1997 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

65.0%

Latest Pass Rate

134,668

Total Tests (All Years)

111,452 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 1997 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

12 yrs45.4%

→ ↓0.8%

13 yrs44.6%

→ ↓0.5%

14 yrs44.1%

→ ↓0.7%

15 yrs43.4%

→ ↑0.2%

16 yrs43.6%

→ ↑1.6%

17 yrs45.2%

→ ↑3.0%

18 yrs48.2%

→ ↑1.2%

19 yrs49.4%

→ ↑2.5%

20 yrs51.9%

→ ↑3.4%

21 yrs55.3%

→ ↓0.3%

22 yrs55.0%

→ ↑3.3%

23 yrs58.3%

→ ↑1.5%

24 yrs59.8%

→ ↑1.1%

25 yrs60.9%

→ ↑3.7%

26 yrs64.6%

→ ↑0.4%

27 yrs65.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	45.4%	27,458
13 yrs	44.6%	24,142
14 yrs	44.1%	20,359
15 yrs	43.4%	15,872
16 yrs	43.6%	12,036
17 yrs	45.2%	8,815
18 yrs	48.2%	6,678
19 yrs	49.4%	5,009
20 yrs	51.9%	3,817
21 yrs	55.3%	2,009
22 yrs	55.0%	1,691
23 yrs	58.3%	1,312
24 yrs	59.8%	1,457
25 yrs	60.9%	1,051
26 yrs	64.6%	1,075
27 yrs	65.0%	1,887

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	65%	1,887
2023 (26 yrs)	64.6%	1,075
2022 (25 yrs)	60.9%	1,051
2021 (24 yrs)	59.8%	1,457
2020 (23 yrs)	58.3%	1,312
2019 (22 yrs)	55%	1,691
2018 (21 yrs)	55.3%	2,009
2017 (20 yrs)	51.9%	3,817
2016 (19 yrs)	49.4%	5,009
2015 (18 yrs)	48.2%	6,678
2014 (17 yrs)	45.2%	8,815
2013 (16 yrs)	43.6%	12,036
2012 (15 yrs)	43.4%	15,872
2011 (14 yrs)	44.1%	20,359
2010 (13 yrs)	44.6%	24,142
2009 (12 yrs)	45.4%	27,458

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.4%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 27,458Avg Mileage 106,301Top Failure Suspension — 32.7%

2010High Fail Rate

44.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 24,142Avg Mileage 111,355Top Failure Suspension — 34.6%

2011High Fail Rate

44.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 20,359Avg Mileage 114,035Top Failure Suspension — 36.1%

2012High Fail Rate

43.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 15,872Avg Mileage 115,761Top Failure Suspension — 38.4%

2013High Fail Rate

43.6%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 12,036Avg Mileage 116,176Top Failure Suspension — 98.7%

2014High Fail Rate

45.2%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 8,815Avg Mileage 116,356Top Failure Suspension — 100.2%

2015High Fail Rate

48.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 6,678Avg Mileage 115,528Top Failure Suspension — 92.0%

2016High Fail Rate

49.4%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 5,009Avg Mileage 114,287Top Failure Suspension — 89.8%

2017High Fail Rate

51.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,817Avg Mileage 114,009Top Failure Suspension — 79.8%

2018High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,009Avg Mileage 112,657Top Failure Suspension — 71.8%

2019High Fail Rate

55.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,691Avg Mileage 112,513Top Failure Suspension — 78.8%

2020High Fail Rate

58.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,312Avg Mileage 112,837Top Failure Suspension — 69.9%

2021High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,457Avg Mileage 113,252Top Failure Suspension — 71.0%

2022High Fail Rate

60.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,051Avg Mileage 112,408Top Failure Suspension — 69.4%

2023High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,075Avg Mileage 111,747Top Failure Suspension — 65.3%

2024

65.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,887Avg Mileage 111,452Top Failure Suspension — 51.5%

MOT results for 1997 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	45.4%	27,458	106,301	Suspension — 32.7%
2010	13	44.6%	24,142	111,355	Suspension — 34.6%
2011	14	44.1%	20,359	114,035	Suspension — 36.1%
2012	15	43.4%	15,872	115,761	Suspension — 38.4%
2013	16	43.6%	12,036	116,176	Suspension — 98.7%
2014	17	45.2%	8,815	116,356	Suspension — 100.2%
2015	18	48.2%	6,678	115,528	Suspension — 92.0%
2016	19	49.4%	5,009	114,287	Suspension — 89.8%
2017	20	51.9%	3,817	114,009	Suspension — 79.8%
2018	21	55.3%	2,009	112,657	Suspension — 71.8%
2019	22	55.0%	1,691	112,513	Suspension — 78.8%
2020	23	58.3%	1,312	112,837	Suspension — 69.9%
2021	24	59.8%	1,457	113,252	Suspension — 71.0%
2022	25	60.9%	1,051	112,408	Suspension — 69.4%
2023	26	64.6%	1,075	111,747	Suspension — 65.3%
2024	27	65.0%	1,887	111,452	Suspension — 51.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Suspension

67.5%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

59.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

39.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

33.3%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

27.7%

↑ 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
Suspension	32.7% (12 yrs)	51.5% (27 yrs)	+18.8%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	30.6% (12 yrs)	43.3% (27 yrs)	+12.7%	🔴 ↑

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 134,668 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.