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Volkswagen Jetta, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls

13,113 Volkswagen Jettas are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 64.9% of initial MOT tests, 7.4 points below the 72.3% UK average.

Looking at a specific Jetta? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Volkswagen Jetta at the MOT

64.9% of 11,393 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Jetta 434th of 575 models. Volkswagen Jettas aged 6 to 10 years passed 72.4% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 62.5%.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Volkswagen Jetta64.9%
  • All Volkswagen modelsThe Jetta is 8.2 pts behind73.1%
  • All cars72.3%

Pass rate by age at test

Volkswagen Jetta tests in 2025.

  • 6 to 10 years2,680 tests72.4%
  • 11 years and over8,691 tests62.5%

Where Jettas fail

Share of all failure items recorded on Volkswagen Jetta tests in 2025.

  • Suspension28.6%
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.2%
  • Brakes15.6%
  • Tyres10.7%
  • Body, chassis, structure9.5%

The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (7.6%), pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (5.7%) and joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (4.1%).

The MOT page lists every common Jetta MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.

Full Volkswagen Jetta MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The Jetta's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.

  1. Suspension

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.28.6% of Jetta failure items

  2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.18.2% of Jetta failure items

  3. Brakes

    Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.15.6% of Jetta failure items

Volkswagen Jettas in the UK

13,113 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 56% since the end of 2014.

Change since 2014
−56%from 29,975 licensed
Typical year of first use
2012half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2012 or earlier
First registered in 2025
25against 2,220 in 2015
Declared off the road
4,22024% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Volkswagen Jettas since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 201429,975
End of 201530,662
End of 201631,353
End of 201730,302
End of 201828,751
End of 201926,951
End of 202024,867
End of 202122,806
End of 202220,739
End of 202318,495
End of 202416,177
End of 202514,165
End of June 202613,113

How old they are

Licensed Volkswagen Jettas by year of first use.

  • Licensed at the end of 2025
  • First registered that year

A further 193 were first used before 1999.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025First registered that year
20182767
2017377488
20161,0511,578
20151,5582,220
20141,291
20131,314
20121,359
20111,040
2010608
2009900
20081,180
20071,436
2006957
200516
20047
20032
20020
20010
20000
19990

1,558 Jettas first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 70% of the 2,220 first registered that year.

Jetta engines and fuel

2.0 litre engines made up 48% of Volkswagen Jetta MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.6 litre at 25%. Diesel accounts for 85% of licensed Jettas and petrol for 15%.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 11,391 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 2.0 litre47.7%
  • 1.6 litre25.2%
  • 1.9 litre15.1%
  • 1.4 litre10.7%

Fuel type, licensed Jettas

DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.

FuelLicensedShare
Petrol1,99415%
Diesel11,11885%
Hybrid electric1<0.1%

Volkswagen Jetta recalls

6 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Volkswagen Jetta. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Jetta is affected.

  1. Mar 2018 R/2018/062

    Starter motor may malfunction and overheat

    Jettas built Mar 2011 to Nov 2011 · 16,625 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On vehicles with diesel engines and stop/start system the starter motor may be permanently activated because the return spring in the solenoid switch is bent or broken. If the permanent current supply to the starter motor is not noticed overheating of the component with local scorching damage and a vehicle fire is possible.
    Remedy
    Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the solenoid switch.

  2. Jun 2017 R/2017/189

    ABS/ESC system may fail

    Jettas built Jun 2008 to May 2010 · 64,192 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On vehicles with ABS/ESC the earth connection may be interrupted. This may cause failure of the ABS/ESC system
    Remedy
    On affected vehicles install new software. Where necessary a new ABS/ESC control unit will be fitted.

  3. Jun 2015 R/2015/002

    Directional control may be lost

    Jettas built Oct 2011 to Aug 2013 · 5,286 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On vehicles with torsion beam rear axle the trailing arm of the rear axle can be deformed in a rear impact of the vehicle or when reversing too quickly over a relatively high obstacle (such as very high kerbs). If this deformation or pre-damage is not recognised a trailing arm of the rear axle can suddenly break later because of the related weakening of the rear axle.
    Remedy
    On vehicles which have been involved in a rear impact or reversed at speed over a high obstacle. The trailing arm of the torsion beam rear axle is checked for accident damage and replaced if necessary. In other instances a brace plate will be fitted to the trailing arms.

  4. Dec 2009 R/2009/110

    Clutch may operate inadvertently with unexpected loss of drive

    Jettas built Sep 2008 to Aug 2009 · 3,514 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    In rare cases an incorrect interpretation of the clutch temperature can occur which results in the clutch opening unexpectedly with loss of drive.
    Remedy
    Recall affected vehicles and update/reprogramme gearbox control unit.

  5. Jan 2008 R/2008/009

    Fire may occur

    Jettas built Jan 2007 to Jan 2008 · 10,436 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The contact resistance on the earth connection of the heating element for the additional air heater can exceed specification. This could lead to excessive heat developing in the connection area of the cable which could result in localised scorching. However if not rectified this could result in a vehicle fire.
    Remedy
    Recall all affected vehicles and check the torque on the earth connection.

  6. Jan 1996 R/1995/089

    Possibility of coolant leakage into passenger compartment

    Jettas built Aug 1989 to Aug 1991 · 86,500 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Operation of the vehicle for prolonged periods with the cooling system at very high temperatures can result in cooling system damage which in rare instances may cause rupturing on the heat exchanger. In consequence high temperature coolant
    Remedy
    Recall the affected vehicles for the fitment of a bypass valve to the heat exchanger inlet and a non-return valve to the system. At the same time the heat exchanger box will be lined with absorbent foam.
How to check a specific Jetta for recalls

Other Volkswagen models

The most-tested Volkswagen models in 2025, against the Jetta's 64.9% MOT pass rate.

All 31 Volkswagen models

Volkswagen Jetta FAQs

How many Volkswagen Jettas are there in the UK?

13,113 Volkswagen Jettas were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 4,220 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Volkswagen Jetta reliable?

MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 64.9% first-time pass rate for the Volkswagen Jetta across 11,393 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Volkswagen Jetta had any recalls?

6 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Volkswagen Jetta. The most recent was published in March 2018. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.

What should I check before buying a used Volkswagen Jetta?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.

How do I check a Volkswagen Jetta's history?

Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.

Already found a Jetta?

Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.

Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Volkswagen history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Volkswagen VIN check.

  • Outstanding finance
  • Write-off records
  • Stolen markers
  • Mileage history
  • Previous keepers

MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.