1990 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age

36 years

Current Age

69.8%

Latest Pass Rate

48,509

Total Tests (All Years)

130,739 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 1990 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

19 yrs44.3%

→ ↑1.9%

20 yrs46.2%

→ ↑2.0%

21 yrs48.2%

→ ↓0.5%

22 yrs47.7%

→ ↑2.6%

23 yrs50.3%

→ ↓0.5%

24 yrs49.8%

→ ↑3.9%

25 yrs53.7%

→ ↑3.3%

26 yrs57.0%

→ ↑1.8%

27 yrs58.8%

→ ↑0.7%

28 yrs59.5%

→ ↑5.2%

29 yrs64.7%

→ ↓0.7%

30 yrs64.0%

→ ↓0.8%

31 yrs63.2%

→ ↑5.3%

32 yrs68.5%

→ ↑2.0%

33 yrs70.5%

→ ↓0.7%

34 yrs69.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
19 yrs	44.3%	6,847
20 yrs	46.2%	5,644
21 yrs	48.2%	4,794
22 yrs	47.7%	4,045
23 yrs	50.3%	3,542
24 yrs	49.8%	3,217
25 yrs	53.7%	2,932
26 yrs	57.0%	2,633
27 yrs	58.8%	2,456
28 yrs	59.5%	1,634
29 yrs	64.7%	1,616
30 yrs	64.0%	1,381
31 yrs	63.2%	1,759
32 yrs	68.5%	1,513
33 yrs	70.5%	1,704
34 yrs	69.8%	2,792

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1990 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (34 yrs)	69.8%	2,792
2023 (33 yrs)	70.5%	1,704
2022 (32 yrs)	68.5%	1,513
2021 (31 yrs)	63.2%	1,759
2020 (30 yrs)	64%	1,381
2019 (29 yrs)	64.7%	1,616
2018 (28 yrs)	59.5%	1,634
2017 (27 yrs)	58.8%	2,456
2016 (26 yrs)	57%	2,633
2015 (25 yrs)	53.7%	2,932
2014 (24 yrs)	49.8%	3,217
2013 (23 yrs)	50.3%	3,542
2012 (22 yrs)	47.7%	4,045
2011 (21 yrs)	48.2%	4,794
2010 (20 yrs)	46.2%	5,644
2009 (19 yrs)	44.3%	6,847

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

44.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 6,847Avg Mileage 119,630Top Failure Brakes — 35.1%

2010High Fail Rate

46.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 5,644Avg Mileage 122,874Top Failure Brakes — 34.0%

2011High Fail Rate

48.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 4,794Avg Mileage 124,427Top Failure Brakes — 31.5%

2012High Fail Rate

47.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 4,045Avg Mileage 125,311Top Failure Suspension — 32.9%

2013High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 3,542Avg Mileage 126,524Top Failure Brakes — 82.2%

2014High Fail Rate

49.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 3,217Avg Mileage 127,390Top Failure Brakes — 91.5%

2015High Fail Rate

53.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 2,932Avg Mileage 129,837Top Failure Brakes — 78.0%

2016High Fail Rate

57.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 2,633Avg Mileage 130,383Top Failure Brakes — 65.9%

2017High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 2,456Avg Mileage 132,019Top Failure Brakes — 65.5%

2018High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,634Avg Mileage 131,524Top Failure Brakes — 61.1%

2019High Fail Rate

64.7%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,616Avg Mileage 132,680Top Failure Brakes — 53.5%

2020High Fail Rate

64.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,381Avg Mileage 132,564Top Failure Brakes — 54.5%

2021High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 1,759Avg Mileage 128,765Top Failure Brakes — 51.7%

2022

68.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,513Avg Mileage 127,838Top Failure Brakes — 44.3%

2023

70.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,704Avg Mileage 128,688Top Failure Brakes — 44.3%

2024

69.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 2,792Avg Mileage 130,739Top Failure Brakes — 37.2%

MOT results for 1990 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	19	44.3%	6,847	119,630	Brakes — 35.1%
2010	20	46.2%	5,644	122,874	Brakes — 34.0%
2011	21	48.2%	4,794	124,427	Brakes — 31.5%
2012	22	47.7%	4,045	125,311	Suspension — 32.9%
2013	23	50.3%	3,542	126,524	Brakes — 82.2%
2014	24	49.8%	3,217	127,390	Brakes — 91.5%
2015	25	53.7%	2,932	129,837	Brakes — 78.0%
2016	26	57.0%	2,633	130,383	Brakes — 65.9%
2017	27	58.8%	2,456	132,019	Brakes — 65.5%
2018	28	59.5%	1,634	131,524	Brakes — 61.1%
2019	29	64.7%	1,616	132,680	Brakes — 53.5%
2020	30	64.0%	1,381	132,564	Brakes — 54.5%
2021	31	63.2%	1,759	128,765	Brakes — 51.7%
2022	32	68.5%	1,513	127,838	Brakes — 44.3%
2023	33	70.5%	1,704	128,688	Brakes — 44.3%
2024	34	69.8%	2,792	130,739	Brakes — 37.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1990 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Brakes

53.9%

— Consistent

Suspension

48.7%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

43.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

36.5%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

24.6%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	33.6% (19 yrs)	35.8% (34 yrs)	+2.2%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	35.1% (19 yrs)	37.2% (34 yrs)	+2.1%	🔴 ↑

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 1990 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 48,509 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.