Which year Volkswagen Transporter is most reliable?

Based on 346,670 vehicles (1980–2021) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"

These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Transporter at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Transporter at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."

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Years to look for

2010–2021

Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Transporters

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Below model average

1980–1984, 1992–1993

Lower pass rate than other Transporters — worth checking the MOT history before buying

See common failures for 1980 →

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Dataset

346,670

vehicles · 1980–2021 · millions of MOT records

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CarHunch sweet spot — 1990, 2001–2018

These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 69.6–84.9% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year	Pass rate	Vehicles
2021	87.7%	102	Recommended
2020	86.8%	773	Recommended
2019	85.8%	15,340	Recommended
2018	84.5%	22,716	Recommended
2017	84.9%	22,631	Recommended
2016	84.3%	22,028	Recommended
2015	82.5%	19,842	Recommended
2014	81.3%	17,564	Recommended
2013	80.8%	15,892	Recommended
2012	79.3%	13,743	Recommended
2011	79.1%	13,406	Recommended
2010	77.9%	12,000	Recommended
2009	75.1%	10,339
2008	74.2%	14,701
2007	72.8%	16,024
2006	72.4%	13,771
2005	71.9%	12,441
2004	70.9%	11,469
2003	71.1%	8,680
2002	70.4%	8,460
2001	69.6%	9,067
2000	69.1%	7,130
1999	68.7%	6,574
1998	67.8%	6,691
1997	67.5%	6,515
1996	67.2%	5,558
1995	67.6%	4,481
1994	66.7%	4,364
1993	64.6%	3,076	Below avg
1992	63.8%	2,823	Below avg
1991	66.7%	1,928
1990	70.4%	2,378
1989	69.1%	2,555
1988	69.0%	1,984
1987	67.7%	1,535
1986	67.3%	1,775
1985	66.2%	1,427
1984	64.6%	1,462	Below avg
1983	63.3%	1,199	Below avg
1982	60.9%	963	Below avg
1981	59.5%	737	Below avg
1980	58.4%	526	Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

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Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?

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