2014 Volkswagen California MOT pass rate: 80.5% (2,195 tests)
Is the 2014 California getting worse?
Pass rate of 2014-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 81.0% +3.5 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 79.6% +4.0 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 80.8% +6.4 vs same-age |
The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.
What fails on a 2014 California
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 258 | 32.8% |
| 2 | Brakes | 183 | 23.3% |
| 3 | Tyres | 154 | 19.6% |
| 4 | Visibility | 53 | 6.7% |
| 5 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 48 | 6.1% |
| 6 | Steering | 28 | 3.6% |
All California years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,753 | 78.4% | +7.2 pts | 70,193 |
| 2013 | 1,761 | 80.9% | +7.6 pts | 66,361 |
| 2014 (this page) | 2,195 | 80.5% | +4.6 pts | 63,298 |
| 2015 | 2,685 | 82.3% | +3.6 pts | 55,140 |
| 2016 | 2,510 | 83.0% | +1.7 pts | 51,076 |
| 2017 | 3,840 | 84.8% | +0.8 pts | 45,123 |
| 2018 | 3,375 | 86.9% | +0.6 pts | 36,292 |
| 2019 | 3,294 | 88.7% | +0.4 pts | 29,504 |
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FAQs
Is a 2014 Volkswagen California reliable?
2014-registered examples passed 80.5% of their MOT tests (2,195 tests, 2023–2025), +4.6 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 12 years old with a median 63,298 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2014 California?
The median tested example shows 63,298 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.