Volkswagen

Volkswagen Golf build years & generations

Coverage 2004-present4 named generationsHatchbackPETROL / DIESEL / HYBRID ELECTRIC / ELECTRICITY

The Volkswagen Golf spans several build years and named generations (2004-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest Volkswagen Golf generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2004
Generation
Mk5
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2007
Generation
Mk5
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with Mk5 and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
Built 2008
Generation
Mk6
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with Mk5 and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
Built 2009-2012
Generation
Mk6
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
Mk7
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2017-2019
Generation
Mk7
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with Mk7 and Mk8 cars built in the same years.
Built 2020
Generation
Mk8
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with Mk7 and Mk8 cars built in the same years.
Built 2021+
Generation
Mk8
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted with every car built from 2021.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2004	Mk5	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2007	Mk5	2005-2008	Counted together with Mk5 and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
2008	Mk6	2005-2008	Counted together with Mk5 and Mk6 cars built in the same years.
2009-2012	Mk6	2009-2012	Counted with this generation only.
2013-2016	Mk7	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2017-2019	Mk7	2017-2020	Counted together with Mk7 and Mk8 cars built in the same years.
2020	Mk8	2017-2020	Counted together with Mk7 and Mk8 cars built in the same years.
2021+	Mk8	2021 onwards	Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Volkswagen Golf build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

Mk8 only

All Mk8 cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

8.6%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

50,047

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

29,4267.8%

4 years

20,6218.6%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 4 years old.

Built

2017-2020

A mix of Mk7 and Mk8

These build years include both Mk7 and Mk8 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

12.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

254,552

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

18,5898.5%

5 years

48,03210.2%

6 years

64,46911.8%

7 years

76,72012.7%

8 years

46,74213.4%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

Mk7 only

These build years are all Mk7, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

20.2%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

304,862

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

31,27013.5%

9 years

78,31714.5%

10 years

81,12016.1%

11 years

74,98918.4%

12 years

39,16620.2%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 12 years old.

Built

2009-2012

Mk6 only

These build years are all Mk6, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

28.1%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

249,348

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

28,16924.8%

13 years

69,61525.8%

14 years

63,80627.4%

15 years

58,40228.0%

16 years

29,35628.1%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 16 years old.

Built

2005-2008

A mix of Mk5 and Mk6

These build years include both Mk5 and Mk6 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

32.2%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

150,661

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

19,88730.5%

17 years

49,95330.2%

18 years

41,73531.4%

19 years

28,21532.2%

20 years

10,87132.2%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

Mk5 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the Mk5.

Fail rate at 25+ years old

26.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

78,332

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

5,71535.7%

21 years

16,31632.6%

22 years

17,89931.4%

23 years

12,91630.8%

24 years

6,91930.4%

25+ years

18,56726.7%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.