Volkswagen Tiguan Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Volkswagen Tiguan fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 355,733 MOT tests across 15 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
87%
Volkswagen Tiguan pass rate
85%
Volkswagen average
82%
All-model average
The Volkswagen Tiguan has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, which is 2 points above the Volkswagen average and 5 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Volkswagen Tiguans pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 11 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Volkswagen Tiguan Fails Its MOT On
Of the 39,659 MOT tests on the Volkswagen Tiguan that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
43%Cars and vans the same age: 31% (the Tiguan fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Tyres
28%Cars and vans the same age: 24% · Typical repair £50-£300
Lights and electrics
20%Cars and vans the same age: 35% (the Tiguan fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
16%Cars and vans the same age: 21% (the Tiguan fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
11%Cars and vans the same age: 10% · Typical repair £80-£800
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (17% of failed tests, suspension)
- Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (13% of failed tests, suspension)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (13% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Volkswagen Tiguan Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Tiguan year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
- 2021: 90% passed, against 93% for all 2021 cars (3 points lower, 15,071 tests)
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Volkswagen Tiguan Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Petrol | 2.0L | 93% | 6% | - |
| 2021 | Diesel | 2.0L | 90% | 9% | 93% (-3) |
| 2020 | Diesel | 2.0L | 92% | 8% | 92% (0) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 2.0L | 91% | 8% | 91% (0) |
| 2018 | Diesel | 2.0L | 91% | 9% | 89% (+2) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 2.0L | 91% | 9% | 87% (+4) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.0L | 89% | 10% | 86% (+3) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 15% | 84% (+1) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.0L | 83% | 16% | 82% (+1) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.0L | 82% | 17% | 80% (+2) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.0L | 80% | 19% | 79% (+1) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 2.0L | 78% | 21% | 77% (+1) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 77% | 22% | 75% (+2) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 78% | 22% | 75% (+3) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.0L | 77% | 22% | 74% (+3) |
Volkswagen Tiguan Running Costs
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Volkswagen Tiguan FAQ
What are the most common Volkswagen Tiguan problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Volkswagen Tiguan that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (43% of the 39,659 failed tests), tyres (28%) and lights and electrics (20%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (17%). Across 355,733 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 87% ended in a pass.
Is the Volkswagen Tiguan reliable?
The Volkswagen Tiguan has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, from 355,733 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Volkswagen Tiguan years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2021 (90% of 15,071 tests passed, against 93% for all 2021 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2017 (91% of 50,453 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars), the 2016 (89% of 34,191 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars) and the 2009 (78% of 12,129 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Volkswagen Tiguan faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Volkswagen Tiguan typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Volkswagen Models
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