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Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a car check

Is the Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a reliable? We analysed 5,018 real MOT tests across 1,666 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 5,018 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
86.5%
Typical Mileage
35,522mi
Annual Mileage
9,558mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Volkswagen Transporter SE 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 Transporter SE TDI S-a.

Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a Number Plates

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

Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

88.8%
2023
86.6%
2022
84.6%
2021
87.7%
2020

Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Volkswagen Transporter SE 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 22
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value 16

Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Volkswagen Transporter SE 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
5,448 mi/yr
Typical
9,558 mi/yr
Average
14,100 mi/yr
Heavy usage
16,400 mi/yr

Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 152 88.8% 21,117 32,168 46,860
2022 611 86.6% 19,864 33,412 51,480
2021 1,552 84.6% 19,016 33,667 51,432
2020 2,562 87.7% 23,116 37,138 56,844

How Long Does a Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a Last?

Based on 1,666 Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a vehicles on UK roads.

Average
3.7 years
Median
4.0 years

Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Volkswagen Transporter SE 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
35,522 mi
75th Percentile
55,004 mi
95th Percentile
100,567 mi
Max Recorded
330,533 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a

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

Best year
2023

88.8% MOT pass rate from 152 tests

Year to avoid
2021

84.6% MOT pass rate from 1,552 tests

The best year to buy a used Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a is 2023, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 88.8% across 152 tests. The 2021 model year has the lowest pass rate at 84.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Volkswagen Transporter SE 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 Transporter SE TDI S-a THIS CAR 86.5% 5,018 35,522 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
Kawasaki Gpz 78.7% 3,134 28,501 mi 42 yrs

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

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Should you buy a used Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a?

The Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.5% across 5,018 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 Transporter SE 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 Transporter SE TDI S-a owner drives around 9,558 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 Transporter SE TDI S-a — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a reliable?
Based on 5,018 MOT tests, the Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a has a 86.5% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a do per year?
The typical Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a does around 9,558 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Volkswagen Transporter SE 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 Transporter SE TDI S-a?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Volkswagen Transporter SE TDI S-a is 2023 with a 88.8% pass rate across 152 tests.