2005 Volkswagen Transporter MOT pass rate: 61.7% (29,665 tests)
Is the 2005 Transporter getting worse?
Pass rate of 2005-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 62.1% -2.0 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 61.0% -3.3 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 61.8% -3.5 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 2005 Transporter
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10,298 | 25.6% |
| 2 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8,962 | 22.2% |
| 3 | Brakes | 8,791 | 21.8% |
| 4 | Body, chassis, structure | 3,373 | 8.4% |
| 5 | Tyres | 2,489 | 6.2% |
| 6 | Visibility | 1,996 | 5.0% |
All Transporter years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 18,995 | 59.7% | -7.0 pts | 176,001 |
| 2002 | 18,892 | 60.7% | -5.0 pts | 174,505 |
| 2003 | 20,573 | 60.3% | -4.8 pts | 170,125 |
| 2004 | 26,997 | 61.1% | -3.4 pts | 174,608 |
| 2005 (this page) | 29,665 | 61.7% | -2.9 pts | 166,888 |
| 2006 | 33,635 | 61.8% | -2.7 pts | 161,235 |
| 2007 | 39,621 | 64.6% | -0.5 pts | 154,942 |
| 2008 | 37,454 | 64.9% | -0.2 pts | 145,782 |
| 2009 | 26,858 | 67.0% | +0.6 pts | 134,860 |
| 2010 | 32,067 | 69.3% | +1.9 pts | 131,890 |
| 2011 | 35,821 | 71.7% | +2.5 pts | 124,750 |
| 2012 | 36,794 | 73.4% | +2.2 pts | 115,489 |
| 2013 | 42,846 | 76.0% | +2.7 pts | 108,438 |
| 2014 | 47,097 | 75.4% | -0.4 pts | 96,375 |
| 2015 | 53,196 | 77.1% | -1.6 pts | 86,048 |
| 2016 | 58,914 | 79.8% | -1.5 pts | 78,278 |
| 2017 | 59,295 | 80.7% | -3.3 pts | 67,431 |
| 2018 | 58,110 | 82.8% | -3.5 pts | 58,069 |
| 2019 | 40,352 | 85.4% | -3.0 pts | 47,280 |
| 2020 | 1,935 | 86.3% | -3.6 pts | 36,308 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Volkswagen Transporter years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2005 Volkswagen Transporter reliable?
2005-registered examples passed 61.7% of their MOT tests (29,665 tests, 2023–2025), -2.9 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 21 years old with a median 166,888 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2005 Transporter?
The median tested example shows 166,888 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.