Petrol Volkswagen Bora: MOT pass rate

66.4% of petrol Volkswagen Boras pass the MOT first time, measured across 1,586 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 110,398.

Petrol against the other Volkswagen Bora versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the Volkswagen Bora specifically, petrol is the strongest at 66.4%, and this petrol version sits 0.2 points above the 66.2% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol Volkswagen Bora had covered 110,398 miles at test, against 151,869 for the diesel. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Volkswagen Bora page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol Volkswagen Bora

1. Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 3% of tests (11.17x the national rate for this defect)
2. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 3.8% of tests (10.86x the national rate for this defect)
3. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 5.5% of tests (7.33x the national rate for this defect)
4. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 7.9% of tests (3.37x the national rate for this defect)
5. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 3.7% of tests (2.86x the national rate for this defect)
6. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.7% of tests (2.82x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.8% of tests (2.69x the national rate for this defect)
8. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 3.5% of tests (2.67x the national rate for this defect)
9. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.6% of tests (2.43x the national rate for this defect)
10. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.3% of tests (2.39x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,614 DVSA-tracked petrol Volkswagen Bora tests, 2024, split out from the Volkswagen Bora's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 3.19% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a petrol Volkswagen Bora

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 6.4% of tests (11.5x the national rate for this defect)
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 8.6% of tests (7.73x the national rate for this defect)
3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 23.2% of tests (3.74x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 10.7% of tests (3.74x the national rate for this defect)
5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 9.7% of tests (3.67x the national rate for this defect)
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 17% of tests (3.6x the national rate for this defect)
7. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 4.4% of tests (3.45x the national rate for this defect)
8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 6.7% of tests (3.35x the national rate for this defect), also fails
9. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 14.3% of tests (2.77x the national rate for this defect)
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 15% of tests (2.7x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,614 DVSA-tracked petrol Volkswagen Bora tests, 2024.

Other Volkswagen Bora fuel types

• Diesel Volkswagen Bora - 66.2%

All Volkswagen Bora MOT data · Every model