Car statistics by year
2016 Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen Golf cars first registered in 2016: 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 2016, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 84.0% All 2016 cars 75.6%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 71,600 miles; all 2016 cars 65,300
- Left at the end of 2025 66,261 97.0% of the 68,312 at the end of 2016
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 5.6% All 2016 cars 6.7%
- Tests with an advisory 48.6% All 2016 cars 48.6%
- MOT tests in 2025 64,564 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2016 Volkswagen Golfs do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 9 years old, 84.0% of 2016 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests were passed first time, against 75.6% for all cars first registered in 2016. 2016 Volkswagen Golfs did better than average for their age, by 8.4 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 85.0% of the time (all 2016 cars 77.5%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’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% |
| ’21 | 90.9% | 88.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2016 Volkswagen Golf
Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak was the most common single reason a 2016 Volkswagen Golf failed, on 13.6% of about 10,300 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (37.9% of failed tests; all 2016 cars 27.6%). 5.6% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.7% for all cars first registered in 2016. 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 | 13.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 10.8% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 9.3% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 8.9% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 7.5% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 6.4% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.4% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 4.5% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.9% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Volkswagen Golf vs all 2016 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 37.9% |
| Suspension | 24.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 19.8% |
| Brakes | 17.0% |
| Visibility | 10.3% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 2.9% |
| Steering | 2.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2016 Volkswagen Golf
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 48.6% of 2016 Volkswagen Golf tests had at least one (all 2016 cars 48.6%). 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 | 16.4% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 13.5% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 11.9% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 8.3% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.1% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 3.3% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 2.5% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 2.3% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.2% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2016 Volkswagen Golf?
Half of the 2016 Volkswagen Golfs tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 71,600 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 53,400 and a quarter more than 91,500. For all cars first registered in 2016, the middle figure was 65,300 miles, so 2016 Volkswagen Golfs have been driven 9.6% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Volkswagen Golf | 38,500 | 53,400 | 71,600 | 91,500 | 112,700 | 62,674 |
| All 2016 cars | 32,200 | 47,000 | 65,300 | 86,000 | 108,800 | 2,323,151 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2016 Volkswagen Golfs are left?
At the end of 2016, 68,312 2016 Volkswagen Golfs were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 66,261 were: 65,318 licensed and 943 declared off the road (SORN). That is 97.0% still on the record, against 94.1% for all cars first registered in 2016.
Share still on the record since 2016
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2016. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2016 Volkswagen Golf | All 2016 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2017 | 103.3% | 100.0% |
| 2018 | 101.9% | 99.0% |
| 2019 | 98.8% | 96.5% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | 96.5% |
| 2021 | 98.8% | 96.6% |
| 2022 | 98.6% | 96.4% |
| 2023 | 97.9% | 95.6% |
| 2024 | 97.5% | 95.0% |
| 2025 | 97.0% | 94.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2016
5 of the Volkswagen Golf’s 43 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2016.
The 2016 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2016 may have been built in 2015, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 2024 | Analysis vehicle modification | 23 May 2016 and 27 May 2016 | 1 |
| 22 Mar 2017 | Airbag/belt tensioners may not trigger in event of an accident | 1 May 2016 to 31 Oct 2016 | 3,879 (all models) |
| 23 Jan 2017 | Lights may fail without warning | 1 Jun 2015 to 31 Oct 2016 | 12,440 (all models) |
| 25 Jul 2016 | Fuel may leak | 1 Mar 2016 to 1 Apr 2016 | 8 |
| 23 Jun 2016 | Child lock may disengage | 25 Nov 2015 to 14 Apr 2016 | 13,620 (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 | 64,564 MOT tests of 2016 Volkswagen Golf cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 66,261 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 2016; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2016.
- 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.