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Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a car check

Is the Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a reliable? We analysed 7,499 real MOT tests across 2,147 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 7,499 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
89.3%
Typical Mileage
54,912mi
Annual Mileage
12,237mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a.

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

91.7%
2022
88.8%
2021
88.9%
2020
90%
2019

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 129
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 59
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 43
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 22

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
7,553 mi/yr
Typical
12,237 mi/yr
Average
16,017 mi/yr
Heavy usage
20,027 mi/yr

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2022 265 91.7% 39,513 57,461 79,611
2021 633 88.8% 42,049 61,405 82,932
2020 4,579 88.9% 35,512 51,696 75,051
2019 1,776 90.0% 40,334 59,746 89,812

How Long Does a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Last?

Based on 2,147 Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a vehicles on UK roads.

Average
4.4 years
Median
5.0 years

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
54,912 mi
75th Percentile
79,458 mi
95th Percentile
128,345 mi
Max Recorded
294,936 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2022

91.7% MOT pass rate from 265 tests

Year to avoid
2021

88.8% MOT pass rate from 633 tests

The best year to buy a used Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a is 2022, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 91.7% across 265 tests. The 2021 model year has the lowest pass rate at 88.8% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a THIS CAR 89.3% 7,499 54,912 mi — yrs
Volkswagen Golf 74.9% 22,270,993 83,305 mi 37 yrs
Volkswagen Polo 72.9% 14,598,296 60,351 mi 35 yrs
Volkswagen Passat 73.5% 6,960,690 105,632 mi 32 yrs
Citroen Berlingo 1000 En-prse Ptech Ss 77.8% 2,261 35,110 mi — yrs

Compared to the Volkswagen Golf (74.9% pass rate) and the Volkswagen Polo (72.9% pass rate), the Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a?

The Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a has an overall MOT pass rate of 89.3% across 7,499 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a owner drives around 12,237 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a reliable?
Based on 7,499 MOT tests, the Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a has a 89.3% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a do per year?
The typical Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a does around 12,237 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Volkswagen Passat Sel TDI S-a is 2022 with a 91.7% pass rate across 265 tests.