Volkswagen Tiguan
From 314,578 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Tiguans fare better: 2022 models pass at 89.5% vs 72.2% for 2008.
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 spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 9,985 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 | 9,985 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 7,682 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 5,784 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 4,299 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 3,727 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 3,134 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 3,071 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 2,788 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 2,301 |
| brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn | 1,556 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 20.1% of Tiguan failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 51.1% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £134.
Volkswagen Tiguan on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 33,615 newly registered in the past year with 4,697 leaving, a net gain of 28,918. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 321,522 | 4,126 | +8,166 | -1,896 | +6,270 |
| 2025 Q2 | 315,472 | 3,906 | +6,002 | -1,322 | +4,680 |
| 2025 Q1 | 311,187 | 3,511 | +10,314 | -787 | +9,527 |
| 2024 Q4 | 301,878 | 3,293 | +9,133 | -692 | +8,441 |
| 2024 Q3 | 293,858 | 2,872 | +8,322 | -1,499 | +6,823 |
| 2024 Q2 | 287,319 | 2,588 | +8,008 | -1,834 | +6,174 |
| 2024 Q1 | 281,321 | 2,412 | +6,021 | -956 | +5,065 |
| 2023 Q4 | 276,356 | 2,312 | +6,946 | -344 | +6,602 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiguan R-Line Tsi S-A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 15,545 | 11% |
| Tiguan R-Line Tsi Phev S-A | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 13,215 | 9% |
| Tiguan Match Tdi Bmt 4Motn Sa | Diesel | 10,928 | 7% |
| Tiguan Match Tdi Bmt 4Motion | Diesel | 8,580 | 6% |
| Tiguan R-Line Tdi S-A | Diesel | 7,379 | 5% |
| Tiguan Match Tsi Evo | Petrol | 7,343 | 5% |
| Tiguan Life Tsi | Petrol | 7,084 | 5% |
| Tiguan Se Nav Tdi Bmt | Diesel | 7,003 | 5% |
| Tiguan R-Line Etsi S-A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 6,688 | 5% |
| Tiguan Match Tdi Blue Tech | Diesel | 6,578 | 4% |
| Tiguan Elegance Tsi S-A | Petrol | 6,464 | 4% |
| Tiguan Match Etsi S-A | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 6,399 | 4% |
| Tiguan Match Tsi Evo S-A | Petrol | 6,394 | 4% |
| Tiguan Allspace Life Tsi S-A | Petrol | 6,293 | 4% |
| Tiguan Life Tsi S-A | Petrol | 6,014 | 4% |
| Tiguan R-Line Edition Tsi S-A | Petrol | 6,008 | 4% |
| Tiguan Match Tsi Phev S-A | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 4,847 | 3% |
| Tiguan R-Line Tdi 4Motion S-A | Diesel | 4,750 | 3% |
| Tiguan R Line Tdi Bmt 4Motn Sa | Diesel | 4,459 | 3% |
| Tiguan R Line Tdibluetech 4Msa | Diesel | 4,212 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 89.5% | lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, a stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp |
| 2021 | 88.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 90.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2019 | 90.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
11 earlier years
| 2018 | 88.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 89.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 87.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2015 | 83.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2014 | 80.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2013 | 80.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 77.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 75.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 73.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2009 | 73.6% | 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Tiguans tested had between 68,194 and 141,587 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 99,217 median miles, the Tiguan has 0.016 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Volkswagen models
| Volkswagen Golf | 79.1% |
| Volkswagen Polo | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Transporter | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Passat | 76.9% |
| Volkswagen Caddy | 76.4% |
Common questions
What is the Volkswagen Tiguan MOT pass rate?
The Volkswagen Tiguan has a 84.6% MOT pass rate based on 314,578 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Tiguan?
The most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Tiguan is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 9,985 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Volkswagen Tiguans are on UK roads?
There are 321,522 Volkswagen Tiguans currently licensed on UK roads, with 4,126 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Volkswagen Tiguan at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Volkswagen Tiguan is 99,217 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 68,194 and 141,587 miles.
Buying a used Tiguan?
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 84.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £134 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.