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What to check: Volkswagen Tiguan

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Ranked across all years of the Volkswagen Tiguan, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 10.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

DampersRuns high on this modelLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 4.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Underneath, with a torchRuns high on this modelGet down and look at the sills, the subframes and the rear suspension mounting points. Flaking scale and bubbling matter; light surface rust does not. On older cars this is the one check that finds the fault that scraps them.Recorded on 3.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

Coil springsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 2.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.3%

Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this modelTurn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 1.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

Rubber boots and gaitersOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 0.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 25.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 17.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Cold-start it and pull away gently for the first minute.Hopping or hesitation is the kangarooing fault on 1.5 TSI evo cars; ask whether the ECU update has been done.

Listen and feel for clunks over speed bumps and under hard acceleration.Points to subframe bolts or worn bushes, and worth checking against the coil spring recall on 2018-2019 cars.

Check the VIN against VW's recall list for campaign 42J5.An outstanding recall means the rear coil spring could still be the wrong material and at risk of fracturing.

On a DSG automatic, drive until the gearbox is properly warm and run through the gears.Surging, harsh downshifts, or warnings that only appear once hot point at a failing DQ381 mechatronic unit.

On a pre-2012 2.0 TSI petrol, ask for a receipt showing the timing chain tensioner was replaced.No paperwork means you're gambling on a part with a known catastrophic failure mode and no recall to fall back on.

On a 2.0 TDI, ask about DPF warning history and whether an EGR clean was ever tried.A DPF light that keeps returning after a 'fix' is often really a blocked EGR cooler, not the filter.

Spend a few minutes pairing a phone and flicking through the infotainment menus.Freezing or a reboot loop is a known recurring fault, not a one-off glitch you can shrug off.

Full Volkswagen Tiguan reliability report