Verdict
The Volkswagen Jetta passes its MOT first time on 65.8% of tests, 3.4 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (62.5%). That puts it ahead of 64% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2007 Jetta does best (beats 69% of cars) and the 2006 worst (beats 67%).
Of its engines, the 1.9 Diesel does best (beats 71%) and the 1.6 Diesel worst (beats 55%).
Better than average on lights & electrics, visibility, steering.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 65.9% | Beats 63% | B |
| 1.9 Diesel | 61.2% | Beats 71% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 68.4% | Beats 55% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 76.1% | Beats 65% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 61.1% | Beats 66% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 63.9% | Beats 76% | B |
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
- Coil springs 1.7× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Suspension arm bushes 1.9× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Indicator side repeaters 2.4× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 5.8% | 3.5% | 1.7× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 4.1% | 3.9% | 1.1× |
| Headlight aim | 3.9% | 4.4% | 0.9× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 3.3% | 1.8% | 1.9× |
| Tyre tread depth | 3.2% | 3.5% | 0.9× |
| Drive shaft (CV) joints | 3.1% | 2.1% | 1.5× |
| Ball joint dust covers | 2.5% | 1.2% | 2.1× |
| Handbrake performance | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.0× |
| Sidelights | 2.2% | 4.7% | 0.5× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 2.2% | 3.1% | 0.7× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 57.4 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 50.2 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 39.2 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 38.4 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 32.4 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 31.9 |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | 23.8 |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | 20.6 |
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.
2017 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines78.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 75.7% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 81.3% | Beats 31% | D |
2016 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines77.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 75.4% | Beats 24% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 82.6% | Beats 52% | C |
2015 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines76.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 75.4% | Beats 36% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 81.2% | Beats 57% | C |
2014 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines72.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Diesel | 72.1% | Beats 40% | D |
| 2.0 Diesel | 72.6% | Beats 44% | C |
2013 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines70.2% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Diesel | 69.4% | Beats 47% | C |
| 2.0 Diesel | 73.7% | Beats 69% | B |
2012 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines68.5% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Diesel | 67.9% | Beats 60% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 69.5% | Beats 65% | B |
2011 Volkswagen Jetta2 engines66.3% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Diesel | 65.8% | Beats 60% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 67.0% | Beats 65% | B |
2010 Volkswagen Jetta3 engines66.3% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 66.2% | Beats 73% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 64.6% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 70.3% | Beats 73% | B |
2009 Volkswagen Jetta3 engines65.4% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 64.4% | Beats 73% | B |
| 1.9 Diesel | 65.5% | Beats 75% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 67.1% | Beats 75% | B |
2008 Volkswagen Jetta3 engines62.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 61.3% | Beats 68% | B |
| 1.9 Diesel | 63.7% | Beats 76% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 63.5% | Beats 69% | B |
2007 Volkswagen Jetta4 engines60.5% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 Diesel | 59.9% | Beats 68% | B |
| 1.9 Diesel | 60.9% | Beats 70% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 59.5% | Beats 62% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 64.7% | Beats 78% | B |
2006 Volkswagen Jetta4 engines58.7% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 Diesel | 58.7% | Beats 68% | B |
| 2.0 Diesel | 57.4% | Beats 64% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 61.1% | Beats 69% | B |
| 2.0 Petrol | 63.3% | Beats 75% | B |
FAQ
What is the Volkswagen Jetta MOT pass rate?
65.8% of MOT tests on the Volkswagen Jetta were passed first time, based on 137,856 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2006–2017. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 62.5% of the time.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta 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 64% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Volkswagen Jetta year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2007 Jetta does best for its age and mileage: it beats 69% of cars on UK roads. The 2006 does worst: it beats 67%.
Which Volkswagen Jetta engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.9 Diesel does best: it beats 71% of cars on UK roads. The 1.6 Diesel does worst: it beats 55%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Volkswagen Jetta?
The most common failure items are coil springs, tyre damage & cracking, headlight aim. Compared with similar cars, coil springs comes up 1.7× as often.