17,216 tests in 2025
Volkswagen Caravelle reliability and MOT pass rate
69.2% passed first time. The 30.8% fail rate is 8.2 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 16 years old with 112,874 miles.
Pass rate
69.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 30.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
112,874 mi
16 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1,293 | 16.3% |
| 6-9 years | 3,224 | 22.6% |
| 10-13 years | 2,647 | 24.9% |
| 14+ years | 10,050 | 36.9% |
What the Caravelle fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension102 dangerous44.3%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment47 dangerous34.3%
- Brakes530 dangerous32.8%
- Body, chassis, structure89 dangerous23.7%
- Tyres932 dangerous18.3%
- Visibility1 dangerous14.5%
- Noise, emissions and leaks19 dangerous12.9%
- Steering34 dangerous12.5%
Is the Caravelle getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 32% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 1 year, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.9 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 18,377 | 16 | 30% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 18,069 | 16 | 30.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 15,797 | 17 | 31.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 15,977 | 17 | 32% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Caravelle at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Caravelle in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken494 tests
- 2Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt424 tests
- 3Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength401 tests
- 4Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt377 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn371 tests
- 6Position lamp: not working370 tests
- 7Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements344 tests
- 8Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn301 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Caravelle collects 3.15 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,599 tests
- 2Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine1,793 tests
- 3Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,697 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,508 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,499 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,094 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,010 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)767 tests
Questions
What is the Volkswagen Caravelle MOT pass rate?
69.2% of the 17,216 Volkswagen Caravelle first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 30.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Volkswagen Caravelle usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 494 failed tests, followed by "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" and "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength". By section, suspension appears in 44.3% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 34.3% of failures, brakes appears in 32.8% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 16.3%; at 14+ years it was 36.9%. The median Volkswagen Caravelle tested in 2025 was 16 years old with 112,874 miles.
Is the Volkswagen Caravelle getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 32% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 1 year, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.9 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Caravelle trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 4 safety recalls naming the Volkswagen Caravelle: Volkswagen Caravelle recalls.
Other Volkswagen models
Checking a particular Caravelle?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.