Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 12.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,635 individual Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate89.5%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+12.8 points
Tests analysed1,635
Average mileage at test36,141 miles
Average year of manufacture2021
Reliability rank788 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 11 in every 100 Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi 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 R-Line Tdi S-A tested had covered 36,141 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 R-Line Tdi S-A sits 12.8 points above the national average, ranked 788 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 R-Line Tdi 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 R-Line Tdi S-As at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A

  1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 4.3% of tests (2.55x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.5% of tests (1.62x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.5% of tests
  4. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.8% of tests
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.7% of tests
  6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.6% of tests
  7. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
  8. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.4% of tests
  9. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.2% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
  10. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.2% of tests (4.7x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,633 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 10.45% of these flagged Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi 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 R-Line Tdi 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 R-Line Tdi S-A 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, 5.8% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.5% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 24.1% of tests, also fails
  4. A tyre seriously damaged, 13.3% of tests, also fails
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 9.1% of tests, also fails
  6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 1.6% of tests
  7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.9% of tests
  8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.6% of tests
  9. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.5% of tests
  10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.3% of tests

From 1,633 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A tests, 2024.

Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A pass rate by model year

From its 2020 to its 2021 model year, the Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A's first-time pass rate has fallen 0.2 points, from 90% to 89.8%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A year:

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Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A MOT pass rate badge: 89.5%

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Volkswagen Golf R-Line Tdi S-A most common MOT failure: A tyre cords visible or damaged (4.3% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate