Car statistics by year
2015 Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen Golf cars first registered in 2015: 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 2015, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 81.8% All 2015 cars 72.6%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 79,200 miles; all 2015 cars 72,100
- Left at the end of 2025 69,301 95.4% of the 72,621 at the end of 2015
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 5.9% All 2015 cars 7.2%
- Tests with an advisory 53.0% All 2015 cars 51.7%
- MOT tests in 2025 66,992 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2015 Volkswagen Golfs do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 10 years old, 81.8% of 2015 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.6% for all cars first registered in 2015. 2015 Volkswagen Golfs did better than average for their age, by 9.2 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 82.7% of the time (all 2015 cars 74.3%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’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% |
| ’18 | 86.1% | 81.8% |
| ’19 | 87.0% | 84.4% |
| ’20 | 90.2% | 86.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2015 Volkswagen Golf
Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak was the most common single reason a 2015 Volkswagen Golf failed, on 15.4% of about 12,200 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (32.3% of failed tests; all 2015 cars 26.6%). 5.9% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.2% for all cars first registered in 2015. 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 |
|---|---|
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 15.4% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 10.4% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 9.9% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 8.4% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.8% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 7.3% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 6.8% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.9% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 4.2% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Volkswagen Golf vs all 2015 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 32.3% |
| Suspension | 29.9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 20.8% |
| Brakes | 18.4% |
| Visibility | 10.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 3.6% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 2.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2015 Volkswagen Golf
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 53.0% of 2015 Volkswagen Golf tests had at least one (all 2015 cars 51.7%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 18.9% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 17.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 11.7% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 8.9% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.5% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 3.5% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 3.5% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.5% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 2.5% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 2.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2015 Volkswagen Golf?
Half of the 2015 Volkswagen Golfs tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 79,200 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 59,200 and a quarter more than 101,700. For all cars first registered in 2015, the middle figure was 72,100 miles, so 2015 Volkswagen Golfs have been driven 9.8% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Volkswagen Golf | 42,800 | 59,200 | 79,200 | 101,700 | 125,400 | 65,050 |
| All 2015 cars | 36,100 | 52,200 | 72,100 | 94,600 | 119,500 | 2,231,507 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2015 Volkswagen Golfs are left?
At the end of 2015, 72,621 2015 Volkswagen Golfs were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 69,301 were: 68,164 licensed and 1,137 declared off the road (SORN). That is 95.4% still on the record, against 93.2% for all cars first registered in 2015.
Share still on the record since 2015
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2015. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2015 Volkswagen Golf | All 2015 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2016 | 103.0% | 100.7% |
| 2017 | 101.7% | 99.9% |
| 2018 | 98.8% | 96.7% |
| 2019 | 98.4% | 97.6% |
| 2020 | 97.8% | 96.9% |
| 2021 | 97.8% | 96.7% |
| 2022 | 97.3% | 96.1% |
| 2023 | 96.8% | 95.3% |
| 2024 | 96.1% | 94.3% |
| 2025 | 95.4% | 93.2% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2015
3 of the Volkswagen Golf’s 43 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2015.
The 2015 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2015 may have been built in 2014, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jan 2017 | Lights may fail without warning | 1 Jun 2015 to 31 Oct 2016 | 12,440 (all models) |
| 23 Jun 2016 | Child lock may disengage | 25 Nov 2015 to 14 Apr 2016 | 13,620 (all models) |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Directional control may be compromised | 1 Apr 2015 to 11 Apr 2015 | 303 (all models) |
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 | 66,992 MOT tests of 2015 Volkswagen Golf cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 69,301 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 2015; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2015.
- 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.