Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 13.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 527 individual Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 10 in every 100 Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdis 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 Passat Sel Tdi tested had covered 54,361 miles and was built around 2020.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi sits 13.2 points above the national average, ranked 725 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 Passat Sel Tdi 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 Passat Sel Tdis at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.7% of tests
2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.5% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.5% of tests
4. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.5% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.1% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this defect)
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 1% of tests
7. Obligatory mirror or device inoperative, excessively damaged or insecure, 0.6% of tests (5.3x the national rate for this defect)
8. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.6% of tests (2.87x the national rate for this defect)
9. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.6% of tests
10. A body panel or body component damaged or corroded and likely to cause injury when grazed or contacted, or insecure, 0.4% of tests (2.99x the national rate for this defect)

From 525 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.95% of these flagged Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi

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 Passat Sel Tdi 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, 6.7% of tests (1.7x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 19.8% of tests (1.62x the national rate for this advisory)
3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.9% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 27.8% of tests, also fails
5. A tyre seriously damaged, 7.2% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.3% of tests, also fails
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.9% of tests
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.5% of tests
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 1% of tests
10. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.8% of tests

From 525 DVSA-tracked Volkswagen Passat Sel Tdi tests, 2024.

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

• Land Rover Defender First Edition D Auto - 89.9%
• Skoda Fabia Colour Edition Tsi S-A - 89.9%
• Kia Picanto GT-Line Auto - 89.9%
• Honda Hr-V - 89.8%
• MINI Cooper S Electric Level 3 - 89.8%
• Peugeot 3008 Allure Puretech S/S - 89.8%

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?

Embed this data

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate