0%

2010High Fail Rate

49.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 96Avg Mileage 88,653Top Failure Suspension — 30.2%

2011High Fail Rate

58.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 88Avg Mileage 88,652Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.0%

2012High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 101Avg Mileage 90,527Top Failure Suspension — 25.7%

2013High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 90Avg Mileage 98,172Top Failure Suspension — 72.2%

2014High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 79Avg Mileage 100,141Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%

2015High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 69Avg Mileage 80,863Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 55.1%

2016High Fail Rate

64.8%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 71Avg Mileage 98,517Top Failure Suspension — 47.9%

2017High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 68Avg Mileage 78,399Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 57.4%

2018

66.0%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 47Avg Mileage 84,834Top Failure Brakes — 46.8%

2019

70.0%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 50Avg Mileage 84,810Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 30.0%

2020

72.7%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 33Avg Mileage 81,226Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.4%

2021

74.2%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 31Avg Mileage 81,501Top Failure Brakes — 61.3%

MOT results for 1980 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	29	40.5%	121	87,192	Suspension — 38.0%
2010	30	49.0%	96	88,653	Suspension — 30.2%
2011	31	58.0%	88	88,652	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.0%
2012	32	54.5%	101	90,527	Suspension — 25.7%
2013	33	61.1%	90	98,172	Suspension — 72.2%
2014	34	64.6%	79	100,141	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.6%
2015	35	63.8%	69	80,863	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 55.1%
2016	36	64.8%	71	98,517	Suspension — 47.9%
2017	37	61.8%	68	78,399	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 57.4%
2018	38	66.0%	47	84,834	Brakes — 46.8%
2019	39	70.0%	50	84,810	Body, chassis, structure — 30.0%
2020	40	72.7%	33	81,226	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.4%
2021	41	74.2%	31	81,501	Brakes — 61.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1980 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

45.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

37.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

35.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

33.0%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

23.7%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	35.5% (29 yrs)	61.3% (41 yrs)	+25.8%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	38.0% (29 yrs)	19.4% (41 yrs)	-18.6%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volkswagen Golf page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Golf cars manufactured in 1980 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2021, covering 944 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.