Volkswagen T-Cross MOT failure rate and common faults
30,829 Volkswagen T-Cross cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 11.4% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 13.6% of the time, which makes the Volkswagen T-Cross 16% less likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
11.4%
failed first time
30,829 MOT tests in 2025
-16%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 13.6%
66 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
63.4
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 61.4
What fails on a Volkswagen T-Cross MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Volkswagen T-Cross MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 28.1 |
| Tyres: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 18.1 |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Steering | 12.2 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 9.5 |
| Tyres: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 7.8 |
| Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn | Brakes | 7.0 |
| Tyres: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure | Tyres | 6.6 |
| Washers: not working | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 5.4 |
| Rear fog lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 5.4 |
| Service brake performance: excessively fluctuating | Brakes | 4.9 |
Volkswagen T-Cross MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,452 | 7.6% | 11.4% | 23,200 |
| 2021 | 9,058 | 9.6% | 12.8% | 28,600 |
| 2020 | 7,527 | 12.7% | 14.1% | 33,600 |
| 2019 | 6,792 | 16.5% | 16.5% | 37,900 |
Advisories to look for in a Volkswagen T-Cross's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Volkswagen T-Cross, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing171.5
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge163.3
- Brake pads: wearing thin139.0
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened133.8
- Brake discs: worn, but not excessively27.4
- Tyres: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords17.8
Checking a used Volkswagen T-Cross before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Volkswagen T-Cross fails more often than average on brakes and steering. Start there.
Brakes
Look through the wheel spokes at the discs for a deep lip or scoring, check the handbrake holds the car on a slope, and feel for a pull to one side when braking hard.
Steering
With the engine running, rock the wheel gently: there should be almost no free play. Listen for knocks on full lock and look for power steering fluid leaks.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Volkswagen T-Cross MOT questions
What is the Volkswagen T-Cross MOT failure rate?
11.4% of Volkswagen T-Cross cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 30,829 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 13.6% of the time, so the Volkswagen T-Cross was 16% less likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Volkswagen T-Cross MOT?
Tyres caused the most failure items, at 54 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick", recorded 28.1 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Volkswagen T-Cross year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2022 registrations did best: 7.6% failed against an average of 11.4% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Volkswagen T-Cross will pass?
No. These are averages across every Volkswagen T-Cross tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Volkswagen models
- Volkswagen Golf23.9% failed
- Volkswagen Polo31.7% failed
- Volkswagen Transporter29.2% failed
- Volkswagen Tiguan18.6% failed
- Volkswagen Passat28.0% failed
- Volkswagen Caddy31.5% failed
Ranked close to the Volkswagen T-Cross
- Jaguar F-Pacerank 64
- Volvo XC60rank 65
- BMW 1 Seriesrank 67
- Jaguar XErank 68
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Volkswagen T-Cross cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.