What year Volkswagen Transporter is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 2021 Volkswagen Transporter has the highest pass rate at 88.6%, out of 102 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volkswagen Transporter MOT failures?

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

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Volkswagen Transporter — Reliability by Year

346,670 vehicles · MOT data 1980–2021 · first-test pass rates

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

2021

88.6% pass rate · 102 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1981

63.5% pass rate · 737 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
2021	88.6%	42,025 mi	102
2020	88.4%	37,460 mi	773
2019	86.9%	44,592 mi	15,340
2018	85.5%	51,950 mi	22,716
2017	84.9%	57,517 mi	22,631
2016	84.3%	64,039 mi	22,028
2015	82.6%	69,035 mi	19,842
2014	81.3%	75,478 mi	17,564
2013	80.8%	83,970 mi	15,892
2012	79.3%	88,299 mi	13,743
2011	79.1%	95,271 mi	13,406
2010	77.9%	99,848 mi	12,000
2009	75.2%	100,679 mi	10,339
2008	74.2%	108,343 mi	14,701
2007	72.8%	116,370 mi	16,024
2006	72.4%	120,597 mi	13,771
2005	71.9%	124,963 mi	12,441
2004	71.0%	128,668 mi	11,469
2003	71.2%	124,339 mi	8,680
2002	70.5%	131,100 mi	8,460
2001	69.7%	134,619 mi	9,067
2000	69.2%	138,076 mi	7,130
1999	68.8%	143,493 mi	6,574
1998	68.0%	145,191 mi	6,691
1997	67.6%	141,434 mi	6,515
1996	67.3%	148,311 mi	5,558
1995	67.7%	151,400 mi	4,481
1994	66.9%	145,739 mi	4,364
1993	65.8%	137,940 mi	3,076
1992	67.4%	137,648 mi	2,823
1991	69.3%	142,075 mi	1,928
1990	71.1%	125,556 mi	2,378
1989	69.7%	128,625 mi	2,555
1988	69.7%	128,835 mi	1,984
1987	68.4%	124,455 mi	1,535
1986	68.1%	67,332 mi	1,775
1985	67.3%	60,369 mi	1,427
1984	65.8%	58,117 mi	1,462
1983	65.2%	58,743 mi	1,199
1982	63.5%	58,055 mi	963
1981	63.5%	60,471 mi	737
1980	63.9%	53,218 mi	526

Which year Volkswagen Transporter 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 37,460 miles (newest year) to 151,400 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 Transporter.

See the buying guide →

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