What year Volkswagen Passat is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 2022 Volkswagen Passat has the highest pass rate at 92.0%, out of 1,117 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volkswagen Passat MOT failures?

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

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Volkswagen Passat — Reliability by Year

584,298 vehicles · MOT data 1980–2022 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volkswagen Passat 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

2022

92.0% pass rate · 1,117 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1981

56.5% pass rate · 356 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
2022	92.0%	43,750 mi	1,117
2021	90.9%	49,600 mi	1,376
2020	91.5%	45,549 mi	1,735
2019	89.6%	51,983 mi	6,518
2018	88.1%	60,057 mi	11,668
2017	87.7%	67,874 mi	15,354
2016	85.9%	74,847 mi	17,426
2015	84.8%	80,330 mi	18,486
2014	82.8%	81,095 mi	17,829
2013	82.0%	88,809 mi	15,535
2012	81.2%	96,325 mi	20,231
2011	80.6%	101,389 mi	26,014
2010	77.9%	100,960 mi	19,377
2009	77.7%	99,622 mi	23,063
2008	78.3%	102,742 mi	26,987
2007	77.6%	105,921 mi	33,765
2006	74.7%	104,985 mi	34,688
2005	74.4%	103,040 mi	31,730
2004	74.2%	106,696 mi	28,439
2003	74.2%	105,660 mi	33,829
2002	73.0%	109,574 mi	35,105
2001	71.5%	112,547 mi	31,600
2000	68.4%	120,983 mi	23,626
1999	66.8%	122,999 mi	28,047
1998	65.4%	126,067 mi	29,134
1997	64.5%	124,998 mi	14,324
1996	66.7%	129,253 mi	6,917
1995	66.5%	131,555 mi	5,572
1994	65.2%	133,571 mi	6,728
1993	64.7%	140,641 mi	3,443
1992	62.3%	140,874 mi	3,577
1991	63.0%	140,999 mi	2,659
1990	61.8%	147,971 mi	2,415
1989	63.3%	145,958 mi	1,615
1988	63.0%	137,965 mi	644
1987	65.6%	138,695 mi	586
1986	67.0%	127,970 mi	518
1985	65.3%	104,416 mi	448
1984	64.3%	107,354 mi	367
1983	63.5%	123,956 mi	462
1982	64.9%	117,416 mi	813
1981	56.5%	187,998 mi	356
1980	81.7%	113,880 mi	175

Which year Volkswagen Passat 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 43,750 miles (newest year) to 187,998 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 Passat.

See the buying guide →

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