2003 Volkswagen Golf: MOT pass rate and common faults

Share of initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Repairs made at the test centre count as a fail. 95% range 56.2% to 57.8% (±0.9 points).

• 2003 Volkswagen Golf57.0%
• All vehicles first used in 200358.7%

That is 1.7 points below the average for all vehicles first used in 2003 (58.7%). These cars were about 22 years old at the test.

Failure areas compared with all 2003 vehicles

Compared with all vehicles first used in 2003, failures are more common in body, chassis, structure (1.3×) and noise, emissions, leaks (1.3×), and less common in lights and electrics (0.9×), suspension (0.9×) and windscreen, wipers, mirrors (0.7×). Other differences are within the margin of error.

Failed tests with a fault in each area, per 100 tests. The right-hand column shows how many times as often as all vehicles first used in 2003.

1. Lights and electrics19.6 in 100 tests0.9× compared with 21.1 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
2. Suspension14.1 in 100 tests0.9× compared with 15.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
3. Brakes13.0 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 12.7 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
4. Body, chassis, structure11.6 in 100 tests1.3× compared with 8.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
5. Noise, emissions, leaks9.4 in 100 tests1.3× compared with 7.2 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
6. Steering8.5 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003
7. Tyres5.8 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 5.7 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
8. Windscreen, wipers, mirrors4.9 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 7.3 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2003
9. Seat belts and airbags2.3 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003
10. Number plates and VIN0.8 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003
11. Wheels0.5 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2003

All vehicles first used in 2003: the 77 models in our data, 243,368 tests (80.4% of all 302,566 tests on vehicles first used in 2003). Areas with fewer than 50 failures in a model aren't published, so an area is only compared when that leaves the all-vehicles figure at most 10% short; otherwise it shows –.

Median odometer reading at the 2025 MOT test, in miles. Half had more and half had less.

What MOT data can't tell you about any 2003 Volkswagen Golf

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Other Volkswagen Golf years

• 2002 Volkswagen Golf58.5%
• 2005 Volkswagen Golf55.7%
• 2006 Volkswagen Golf56.2%
• 2007 Volkswagen Golf57.9%
• 2008 Volkswagen Golf59.0%
• 2009 Volkswagen Golf62.0%
• 2010 Volkswagen Golf62.4%
• 2011 Volkswagen Golf63.8%
• 2012 Volkswagen Golf66.9%
• 2013 Volkswagen Golf75.4%
• 2014 Volkswagen Golf79.0%
• 2015 Volkswagen Golf81.8%
• 2016 Volkswagen Golf84.0%
• 2017 Volkswagen Golf84.8%
• 2018 Volkswagen Golf86.1%
• 2019 Volkswagen Golf86.9%
• 2020 Volkswagen Golf90.0%
• 2021 Volkswagen Golf90.9%
• 2022 Volkswagen Golf91.9%

Other cars first used in 2003

• 2003 Ford Fiesta55.2%
• 2003 MINI Hatch55.8%