Car
Vauxhall Astra
77.8%
pass rate across 2,353,816 tests
72.2% first-time pass rate
Vauxhall Astra vs Volkswagen Golf
The two cars compared on 5,458,964 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 5,458,964 tests, the Volkswagen Golf has the stronger first-time record: 78.8% against 72.2%, a 6.6-point gap. On all MOTs the Volkswagen Golf is ahead at 82.1% versus 77.8%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Volkswagen Golf is +2.3 points against its expected rate, the Vauxhall Astra −0.8. A typical repair bill is different: £27–£71 for the Vauxhall Astra and £41–£106 for the Volkswagen Golf; at their pass rates that is roughly £598–£1,573 versus £727–£1,896 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Vauxhall Astra is Engine oil leaking excessively at 15.2% of tests, up to £700 to fix.
- First-time pass: 72.2% vs 78.8%.
- All MOTs: 77.8% vs 82.1%.
- Like-for-like: −0.8 vs +2.3 points.
- Typical repair bill: £27–£71 vs £41–£106.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 74.1% vs 77.8%.
| Measure | Astra | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 2,353,816 | 3,105,148 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 77.8% | 82.1% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 72.2% | 78.8% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | −3.2 pts | +1.1 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −0.8 pts | +2.3 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 83,701 mi | 89,803 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2022 (23) | 2000–2024 (25) |
| Best model year | 2021 · 91.2% | 2024 · 98.1% |
| Worst model year | 2006 · 69.8% | 2004 · 69.3% |
| Typical repair bill | £27–£71 stronger figure | £41–£106 |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £598–£1,573 stronger figure | £727–£1,896 |
| Main fuel | Petrol 70% | Diesel 50% |
| Variants recorded | 4 | 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.
Astra
- Engine oil leaking excessively 15.2% £200–£700
- Exhaust system leaking 7.8% £45–£120
- Coil spring fractured or broken 4.8% £25–£65
- Swivel pin or bush excessively worn 2.3% £40–£150
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 | Astra | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 86.4% · 154,342 tests | 89.7% · 228,968 tests |
| 2018 | 87.5% · 99,774 tests | 90.7% · 199,660 tests |
| 2019 | 89.2% · 68,757 tests | 91.3% · 170,458 tests |
| 2020 | 90.2% · 19,867 tests | 93.0% · 124,040 tests |
| 2021 | 91.2% · 6,431 tests | 92.6% · 55,653 tests |
| 2022 | 90.5% · 771 tests | 93.7% · 24,619 tests |
| 2023 | — | 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 | Astra | Golf |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 91.8% · 110,459 tests | 94.3% · 261,629 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 84.5% · 475,335 tests | 89.9% · 689,799 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 78.3% · 709,743 tests | 83.6% · 730,591 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 74.1% · 597,511 tests | 77.8% · 630,647 tests |
| 120k+ | 71.6% · 455,423 tests | 73.6% · 788,242 tests |
What to check before you buy
Vauxhall Astra
- Engine oil leaking excessively — 15.2% of tests, £200–£700 to put right.
- Exhaust system leaking — 7.8% of tests, £45–£120 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2006 at 69.8%; 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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