Used car guide · 2009–2012

Volkswagen Golf Mk6: best and worst years, and what goes wrong

How every year of the Volkswagen Golf Mk6 did at its MOT in 2025 compared with other cars the same age, the weak spots that keep coming up, and what to check before you buy one. From 181,760 MOT tests.

2009best year: 62% pass first time, 4 points above all 2009 cars

2010weakest year: 62% pass first time, 3 points above all 2010 cars

Suspension armthe weak spot that shows up in 4 different years

Year by year

First-time MOT pass rate for each year of the Volkswagen Golf Mk6, against all cars registered the same year. Older cars fail more, so the comparison with cars the same age is what matters.

This model, first-time pass rate All cars registered that year

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	Stands out	MOT tests
2009	62%	58% +4	Shock absorbers 1.7× usual	40,531
2010	62%	59% +3	Suspension arm 2.9× usual	42,060
2011	64%	61% +3	Shock absorbers 2× usual	48,351
2012	67%	63% +4	Shock absorbers 1.9× usual	50,818

Weak spots across the Volkswagen Golf Mk6

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year of this generation. Repeat findings like these are much less likely to be chance.

Suspension armup to 2.9× usual

Stands out in 4 years: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009.

Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.
Link ball joint coversup to 2.5× usual

Stands out in 4 years: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009.

Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
Shock absorbersup to 2× usual

Stands out in 4 years: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009.

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.
Ball joint dust coverup to 2.6× usual

Stands out in 2 years: 2010, 2009.

Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
Anti-roll bar link jointsup to 2.3× usual

Stands out in 2 years: 2012, 2011.

Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
Sub-frameup to 1.6× usual

Stands out in 2 years: 2011, 2010.

Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

Known faults

From owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Not every car will have them.

Alarm that goes off by itself
The alarm can be temperamental. A dealer software update usually fixes it.
Check: Lock the car and leave it a few minutes during the viewing.
Source: Auto Express: used VW Golf Mk6 buyer's guide
Phone won't pair (early cars)
Some early Bluetooth systems don't recognise many phones, and the fix can cost around £500.
Check: Pair your own phone.
Source: Auto Express: used VW Golf Mk6 buyer's guide
Creaks from the front suspension
Dried-out suspension bushes creak over bumps, more in warm weather.
Check: Listen over speed bumps with the window down.
Source: Auto Express: used VW Golf Mk6 buyer's guide

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting each car's main test of the year (not retests). A weak spot needs at least 30 cars flagged and must stay 1.5× the usual rate even at the cautious end of a 95% confidence range. Generation years are approximate: cars registered in a changeover year (*) can be either generation. How we score

Looking at a Volkswagen Golf?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots, and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.