Van
Ford Transit
75.6%
pass rate across 1,107,503 tests
69.2% first-time pass rate
Ford Transit vs Volkswagen Transporter
The two vans compared on 2,132,748 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
Volkswagen Transporter has the stronger MOT record
Across 2,132,748 tests, the Volkswagen Transporter has the stronger first-time record: 73.9% against 69.2%, a 4.7-point gap. On all MOTs the Volkswagen Transporter is ahead at 78.9% versus 75.6%. 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 −4.8. A typical repair bill is different: £52–£145 for the Ford Transit and £37–£100 for the Volkswagen Transporter; at their pass rates that is roughly £1,268–£3,534 versus £775–£2,115 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Ford Transit is Engine oil leaking excessively at 11.2% of tests, up to £700 to fix.
- First-time pass: 69.2% vs 73.9%.
- All MOTs: 75.6% vs 78.9%.
- Like-for-like: −4.8 vs −1.1 points.
- Typical repair bill: £52–£145 vs £37–£100.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 74.7% vs 78.4%.
| Measure | Transit | Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 1,107,503 | 1,025,245 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 75.6% | 78.9% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 69.2% | 73.9% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | −5.4 pts | −2.1 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −4.8 pts | −1.1 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 103,972 mi | 116,991 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2024 (25) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2024 · 96.9% | 2023 · 91.7% |
| Worst model year | 2010 · 68.6% | 2001 · 69.5% |
| Typical repair bill | £52–£145 | £37–£100 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £1,268–£3,534 | £775–£2,115 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Diesel 100% | Diesel 99% |
| Variants recorded | 20 | 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
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded 24.5% £80–£180
- Suspension pin or bush excessively worn 21.3% £40–£150
- Engine oil leaking excessively 11.2% £200–£700
- Windscreen damaged 8.1% £80–£200
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 | Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 80.7% · 158,867 tests | 83.6% · 68,267 tests |
| 2018 | 83.2% · 66,966 tests | 85.2% · 66,198 tests |
| 2019 | 84.4% · 9,738 tests | 86.7% · 61,326 tests |
| 2020 | 86.2% · 5,111 tests | 87.1% · 47,487 tests |
| 2021 | 87.6% · 4,175 tests | 87.2% · 39,827 tests |
| 2022 | 90.9% · 2,507 tests | 88.8% · 13,439 tests |
| 2023 | 93.1% · 1,054 tests | 91.7% · 424 tests |
| 2024 | 96.9% · 228 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 | Transporter |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 89.3% · 23,622 tests | 91.5% · 70,452 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 82.9% · 116,590 tests | 85.9% · 172,873 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 78.2% · 226,331 tests | 82.1% · 181,686 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 74.7% · 261,434 tests | 78.4% · 168,002 tests |
| 120k+ | 72.5% · 471,531 tests | 72.8% · 428,656 tests |
What to check before you buy
Ford Transit
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded — 24.5% of tests, £80–£180 to put right.
- Suspension pin or bush excessively worn — 21.3% of tests, £40–£150 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2010 at 68.6%; 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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