Volkswagen Passat — reliability by registration year

2001–2022 · 22 registration years · 166,761 first tests

2015 breaks the run — 2.7 pp better than the years either side 2014 breaks the run — 2.8 pp worse than the years either side

Registration years

First-attempt MOT results for every Passat registration year with at least 500 first tests in 2025. Pass rates rise with newer cars, so read a year against its neighbours rather than against the top of the table. Years without their own report are listed here with the same figures.

Volkswagen Passat first-attempt MOT results by registration year
Year First tests First-attempt pass Incl. PRS Most common failure
2022 2,281 86.8% 89.2% Tyres — Condition (rear) 27.0%
2021 3,304 87.1% 88.8% Tyres — Condition (rear) 21.1%
2020 5,426 88.2% 89.6% Tyres — Condition (rear) 21.7%
2019 6,894 85.8% 87.7% Shock absorbers (rear) 23.4%
2018 10,052 83.8% 86.0% Shock absorbers (rear) 18.5%
2017 13,102 80.7% 83.8% Shock absorbers (rear) 22.8%
2016 14,196 79.2% 82.8% Shock absorbers (rear) 20.7%
2015 14,533 76.9% 81.2% Shock absorbers (rear) 16.5%
2.7 pp better than the years either side What failed 2015 Passats most often: Shock absorbers (rear) (16.5%) · Coil spring (rear) (10.7%) · Malfunction indicator lamp (10.5%)
2014 13,875 69.1% 73.3% Pins and bushes (front) 14.3%
2.8 pp worse than the years either side What failed 2014 Passats most often: Pins and bushes (front) (14.3%) · Tyres — Condition (rear) (11.6%) · Suspension arm (rear) (10.3%)
2013 11,280 66.9% 71.8% Pins and bushes (front) 15.2%
2012 12,714 64.5% 69.9% Pins and bushes (front) 13.9%
2011 14,564 64.1% 69.5% Pins and bushes (front) 15.2%
2010 9,539 62.5% 68.2% Tyres — Condition (rear) 12.0%
2009 9,220 62.3% 68.4% Tyres — Condition (rear) 12.5%
2008 7,149 60.3% 67.1% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 15.2%
2007 5,753 58.6% 65.4% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 16.8%
2006 3,744 56.6% 63.7% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 15.9%
2005 2,817 60.3% 67.7% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 22.3%
2004 2,309 59.9% 69.1% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 21.8%
2003 2,009 58.6% 66.6% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 20.3%
2002 1,268 60.7% 68.4% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 16.9%
2001 732 57.8% 66.8% Drive shafts — Joints (front) 19.4%

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