Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 12.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,730 individual Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 11 in every 100 Volkswagen Golf Gte S-As presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A tested had covered 36,624 miles and was built around 2021.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A sits 12.6 points above the national average, ranked 814 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Volkswagen Golf Gte S-As at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A

1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.1% of tests (1.83x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.9% of tests (1.76x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.1% of tests
4. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.7% of tests
5. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.5% of tests
6. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.3% of tests
7. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 0.3% of tests
8. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.3% of tests
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.3% of tests
10. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.3% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,728 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 9.9% of these flagged Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 2.1% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 27.4% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 17.4% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 5.1% of tests
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.9% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.7% of tests
7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.5% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.3% of tests
9. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.2% of tests
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.2% of tests

From 1,728 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A tests, 2024.

Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A year:

• 2020 Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A - 88.5% first-time pass, 260 tests
• 2021 Volkswagen Golf Gte S-A - 89.8% first-time pass, 1,447 tests

Other Volkswagen models

• Volkswagen Golf - 77.1%
• Volkswagen Polo - 71.4%
• Volkswagen Transporter - 70.8%
• Volkswagen Tiguan - 82.4%
• Volkswagen Passat - 74.7%
• Volkswagen Caddy - 73.5%
• Volkswagen Up - 84.4%
• Volkswagen Touran - 72.7%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Vauxhall Corsa Elite Nav Turbo Auto - 89.3%
• Morgan 4/4 - 89.3%
• Peugeot 2008 GT Premium Ev - 89.3%
• Land Rover Discovery Landmark Sd6 Auto - 89.3%
• Audi A6 S Line Black Ed 40 Tdi Sa - 89.3%
• Ford Kuga Titanium Edition Ecoblue - 89.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate