Volkswagen Caddy
From 254,751 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Caddys fare better: 2021 models pass at 86.5% vs 69.7% for 2004.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 18,019 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 18,019 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 5,579 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 4,896 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 4,765 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 4,466 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 4,275 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 4,031 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 3,913 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 3,441 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 3,295 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 53.7% of Caddy failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 11.9% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £118.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Caddy passes its MOT 84% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 77.8%, a 6.2 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 75.3%. With an average repair bill of £118 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Caddy that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 83.7% while Diesel versions pass at 76.3%, a 7 percentage point gap.
Volkswagen Caddy on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 3,735 newly registered in the past year with 3,042 leaving, a net gain of 693. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 119,428 | 13,450 | +1,034 | -799 | +235 |
| 2025 Q2 | 119,527 | 13,116 | +940 | -856 | +84 |
| 2025 Q1 | 119,688 | 12,871 | +956 | -359 | +597 |
| 2024 Q4 | 119,681 | 12,281 | +805 | -1,028 | -223 |
| 2024 Q3 | 120,634 | 11,551 | +657 | -997 | -340 |
| 2024 Q2 | 121,403 | 11,122 | +922 | -941 | -19 |
| 2024 Q1 | 121,564 | 10,980 | +1,091 | -879 | +212 |
| 2023 Q4 | 121,757 | 10,575 | +830 | -841 | -11 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caddy C20 Startline Tdi | Diesel | 20,864 | 22% |
| Caddy C20 Tdi 104 | Diesel | 10,287 | 11% |
| Caddy C20 Highline Tdi | Petrol | 8,953 | 9% |
| Caddy Maxi C20 Tdi | Diesel | 6,574 | 7% |
| Caddy 69Ps Sdi | Diesel | 6,502 | 7% |
| Caddy C20 Trendline Tdi | Diesel | 5,979 | 6% |
| Caddy C20 Tdi 102 | Petrol | 5,608 | 6% |
| Caddy C20 Commerce Tdi | Diesel | 5,519 | 6% |
| Caddy C20 Tdi 75 | Petrol | 3,230 | 3% |
| Caddy Maxi C20 Tdi 104 | Diesel | 3,196 | 3% |
| Caddy C20 Plus Sdi | Diesel | 2,678 | 3% |
| Caddy C20 Commerce + Tdi | Diesel | 2,385 | 2% |
| Caddy Maxi C20 Life Tdi | Diesel | 2,330 | 2% |
| Caddy Maxi C20 Life Tdi S-A | Diesel | 2,239 | 2% |
| Caddy C20 Highline Tdi S-A | Diesel | 2,072 | 2% |
| Caddy C20 Commerce Pro Tdi | Diesel | 2,009 | 2% |
| Caddy C20 Life Tdi S-A | Diesel | 1,773 | 2% |
| Caddy C20 Commerce Pro Tdi S-A | Diesel | 1,553 | 2% |
| Caddy C20 Bluemotion Tdi 102 | Diesel | 1,488 | 2% |
| Caddy C20 Startline Tdi Bmt | Diesel | 1,313 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86.5% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 84% | a tyre seriously damaged, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2019 | 83.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2018 | 83.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
24 earlier years
| 2017 | 78.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2016 | 77.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2015 | 77.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 75.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 75.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 74.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2011 | 74.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2010 | 70.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2009 | 70.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 72.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2007 | 70.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2006 | 69.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2005 | 71.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2004 | 69.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2003 | 68.7% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2002 | 67.9% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. |
| 2001 | 62.9% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2000 | 62.6% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 1999 | 70.1% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1998 | 65.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1992 | 74.4% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated, an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 1991 | 67.6% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 1990 | 69.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1989 | 75.2% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all Caddys tested had between 80,840 and 167,786 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 121,701 median miles, the Caddy has 0.019 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Volkswagen models
| Volkswagen Golf | 79.1% |
| Volkswagen Polo | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Transporter | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 84.6% |
| Volkswagen Passat | 76.9% |
Common questions
What is the Volkswagen Caddy MOT pass rate?
The Volkswagen Caddy has a 76.4% MOT pass rate based on 254,751 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Caddy?
The most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Caddy is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 18,019 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Volkswagen Caddys are on UK roads?
There are 119,428 Volkswagen Caddys currently licensed on UK roads, with 13,450 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Volkswagen Caddy at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Volkswagen Caddy is 121,701 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 80,840 and 167,786 miles.
Buying a used Caddy?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 76.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £118 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.