Verdict
The Volkswagen Bora passes its MOT first time on 55.7% of tests, 3.8 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (51.9%). That puts it ahead of 63% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2003 Bora does best (beats 66% of cars) and the 1999 worst (beats 45%).
Better than average on tyres, visibility, seat belts & airbags.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 56.1% | Beats 65% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 54.5% | Beats 53% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 53.6% | Beats 52% | C |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Track rod ends 1.7× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres. - Suspension arm bushes 1.5× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Sidelights
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Handbrake performance
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Headlight bulbs & units
Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidelights | 7.0% | 6.2% | 1.1× |
| Headlight aim | 6.6% | 6.8% | 1.0× |
| Track rod ends | 5.2% | 3.1% | 1.7× |
| Handbrake performance | 5.0% | 4.2% | 1.2× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 4.8% | 3.3% | 1.5× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 4.8% | 4.6% | 1.0× |
| Brake lights | 4.3% | 4.8% | 0.9× |
| Coil springs | 4.0% | 3.1% | 1.3× |
| Exhaust system | 3.9% | 3.1% | 1.2× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 3.7% | 2.4% | 1.5× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 71.0 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 65.9 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 49.8 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 48.0 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 39.4 |
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 38.7 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 37.9 |
| Exhaust system leaking or insecure | 36.8 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2006 Volkswagen Bora1 engine56.8% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 56.8% | Beats 61% | B |
2005 Volkswagen Bora2 engines56.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 57.0% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 54.5% | Beats 49% | C |
2004 Volkswagen Bora2 engines55.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 55.5% | Beats 65% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 56.9% | Beats 60% | B |
2003 Volkswagen Bora2 engines56.0% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 56.5% | Beats 68% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 54.4% | Beats 56% | C |
2002 Volkswagen Bora3 engines55.6% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 56.0% | Beats 67% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 55.0% | Beats 57% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 53.6% | Beats 53% | C |
2001 Volkswagen Bora3 engines55.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 57.0% | Beats 68% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 51.1% | Beats 43% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 53.9% | Beats 54% | C |
2000 Volkswagen Bora3 engines53.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 53.6% | Beats 58% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 53.3% | Beats 45% | C |
| 2.0 Petrol | 53.4% | Beats 49% | C |
1999 Volkswagen Bora1 engine50.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 50.8% | Beats 45% | C |
FAQ
What is the Volkswagen Bora MOT pass rate?
55.7% of MOT tests on the Volkswagen Bora were passed first time, based on 75,805 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 1999–2006. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 51.9% of the time.
Is the Volkswagen Bora reliable?
On MOT results it rates B (good): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 63% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Volkswagen Bora year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2003 Bora does best for its age and mileage: it beats 66% of cars on UK roads. The 1999 does worst: it beats 45%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Volkswagen Bora?
The most common failure items are sidelights, headlight aim, track rod ends. Compared with similar cars, track rod ends comes up 1.7× as often.