Volkswagen
40,131 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Caravelles pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 5.4 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
72.1%
Pass-after-fix
3.5%
Fail
23.5%
Avg miles
127,968
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 40,067 tests
Pass rate climbs 12.9 points across the cohorts — newer Caravelle examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
71.3%
Fail
24.3%
PRS
3.5%
Avg mileage at test
134,010 mi
Pass
84.2%
Fail
12.6%
PRS
2.7%
Avg mileage at test
46,591 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
Generations on file · 3
Volkswagen Caravelle · UK market
2003–2015
2015–2024
2024–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
The Volkswagen Caravelle is a diesel-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 23,145 tests puts this car on a 71.0% first-time pass rate, below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 126,904 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by cracked or discoloured windscreen.
The Caravelle's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
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A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
2,381 occurrences · 5.9% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,444 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
1,111 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
1,000 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
923 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced
710 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
633 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
626 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
621 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
610 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£88–£275
If every one of this Caravelle's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 12.9-point gap between bands means the year you buy Volkswagen Caravelle has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
84.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 84.2% — a 12.9-point improvement. Tests in this band average 46,591 miles — roughly 87K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
71.3%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 71.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 84.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength. Average mileage on test for this band is 134,010 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (84.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (71.3% pass). That's a 12.9-point spread across 37,391 older tests and 2,676 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Caravelle and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
