Car
Ford Focus
79.7%
pass rate across 3,370,105 tests
75.1% first-time pass rate
Ford Focus vs Volkswagen Golf
The two cars compared on 6,475,253 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Volkswagen Golf
82.1%
pass rate across 3,105,148 tests
78.8% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Volkswagen Golf has the stronger MOT record
Across 6,475,253 tests, the Volkswagen Golf has the stronger first-time record: 78.8% against 75.1%, a 3.7-point gap. On all MOTs the Volkswagen Golf is ahead at 82.1% versus 79.7%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Volkswagen Golf is +2.3 points against its expected rate, the Ford Focus +0.2. A typical repair bill is similar: £36–£96 for the Ford Focus and £41–£106 for the Volkswagen Golf; at their pass rates that is roughly £724–£1,944 versus £727–£1,896 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Ford Focus is Sub-frame corroded at 5.1% of tests, up to £450 to fix.
- First-time pass: 75.1% vs 78.8%.
- All MOTs: 79.7% vs 82.1%.
- Like-for-like: +0.2 vs +2.3 points.
- Typical repair bill: £36–£96 vs £41–£106.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 74.8% vs 77.8%.
| Measure | Focus | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 3,370,105 | 3,105,148 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 79.7% | 82.1% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 75.1% | 78.8% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | −1.3 pts | +1.1 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | +0.2 pts | +2.3 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 80,240 mi | 89,803 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2024 (25) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 94.0% | 2024 · 98.1% |
| Worst model year | 2000 · 69.3% | 2004 · 69.3% |
| Typical repair bill | £36–£96 stronger figure | £41–£106 |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £724–£1,944 | £727–£1,896 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Petrol 68% | Diesel 50% |
| Variants recorded | 10 | 7 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Focus
- Sub-frame corroded 5.1% £180–£450
- Suspension arm corroded 3.2% £35–£85
- Indicator incorrect colour 3.1% £3–£12
- Exhaust system insecure 2.6% £45–£120
Golf
- Shock absorber leaking 13.2% £30–£75
- Suspension arm corroded 3.2% £35–£85
- CV boot severely deteriorated 3.1% £80–£250
- Linkage ball joint dust cover insecure 1.4% £18–£45
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | Focus | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 88.1% · 211,609 tests | 89.7% · 228,968 tests |
| 2018 | 88.4% · 156,564 tests | 90.7% · 199,660 tests |
| 2019 | 88.0% · 182,815 tests | 91.3% · 170,458 tests |
| 2020 | 90.5% · 123,025 tests | 93.0% · 124,040 tests |
| 2021 | 91.6% · 44,991 tests | 92.6% · 55,653 tests |
| 2022 | 92.8% · 16,612 tests | 93.7% · 24,619 tests |
| 2023 | 94.0% · 1,084 tests | 95.4% · 850 tests |
| 2024 | — | 98.1% · 53 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | Focus | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 92.4% · 278,335 tests | 94.3% · 261,629 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 86.6% · 759,835 tests | 89.9% · 689,799 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 79.7% · 937,519 tests | 83.6% · 730,591 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 74.8% · 780,115 tests | 77.8% · 630,647 tests |
| 120k+ | 71.6% · 597,795 tests | 73.6% · 788,242 tests |
What to check before you buy
Ford Focus
- Sub-frame corroded — 5.1% of tests, £180–£450 to put right.
- Suspension arm corroded — 3.2% of tests, £35–£85 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2000 at 69.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Volkswagen Golf
- Shock absorber leaking — 13.2% of tests, £30–£75 to put right.
- Suspension arm corroded — 3.2% of tests, £35–£85 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2004 at 69.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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