2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A — MOT failures & pass rate

Across 3,814 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 91.5% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (91.2%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 13.3% in the 60-90k group versus 7.8% in the 0-30k group.

Pass rate

3,814

MOT tests analysed

8.5%

Fail rate

in line with

vs cars of similar age

3.5

Avg age at test (yrs)

How it compares

Fail rate for this model-year against the segment and national averages for cars of a similar age.

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	5.4%	207
2	Emissions & environmental	1.5%	56
3	Lighting & signalling	1.1%	42
4	Brakes	0.8%	32
5	Visibility	0.7%	25
6	Road wheels	0.5%	21

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Tread depth	52
2	Catalyst emissions	39
3	Headlamp aim	36
4	Registration plates	28
5	Brake pads	26
6	SRS malfunction indicator lamp	15

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	17.3%	660
2	Brakes	8.7%	331
3	Other defects	3.5%	134
4	Visibility	2.1%	79
5	Suspension	1.8%	70
6	Emissions & environmental	1.3%	50

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — 2021 Golf R S-A
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	2,319	7.8%
30-60k	1,415	9.3%
60-90k	75	13.3%

Failure rate by age

How this model-year's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — 2021 Golf R S-A
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2023	66	7.6%
2024	1,869	9.3%
2025	1,878	7.7%

What to check before buying a 2021 Golf R S-A

Before buying a 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.4% of tests for this year.

Tyres (5.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Emissions & environmental (1.5% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Lighting & signalling (1.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.

Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.

Frequently asked questions

How many 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-As pass their MOT?

91.5% of the 3,814 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.5% fail rate.

What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Volkswagen Golf R S-A?

Tyres, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (1.5%).

Does the 2021 Golf R S-A get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 13.3% in the 60-90k band.

Methodology & source. Based on 3,814 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.