86.2%
pass rate across 485,995 tests
84.1% first-time pass rate
Ford Transit Custom vs Volkswagen Transporter
The two vans compared on 1,511,240 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
78.9%
pass rate across 1,025,245 tests
73.9% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Ford Transit Custom has the stronger MOT record
Across 1,511,240 tests, the Ford Transit Custom has the stronger first-time record: 84.1% against 73.9%, a 10.2-point gap. On all MOTs the Ford Transit Custom is ahead at 86.2% versus 78.9%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Volkswagen Transporter is −1.1 points against its expected rate, the Ford Transit Custom −3.7. A typical repair bill is similar: £40–£108 for the Ford Transit Custom and £37–£100 for the Volkswagen Transporter; at their pass rates that is roughly £553–£1,485 versus £775–£2,115 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Volkswagen Transporter is Windscreen damaged at 5.5% of tests, up to £200 to fix.
- First-time pass: 84.1% vs 73.9%.
- All MOTs: 86.2% vs 78.9%.
- Like-for-like: −3.7 vs −1.1 points.
- Typical repair bill: £40–£108 vs £37–£100.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 83.7% vs 78.4%.
| Measure | Transit Custom | Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 485,995 | 1,025,245 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 86.2% stronger figure | 78.9% |
| First-time pass rate | 84.1% stronger figure | 73.9% |
| Against the UK average | +5.2 pts stronger figure | −2.1 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −3.7 pts | −1.1 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 79,378 mi | 116,991 mi |
| Model years on record | 2012–2024 (13) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2024 · 100.0% | 2023 · 91.7% |
| Worst model year | 2012 · 72.4% | 2001 · 69.5% |
| Typical repair bill | £40–£108 | £37–£100 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £553–£1,485 stronger figure | £775–£2,115 |
| Main fuel | Diesel 100% | Diesel 99% |
| Variants recorded | 49 | 20 |
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.
Transit Custom
Not enough priced failures on record for this model.
Transporter
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) 7.7% £5–£20
- Windscreen damaged 5.5% £80–£200
- Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated 2.8% £18–£45
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt 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 | Transit Custom | Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 81.4% · 873 tests | 83.6% · 68,267 tests |
| 2018 | 85.4% · 96,250 tests | 85.2% · 66,198 tests |
| 2019 | 86.6% · 143,030 tests | 86.7% · 61,326 tests |
| 2020 | 86.5% · 112,159 tests | 87.1% · 47,487 tests |
| 2021 | 86.3% · 94,403 tests | 87.2% · 39,827 tests |
| 2022 | 86.1% · 35,801 tests | 88.8% · 13,439 tests |
| 2023 | 90.4% · 931 tests | 91.7% · 424 tests |
| 2024 | 100.0% · 58 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 | Transit Custom | Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 91.1% · 60,032 tests | 91.5% · 70,452 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 87.1% · 180,607 tests | 85.9% · 172,873 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 85.0% · 142,839 tests | 82.1% · 181,686 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 83.7% · 67,250 tests | 78.4% · 168,002 tests |
| 120k+ | 82.5% · 35,037 tests | 72.8% · 428,656 tests |
What to check before you buy
Ford Transit Custom
- The weakest year on record is 2012 at 72.4%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Volkswagen Transporter
- Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) — 7.7% of tests, £5–£20 to put right.
- Windscreen damaged — 5.5% of tests, £80–£200 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2001 at 69.5%; 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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