Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 15.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 13,137 individual Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate92.4%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+15.7 points
Tests analysed13,137
Average mileage at test31,532 miles
Average year of manufacture2021
Reliability rank316 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 92.4% first-time pass rate means roughly 8 in every 100 Volkswagen Golf Life Tsis 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 Life Tsi tested had covered 31,532 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 Life Tsi sits 15.7 points above the national average, ranked 316 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 Life Tsi 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 Life Tsis at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi

  1. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.7% of tests
  2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.2% of tests
  3. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.9% of tests
  4. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.8% of tests
  5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.7% of tests
  6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.5% of tests
  7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.5% of tests
  8. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
  9. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 0.3% of tests
  10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.3% of tests

From 13,128 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.35% of these flagged Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi 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 Life Tsi

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 Life Tsi before it actually fails on it.

  1. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 7.8% of tests (1.99x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. A tyre seriously damaged, 24% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. An obstruction significantly affecting the driver's view of the road through the swept area of the windscreen or an obligatory external mirror not visible, 0.1% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this advisory)
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 21.3% of tests, also fails
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 5.7% of tests, also fails
  6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 1.1% of tests
  7. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.7% of tests
  8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.5% of tests
  9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.4% of tests
  10. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.3% of tests

From 13,128 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi tests, 2024.

Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi pass rate by model year

From its 2020 to its 2021 model year, the Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi's first-time pass rate has fallen 0.4 points, from 93% to 92.6%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi year:

Other Volkswagen models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi MOT pass rate badge: 92.4%

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Volkswagen Golf Life Tsi most common MOT failure: A tyre seriously damaged (2.7% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate