1996 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

61.1%

Latest Pass Rate

146,127

Total Tests (All Years)

114,824 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 1996 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

13 yrs44.5%

→ ↓0.4%

14 yrs44.1%

→ ↓0.5%

15 yrs43.6%

→ ↓0.6%

16 yrs43.0%

→ ↑0.7%

17 yrs43.7%

→ ↑1.4%

18 yrs45.1%

→ ↑2.9%

19 yrs48.0%

→ ↑1.5%

20 yrs49.5%

→ ↑2.6%

21 yrs52.1%

→ ↑1.1%

22 yrs53.2%

→ ↑2.4%

23 yrs55.6%

→ ↑0.8%

24 yrs56.4%

→ ↑3.9%

25 yrs60.3%

→ ↓0.1%

26 yrs60.2%

→ ↑3.6%

27 yrs63.8%

→ ↓2.7%

28 yrs61.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	44.5%	32,514
14 yrs	44.1%	27,537
15 yrs	43.6%	22,358
16 yrs	43.0%	16,787
17 yrs	43.7%	12,363
18 yrs	45.1%	9,123
19 yrs	48.0%	6,697
20 yrs	49.5%	5,011
21 yrs	52.1%	3,682
22 yrs	53.2%	2,043
23 yrs	55.6%	1,700
24 yrs	56.4%	1,267
25 yrs	60.3%	1,384
26 yrs	60.2%	1,011
27 yrs	63.8%	1,024
28 yrs	61.1%	1,626

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	61.1%	1,626
2023 (27 yrs)	63.8%	1,024
2022 (26 yrs)	60.2%	1,011
2021 (25 yrs)	60.3%	1,384
2020 (24 yrs)	56.4%	1,267
2019 (23 yrs)	55.6%	1,700
2018 (22 yrs)	53.2%	2,043
2017 (21 yrs)	52.1%	3,682
2016 (20 yrs)	49.5%	5,011
2015 (19 yrs)	48%	6,697
2014 (18 yrs)	45.1%	9,123
2013 (17 yrs)	43.7%	12,363
2012 (16 yrs)	43%	16,787
2011 (15 yrs)	43.6%	22,358
2010 (14 yrs)	44.1%	27,537
2009 (13 yrs)	44.5%	32,514

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

44.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 32,514Avg Mileage 109,938Top Failure Suspension — 34.6%

2010High Fail Rate

44.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 27,537Avg Mileage 114,472Top Failure Suspension — 35.4%

2011High Fail Rate

43.6%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 22,358Avg Mileage 116,586Top Failure Suspension — 37.0%

2012High Fail Rate

43.0%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 16,787Avg Mileage 117,721Top Failure Suspension — 38.6%

2013High Fail Rate

43.7%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 12,363Avg Mileage 118,548Top Failure Suspension — 98.0%

2014High Fail Rate

45.1%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 9,123Avg Mileage 118,067Top Failure Suspension — 98.7%

2015High Fail Rate

48.0%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 6,697Avg Mileage 117,645Top Failure Suspension — 90.5%

2016High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 5,011Avg Mileage 116,880Top Failure Suspension — 87.9%

2017High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 3,682Avg Mileage 115,664Top Failure Suspension — 83.5%

2018High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 2,043Avg Mileage 115,078Top Failure Suspension — 74.8%

2019High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,700Avg Mileage 113,041Top Failure Suspension — 68.4%

2020High Fail Rate

56.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,267Avg Mileage 112,091Top Failure Suspension — 75.8%

2021High Fail Rate

60.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,384Avg Mileage 113,248Top Failure Suspension — 71.0%

2022High Fail Rate

60.2%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,011Avg Mileage 113,622Top Failure Brakes — 71.6%

2023High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,024Avg Mileage 113,610Top Failure Brakes — 59.8%

2024High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,626Avg Mileage 114,824Top Failure Brakes — 53.9%

MOT results for 1996 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	44.5%	32,514	109,938	Suspension — 34.6%
2010	14	44.1%	27,537	114,472	Suspension — 35.4%
2011	15	43.6%	22,358	116,586	Suspension — 37.0%
2012	16	43.0%	16,787	117,721	Suspension — 38.6%
2013	17	43.7%	12,363	118,548	Suspension — 98.0%
2014	18	45.1%	9,123	118,067	Suspension — 98.7%
2015	19	48.0%	6,697	117,645	Suspension — 90.5%
2016	20	49.5%	5,011	116,880	Suspension — 87.9%
2017	21	52.1%	3,682	115,664	Suspension — 83.5%
2018	22	53.2%	2,043	115,078	Suspension — 74.8%
2019	23	55.6%	1,700	113,041	Suspension — 68.4%
2020	24	56.4%	1,267	112,091	Suspension — 75.8%
2021	25	60.3%	1,384	113,248	Suspension — 71.0%
2022	26	60.2%	1,011	113,622	Brakes — 71.6%
2023	27	63.8%	1,024	113,610	Brakes — 59.8%
2024	28	61.1%	1,626	114,824	Brakes — 53.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Suspension

67.0%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

61.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

38.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.7%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

29.4%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	32.3% (13 yrs)	53.9% (28 yrs)	+21.6%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	34.6% (13 yrs)	51.7% (28 yrs)	+17.1%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	18.4% (13 yrs)	20.5% (28 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 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 146,127 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.