2004 Volkswagen Golf — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2004 perform at MOT as they age

22 years

Current Age

51.9%

Latest Pass Rate

705,923

Total Tests (All Years)

125,344 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 20

This car: 51.9%

Average: 56.6%

⚠️ 4.7% below average (6824 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2004 Volkswagen Golf as it ages.

5 yrs74.0%

→ ↓2.9%

6 yrs71.1%

→ ↓3.9%

7 yrs67.2%

→ ↓2.9%

8 yrs64.3%

→ ↓4.2%

9 yrs60.1%

→ ↓2.0%

10 yrs58.1%

→ ↓1.6%

11 yrs56.5%

→ ↓2.0%

12 yrs54.5%

→ ↓1.9%

13 yrs52.6%

→ ↓2.3%

14 yrs50.3%

→ ↓1.6%

15 yrs48.7%

→ ↑0.8%

16 yrs49.5%

→ ↓0.2%

17 yrs49.3%

→ ↑1.0%

18 yrs50.3%

→ ↑0.4%

19 yrs50.7%

→ ↑1.2%

20 yrs51.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
5 yrs	74.0%	64,172
6 yrs	71.1%	62,658
7 yrs	67.2%	63,756
8 yrs	64.3%	62,960
9 yrs	60.1%	62,445
10 yrs	58.1%	61,355
11 yrs	56.5%	59,592
12 yrs	54.5%	56,588
13 yrs	52.6%	52,392
14 yrs	50.3%	32,613
15 yrs	48.7%	29,926
16 yrs	49.5%	24,384
17 yrs	49.3%	25,800
18 yrs	50.3%	16,799
19 yrs	50.7%	16,219
20 yrs	51.9%	14,264

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2004 Volkswagen Golf pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (20 yrs)	51.9%	14,264
2023 (19 yrs)	50.7%	16,219
2022 (18 yrs)	50.3%	16,799
2021 (17 yrs)	49.3%	25,800
2020 (16 yrs)	49.5%	24,384
2019 (15 yrs)	48.7%	29,926
2018 (14 yrs)	50.3%	32,613
2017 (13 yrs)	52.6%	52,392
2016 (12 yrs)	54.5%	56,588
2015 (11 yrs)	56.5%	59,592
2014 (10 yrs)	58.1%	61,355
2013 (9 yrs)	60.1%	62,445
2012 (8 yrs)	64.3%	62,960
2011 (7 yrs)	67.2%	63,756
2010 (6 yrs)	71.1%	62,658
2009 (5 yrs)	74%	64,172

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

74.0%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 64,172Avg Mileage 55,401Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.8%

2010

71.1%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 62,658Avg Mileage 64,436Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.1%

2011

67.2%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 63,756Avg Mileage 72,780Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%

2012High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 62,960Avg Mileage 81,051Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.2%

2013High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 62,445Avg Mileage 88,951Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.6%

2014High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 61,355Avg Mileage 96,374Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 42.3%

2015High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 59,592Avg Mileage 103,443Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.6%

2016High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 56,588Avg Mileage 109,741Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.1%

2017High Fail Rate

52.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 52,392Avg Mileage 114,954Top Failure Suspension — 59.9%

2018High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 32,613Avg Mileage 119,018Top Failure Suspension — 60.8%

2019High Fail Rate

48.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 29,926Avg Mileage 122,645Top Failure Suspension — 62.0%

2020High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 24,384Avg Mileage 124,413Top Failure Suspension — 65.0%

2021High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 25,800Avg Mileage 125,043Top Failure Suspension — 73.1%

2022High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 16,799Avg Mileage 126,091Top Failure Suspension — 74.5%

2023High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 16,219Avg Mileage 126,451Top Failure Suspension — 78.3%

2024High Fail Rate

51.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 14,264Avg Mileage 125,344Top Failure Suspension — 66.1%

MOT results for 2004 Volkswagen Golf by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	5	74.0%	64,172	55,401	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.8%
2010	6	71.1%	62,658	64,436	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.1%
2011	7	67.2%	63,756	72,780	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%
2012	8	64.3%	62,960	81,051	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.2%
2013	9	60.1%	62,445	88,951	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.6%
2014	10	58.1%	61,355	96,374	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 42.3%
2015	11	56.5%	59,592	103,443	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.6%
2016	12	54.5%	56,588	109,741	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.1%
2017	13	52.6%	52,392	114,954	Suspension — 59.9%
2018	14	50.3%	32,613	119,018	Suspension — 60.8%
2019	15	48.7%	29,926	122,645	Suspension — 62.0%
2020	16	49.5%	24,384	124,413	Suspension — 65.0%
2021	17	49.3%	25,800	125,043	Suspension — 73.1%
2022	18	50.3%	16,799	126,091	Suspension — 74.5%
2023	19	50.7%	16,219	126,451	Suspension — 78.3%
2024	20	51.9%	14,264	125,344	Suspension — 66.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2004 Volkswagen Golf, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

54.5%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

46.4%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

37.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

31.5%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

29.7%

↑ 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	5.5% (5 yrs)	66.1% (20 yrs)	+60.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	7.1% (5 yrs)	51.4% (20 yrs)	+44.3%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	10.8% (5 yrs)	32.9% (20 yrs)	+22.1%	🔴 ↑

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 2004 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 705,923 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.