Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI (2011)

977 real MOT outcomes analysed • 57.8% first-time pass rate

2011 Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI

CarHunch analysed 977 real MOT records for the 2011 Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

This 2011 Passat diesel has a first-time MOT pass rate of just 57.8%, significantly below the UK average of 80%, which means you should expect a higher chance of failing and needing repairs before it passes. The good news is that dangerous defects are essentially absent at 0%, so while this car needs attention, it's not unsafe in obvious ways.

With a median mileage of 132,371 miles for a 13-year-old car, these Passats have been driven hard but not beyond typical expectations. The average 0.68 failures per vehicle suggests structural issues rather than one-off problems, likely related to age and the demanding nature of diesel engines—factor in a pre-purchase inspection and budget for at least one MOT cycle of repairs before you buy.

Below average reliability 22.2% below UK average
57.8%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
132,371
typical mileage
107,377–154,759 middle half
0%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
0.68
avg MOT failures per car
over 4.6 tests on record

What to check before buying a 2011 Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (99%) 967 57.6% 0.68
Gas Bi-Fuel (1%) 9 85.2% 1.22
Other (0%) 1 66.7% 1

Mileage Distribution

Most 2011 Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

107,377
low mileage
132,371
typical
154,759
high mileage

Half of all 2011 Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI vehicles fall between 107,377 and 154,759 miles.

2011 Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI — Still on the Road

417 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 78% of the peak remain.

281 417 2017 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2017–2025.

MOT History Averages

4.6
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
0.68
Avg failures per vehicle
0
Avg advisories per vehicle

Found a specific Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Volkswagen Passat SE Bluemotion Tech TDI:

2012