Car statistics by year
2012 Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen Golf cars first registered in 2012: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2012, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 66.9% All 2012 cars 63.6%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 103,900 miles; all 2012 cars 90,800
- Left at the end of 2025 52,502 86.0% of the 61,020 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 8.9% All 2012 cars 9.2%
- Tests with an advisory 61.2% All 2012 cars 62.0%
- MOT tests in 2025 50,727 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2012 Volkswagen Golfs do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 13 years old, 66.9% of 2012 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests were passed first time, against 63.6% for all cars first registered in 2012. 2012 Volkswagen Golfs did better than average for their age, by 3.3 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 68.4% of the time (all 2012 cars 64.5%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Volkswagen Golf vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Volkswagen Golf bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Volkswagen Golf | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’06 | 56.2% | 56.9% |
| ’07 | 57.9% | 57.3% |
| ’08 | 59.0% | 57.0% |
| ’09 | 62.0% | 58.2% |
| ’10 | 62.4% | 59.3% |
| ’11 | 63.8% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 66.9% | 63.6% |
| ’13 | 75.4% | 66.0% |
| ’14 | 79.0% | 69.1% |
| ’15 | 81.8% | 72.6% |
| ’16 | 84.0% | 75.6% |
| ’17 | 84.8% | 79.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2012 Volkswagen Golf
Coil spring: fractured or broken was the most common single reason a 2012 Volkswagen Golf failed, on 19.6% of about 16,800 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (49.1% of failed tests; all 2012 cars 39.1%). 8.9% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 9.2% for all cars first registered in 2012. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 19.6% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 12.2% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 7.5% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 7.4% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 7.0% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 6.7% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 6.5% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 6.2% |
| Linkage ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 5.8% |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding Brakes | 5.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Volkswagen Golf vs all 2012 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 49.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 28.2% |
| Brakes | 23.9% |
| Tyres | 21.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13.3% |
| Visibility | 9.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.9% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2012 Volkswagen Golf
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 61.2% of 2012 Volkswagen Golf tests had at least one (all 2012 cars 62.0%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 21.7% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 12.3% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 11.3% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 10.5% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 9.6% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 7.6% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 6.5% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 6.4% |
| Linkage ball joint has slight play Suspension | 5.8% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 4.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2012 Volkswagen Golf?
Half of the 2012 Volkswagen Golfs tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 103,900 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 78,100 and a quarter more than 130,800. For all cars first registered in 2012, the middle figure was 90,800 miles, so 2012 Volkswagen Golfs have been driven 14.4% further than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Volkswagen Golf | 56,800 | 78,100 | 103,900 | 130,800 | 157,600 | 49,276 |
| All 2012 cars | 47,100 | 66,700 | 90,800 | 117,400 | 145,000 | 1,483,042 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2012 Volkswagen Golfs are left?
At the end of 2014, 61,020 2012 Volkswagen Golfs were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 52,502 were: 50,336 licensed and 2,166 declared off the road (SORN). That is 86.0% still on the record, against 83.1% for all cars first registered in 2012.
Share still on the record since 2014
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2012 Volkswagen Golf | All 2012 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 96.5% | 97.0% |
| 2016 | 96.8% | 98.2% |
| 2017 | 95.5% | 97.4% |
| 2018 | 94.2% | 96.3% |
| 2019 | 93.2% | 95.2% |
| 2020 | 92.3% | 93.9% |
| 2021 | 92.1% | 93.0% |
| 2022 | 91.0% | 91.4% |
| 2023 | 89.5% | 89.2% |
| 2024 | 88.0% | 86.5% |
| 2025 | 86.0% | 83.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2012
2 of the Volkswagen Golf’s 43 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2012.
The 2012 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2012 may have been built in 2011, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 2025 | Takata front drivers or passenger airbag replacement | 6 Nov 2008 to 25 Jan 2013 | 92 |
| 13 Jun 2023 | Takata Front airbag | 23 Jul 2008 to 27 Feb 2013 | 227 |
Every Volkswagen Golf recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the Volkswagen Golf
32 years of the Volkswagen Golf, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2014 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (79.0% passed first time) and the 1988 cars worst (69.2%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | – | 2,125 | 69.2% |
| 1989 | – | 3,598 | 68.8% |
| 1990 | – | 4,873 | 72.7% |
| 1991 | – | 4,808 | 73.9% |
| 1992 | – | 1,644 | 69.0% |
| 1996 | – | 3,709 | 65.1% |
| 1997 | – | 3,609 | 66.8% |
| 1998 | – | 3,732 | 58.9% |
| 1999 | – | 7,068 | 57.3% |
| 2000 | – | 8,934 | 58.1% |
| 2001 | – | 13,727 | 58.8% |
| 2002 | – | 19,889 | 58.5% |
| 2003 | – | 19,814 | 57.0% |
| 2004 | – | 14,519 | 51.8% |
| 2005 | – | 20,182 | 55.7% |
| 2006 | – | 27,149 | 56.2% |
| 2007 | – | 36,325 | 57.9% |
| 2008 | – | 36,985 | 59.0% |
| 2009 | – | 41,901 | 62.0% |
| 2010 | – | 43,636 | 62.4% |
| 2011 | – | 49,942 | 63.8% |
| 2012 | – | 52,502 | 66.9% |
| 2013 | – | 56,662 | 75.4% |
| 2014 | 72,957 | 66,345 | 79.0% |
| 2015 | 72,621 | 69,301 | 81.8% |
| 2016 | 68,312 | 66,261 | 84.0% |
| 2017 | 72,529 | 71,276 | 84.8% |
| 2018 | 62,612 | 62,211 | 86.1% |
| 2019 | 57,861 | 57,087 | 87.0% |
| 2020 | 42,376 | 42,062 | 90.2% |
| 2021 | 29,524 | 28,332 | 90.9% |
| 2022 | 26,252 | 24,876 | 91.9% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 50,727 MOT tests of 2012 Volkswagen Golf cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 52,502 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Volkswagen Golf cars first registered in 2012; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2012.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.