Used car guide

2019 Volkswagen E-Golf: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Volkswagen E-Golf first registered in 2019: we looked at the 10,756 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

10,756MOTs of 2019 cars, done in 2023–2025
86%pass first time (all 2019 cars: 85%)
7,000typical miles a year
7.9×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf than on all cars registered in 2019.

  • Shock absorbers7.9× usual
    Volkswagen E-Golf
    15.8% All 2019 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2%, against 0.3% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Tyre condition1.7× usual
    Volkswagen E-Golf
    21.8% All 2019 cars
    12.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7.8%, against 3.3% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

Better than most

Brake pads: 1% here, against 10.1% of all 2019 cars. Brake discs: 2.6% here, against 8.6% of all 2019 cars.

Common 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    34% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    17% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    4% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Lights and electrics
    3% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 7.9× as often on the 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the tyre condition? (Flagged at MOT 1.7× as often on the 2019 Volkswagen E-Golf as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volkswagen E-Golf?

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Other years

Every year of the Volkswagen E-Golf compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20207,639Tyres 34%
2018944Tyres 27%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Volkswagen E-Golf cars first registered in 2019. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score