2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT2.0L Diesel

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat presents a stable roadworthiness trend, with the most recent test on 18 November 2025 at 178,581 miles returning a clean pass and no defects recorded. Prior tests in November 2024 at 170,432 miles and November 2023 at 157,511 miles also passed without advisories. The only blemish is a failure on 8 November 2023 at 157,251 miles, logged with no defects recorded, followed seven days later by a pass at 157,511 miles. This suggests an administrative or non-mechanical rejection rather than a substantive fault, and the subsequent clean passes confirm the vehicle has held its condition. At roughly 14 years old the car shows 178,581 recorded miles, averaging about 12,756 miles per year, which is high for its age and points to sustained commuter or fleet-style use. The odometer advanced from 149,013 miles in the 28 November 2022 test to 157,511 by November 2023, then 170,432 in November 2024 and 178,581 in November 2025, a steady annual accumulation near the long-term average. The DVSA data is sparse on faults, with three consecutive clean passes and one anomaly failure carrying no listed defects, so the record alone reveals little about wear on consumables or hidden corrosion. A buyer should still commission an in-person inspection of suspension bushes, coil springs, and front subframe corrosion given the mileage and 2012 build era. High annual use at this age commonly degrades damper performance and track-rod ends without triggering MOT advisories in a clean-pass cycle. Brake discs and calipers should be measured for lip wear and binding, while the exhaust system and underbody should be checked for structural rust not captured in the sparse history. The repeated clean tests imply previous owners kept the car to minimum legal standard rather than documenting progressive wear, so assume consumables like tyres and wiper blades were replaced only as required. Verify service history independently, as the MOT record shows no advisories that would evidence proactive mechanical care on a 178,581-mile Passat.