1986 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age

40 years

Current Age

72.8%

Latest Pass Rate

9,169

Total Tests (All Years)

109,316 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 1986 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

23 yrs44.8%

→ ↑0.1%

24 yrs44.9%

→ ↓0.6%

25 yrs44.3%

→ ↑1.5%

26 yrs45.8%

→ ↑3.3%

27 yrs49.1%

→ ↑3.6%

28 yrs52.7%

→ ↑1.7%

29 yrs54.4%

→ ↓2.4%

30 yrs52.0%

→ ↑4.0%

31 yrs56.0%

→ ↑5.8%

32 yrs61.8%

→ ↓0.6%

33 yrs61.2%

→ ↓1.4%

34 yrs59.8%

→ ↑3.2%

35 yrs63.0%

→ ↑5.1%

36 yrs68.1%

→ ↓0.0%

37 yrs68.1%

→ ↑4.7%

38 yrs72.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
23 yrs	44.8%	1,175
24 yrs	44.9%	982
25 yrs	44.3%	856
26 yrs	45.8%	683
27 yrs	49.1%	637
28 yrs	52.7%	573
29 yrs	54.4%	550
30 yrs	52.0%	517
31 yrs	56.0%	495
32 yrs	61.8%	351
33 yrs	61.2%	327
34 yrs	59.8%	291
35 yrs	63.0%	392
36 yrs	68.1%	345
37 yrs	68.1%	360
38 yrs	72.8%	635

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1986 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (38 yrs)	72.8%	635
2023 (37 yrs)	68.1%	360
2022 (36 yrs)	68.1%	345
2021 (35 yrs)	63%	392
2020 (34 yrs)	59.8%	291
2019 (33 yrs)	61.2%	327
2018 (32 yrs)	61.8%	351
2017 (31 yrs)	56%	495
2016 (30 yrs)	52%	517
2015 (29 yrs)	54.4%	550
2014 (28 yrs)	52.7%	573
2013 (27 yrs)	49.1%	637
2012 (26 yrs)	45.8%	683
2011 (25 yrs)	44.3%	856
2010 (24 yrs)	44.9%	982
2009 (23 yrs)	44.8%	1,175

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

44.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,175Avg Mileage 108,103Top Failure Suspension — 35.9%

2010High Fail Rate

44.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 982Avg Mileage 108,193Top Failure Brakes — 33.5%

2011High Fail Rate

44.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 856Avg Mileage 109,255Top Failure Suspension — 34.0%

2012High Fail Rate

45.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 683Avg Mileage 109,529Top Failure Suspension — 34.3%

2013High Fail Rate

49.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 637Avg Mileage 110,932Top Failure Brakes — 83.7%

2014High Fail Rate

52.7%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 573Avg Mileage 110,225Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.0%

2015High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 550Avg Mileage 109,469Top Failure Brakes — 72.4%

2016High Fail Rate

52.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 517Avg Mileage 113,698Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.4%

2017High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 495Avg Mileage 113,410Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.5%

2018High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 351Avg Mileage 111,774Top Failure Brakes — 56.1%

2019High Fail Rate

61.2%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 327Avg Mileage 110,319Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 65.1%

2020High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 291Avg Mileage 114,330Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 54.3%

2021High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 392Avg Mileage 108,811Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 58.2%

2022

68.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 345Avg Mileage 109,661Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 44.9%

2023

68.1%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 360Avg Mileage 109,433Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 46.4%

2024

72.8%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 635Avg Mileage 109,316Top Failure Brakes — 37.5%

MOT results for 1986 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	23	44.8%	1,175	108,103	Suspension — 35.9%
2010	24	44.9%	982	108,193	Brakes — 33.5%
2011	25	44.3%	856	109,255	Suspension — 34.0%
2012	26	45.8%	683	109,529	Suspension — 34.3%
2013	27	49.1%	637	110,932	Brakes — 83.7%
2014	28	52.7%	573	110,225	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.0%
2015	29	54.4%	550	109,469	Brakes — 72.4%
2016	30	52.0%	517	113,698	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.4%
2017	31	56.0%	495	113,410	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.5%
2018	32	61.8%	351	111,774	Brakes — 56.1%
2019	33	61.2%	327	110,319	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 65.1%
2020	34	59.8%	291	114,330	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 54.3%
2021	35	63.0%	392	108,811	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 58.2%
2022	36	68.1%	345	109,661	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 44.9%
2023	37	68.1%	360	109,433	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 46.4%
2024	38	72.8%	635	109,316	Brakes — 37.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1986 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Brakes

51.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

50.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

48.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

46.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

27.0%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	35.9% (23 yrs)	28.5% (38 yrs)	-7.4%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	31.3% (23 yrs)	37.5% (38 yrs)	+6.2%	🔴 ↑

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 1986 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 9,169 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.