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

28,270 Volkswagen Sharans are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 75.7% of initial MOT tests, 3.4 points above the 72.3% UK average.

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

Volkswagen Sharan at the MOT

75.7% of 35,049 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Sharan 260th of 575 models. Volkswagen Sharans aged 3 to 5 years passed 85.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 63.2%.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Volkswagen Sharan75.7%
  • All Volkswagen modelsThe Sharan is 2.6 pts ahead73.1%
  • All cars72.3%

Pass rate by age at test

Volkswagen Sharan tests in 2025.

  • 3 to 5 years6,130 tests85.5%
  • 6 to 10 years17,672 tests80.2%
  • 11 years and over11,205 tests63.2%

Where Sharans fail

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

  • Suspension26.7%
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment19%
  • Tyres17.8%
  • Brakes11.4%
  • Body, chassis, structure7.5%

The items testers recorded most often were pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (10.1%), condition has ply or cords exposed (5.9%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.7%).

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

Full Volkswagen Sharan MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The Sharan'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.26.7% of Sharan 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.19% of Sharan failure items

  3. Tyres

    Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.17.8% of Sharan failure items

Volkswagen Sharans in the UK

28,270 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 29% since the end of 2014.

Change since 2014
−29%from 39,774 licensed
Typical year of first use
2016half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2016 or earlier
First registered in 2025
64against 4,832 in 2019
Declared off the road
5,52316% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Volkswagen Sharans since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 201439,774
End of 201539,462
End of 201639,335
End of 201738,691
End of 201837,858
End of 201939,141
End of 202037,330
End of 202136,535
End of 202234,519
End of 202332,200
End of 202430,224
End of 202529,100
End of June 202628,270

How old they are

Licensed Volkswagen Sharans by year of first use.

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

A further 216 were first used before 2003.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025First registered that year
202249159
20211,0721,174
20201,4801,581
20194,6384,832
20182,7332,897
20172,8883,241
20162,7203,066
20152,7833,346
20142,412
20131,773
20121,508
20111,583
2010542
2009328
2008360
2007438
2006368
2005360
2004211
2003138

2,783 Sharans first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 83% of the 3,346 first registered that year.

Sharan engines and fuel

2.0 litre engines made up 77% of Volkswagen Sharan MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.4 litre at 16%. Diesel accounts for 85% of licensed Sharans and petrol for 15%.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 35,046 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 2.0 litre77.3%
  • 1.4 litre15.6%
  • 1.9 litre6.7%

Fuel type, licensed Sharans

DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.

FuelLicensedShare
Petrol4,30115%
Diesel23,96585%
Gas4<0.1%

Volkswagen Sharan recalls

10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Volkswagen Sharan. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Sharan is affected.

  1. Aug 2025 R/2025/357

    Takata front drivers or passenger airbag replacement

    Sharans built Jul 2011 to Feb 2015 · 279 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Urgent Safety Warning - Do Not Drive Your Vehicle Our information shows your vehicle was originally allocated to or used for an extended period of time in a region with a climate zone considered to as HIGH RISK. Issue: The front airbag in your VW vehicle contains an ageing inflator propellant that may explode when deployed due to long-term exposure to heat and humidity. Risk: If the airbag inflator explodes metal fragments may be ejected causing life-threatening or fatal injuries to anyone in the vehicle.
    Remedy
    The front airbag must be replaced. Immediate Action Required: Stop driving your vehicle immediately. Contact the Takata Stop Drive helpline at 0113 526 9646 (MONDAY to FRIDAY 9:00AM to 5:00PM to arrange your recall service.

  2. Jun 2023 R/2023/178

    Takata Front airbag

    Sharans built Feb 2010 to Nov 2015 · 287,441 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The function of the driver airbag inflators can degrade due to air and moisture ingress.
    Remedy
    Replace airbag

  3. Nov 2019 R/2019/378

    A condenser may fail in the airbag control unit

    Sharans built Jan 2015 to Dec 2015 · 17,988 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    A condenser in the airbag control unit may fail.
    Remedy
    The software of the airbag control unit must be updated.

  4. Mar 2018 R/2018/062

    Starter motor may malfunction and overheat

    Sharans 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.

  5. Jan 2018 R/2018/034

    Passenger airbag may not deploy as intended

    Sharans built Sep 2016 to Nov 2016 · 32 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    A connection between the detonator and generator in the front passenger airbag module may not be correctly welded. Therefore the airbag may not be triggered in the event of a collision.
    Remedy
    Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the front passenger airbag module.

  6. Apr 2016 R/2016/065

    Side airbag gas generator canister may fail

    Sharans built Jan 2015 · 38 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    For certain vehicles manufactured within a specific period it is possible that the gas generator housing may be damaged if a side airbag is deployed. If the airbag/s were deployed the gas generator could explode and dislodge small metal parts which could cause injury to the vehicle occupants.
    Remedy
    Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and check the dates of manufacture for the left and or right side airbags. Where a possibly affected airbag is found it will be replaced.

  7. Jun 2006 R/2006/058

    Twin-mass flywheel may fail and result in a vehicle fire

    Sharans built Nov 2002 to Aug 2003 · 1,521 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    It has been advised that the twin-mass flywheel can become damaged because of poor internal installation. This can result in a failure of the twin-mass flywheel and under unfavourable circumstances a vehicle fire.
    Remedy
    Recalled vehicles will have the twin-mass flywheel replaced.

  8. Mar 2005 R/2004/211

    Bolts of the tandem fuel pump cover may break

    Sharans built Mar 2004 to Aug 2004 · 49,701 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    It is advised that on some vehicles fitted with a 3 and 4 cylinder pump injector engine the bolts of the tandem fuel pump cover may break due to a bolt production fault. As a result the pump housing will not be tight and a diesel fuel leak may occur.
    Remedy
    Recalled vehicles will have the pump checked for being of a certain manufacture. If found to be within the affected range the pump housing cover bolts will be replaced.
How to check a specific Sharan for recalls

Other Volkswagen models

The most-tested Volkswagen models in 2025, against the Sharan's 75.7% MOT pass rate.

All 31 Volkswagen models

Volkswagen Sharan FAQs

How many Volkswagen Sharans are there in the UK?

28,270 Volkswagen Sharans were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 5,523 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Volkswagen Sharan 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 75.7% first-time pass rate for the Volkswagen Sharan across 35,049 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Volkswagen Sharan had any recalls?

10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Volkswagen Sharan. The most recent was published in August 2025. 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 Sharan?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and tyres. 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 Sharan'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 Sharan?

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.