What year Volkswagen Golf S is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 2012 Volkswagen Golf S has the highest pass rate at 91.3%, out of 147 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volkswagen Golf S MOT failures?

The most common Volkswagen Golf S MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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Volkswagen Golf S — Reliability by Year

3,161 vehicles · MOT data 1998–2012 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volkswagen Golf S was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year

2012

91.3% pass rate · 147 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

2000

70.4% pass rate · 257 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
2012	91.3%	76,513 mi	147
2010	87.4%	90,161 mi	216
2009	79.4%	106,311 mi	529
2006	76.9%	110,774 mi	209
2005	76.8%	116,171 mi	262
2004	73.9%	105,600 mi	198
2002	74.8%	120,665 mi	344
2001	75.6%	122,979 mi	317
2000	70.4%	125,954 mi	257
1999	75.4%	106,103 mi	442
1998	78.6%	114,640 mi	240

Which year Volkswagen Golf S is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 76,513 miles (newest year) to 125,954 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Volkswagen Golf S.

See the buying guide →

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