57.9%passed first time

Share of initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Repairs made at the test centre count as a fail. 95% range 57.3% to 58.4% (±0.6 points).

2007 Volkswagen Golf57.9%
All vehicles first used in 200757.4%

That is about average: the difference from the average for all vehicles first used in 2007 (57.4%) is within the margin of error. These cars were about 18 years old at the test.

Failure areas compared with all 2007 vehicles

Compared with all vehicles first used in 2007, failures are more common in suspension (1.1×), body, chassis, structure (1.3×), tyres (1.1×) and noise, emissions, leaks (1.2×), and less common in lights and electrics (0.9×), brakes (0.9×), windscreen, wipers, mirrors (0.7×) and steering (0.6×). 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 2007.

Lights and electrics18.8 in 100 tests0.9× compared with 21.3 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Suspension18.4 in 100 tests1.1× compared with 17.5 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Body, chassis, structure11.0 in 100 tests1.3× compared with 8.2 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Brakes10.7 in 100 tests0.9× compared with 11.4 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Tyres7.7 in 100 tests1.1× compared with 7.2 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Noise, emissions, leaks7.6 in 100 tests1.2× compared with 6.5 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Windscreen, wipers, mirrors5.1 in 100 tests0.7× compared with 6.9 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Seat belts and airbags2.8 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2007
Steering2.0 in 100 tests0.6× compared with 3.4 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2007
Number plates and VIN0.6 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2007
Wheels0.6 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2007

All vehicles first used in 2007: the 155 models in our data, 854,590 tests (92.9% of all 919,503 tests on vehicles first used in 2007). 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 –.

Typical mileage at test123,600

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

After an MOT advisory

2007 Volkswagen Golf cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. Only cars first used in 2007.

Tyres

Of 2007 Volkswagen Golf cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 9.8% failed on tyres, against 4.9% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 3,769 and 10,866 cars.

With a tyre advisory9.8%
Similar cars, nothing noted4.9%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 24.0% of those with a tyre advisory and 19.8% of the others.

Brakes

Of 2007 Volkswagen Golf cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 14.1% failed on brakes, against 7.6% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 2,896 and 11,769 cars.

With a brake advisory14.1%
Similar cars, nothing noted7.6%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 25.1% of those with a brake advisory and 19.8% of the others.

Suspension

Of 2007 Volkswagen Golf cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 19.4% failed on suspension, against 14.1% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 4,412 and 9,630 cars.

With a suspension advisory19.4%
Similar cars, nothing noted14.1%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 25.6% of those with a suspension advisory and 18.9% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

Volkswagen Golf, all first-use years together How we worked this out All models compared, with the data