1,677 on UK roads in 2025+161 vs 2024
On the road
1,677
1,677 licensed
Change vs 2024
+10.6%
+161 cars
New in 2025
152
first-time registrations
Electrified
8.3%
hybrid, plug-in & battery
The Volkswagen CALIFORNIA is an uncommon sight on UK roads, with 1,677 licensed in 2025 - up 10.6% on 2024. 152 were registered new in 2025. The fleet is overwhelmingly diesel (92%), with most in the 2.0-3.0L class. Most date from the 2015-2019 era.
Licensed Volkswagen CALIFORNIA cars on the road over time
First-time registrations per year
Fuel, engine size and age across every Volkswagen CALIFORNIA on the road today.
Current split
Engine size
Cars on the road by engine capacity
How old are they?
Share of cars by the year they were first registered
How a Volkswagen California holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 9,878 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.
Average for its class
81.5%
9,878 MOT tests in 2025 · 8,402 first-time
Pass rate over time
2022
86.8%
2023
84.5%
2024
83%
2025
81.5%
▼ 5.3 pts since 2022
First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)
How a Volkswagen California is driven
tracked across 2022-25miles a year, from 8,416 cars tracked across years
45.3%
low · <5k
52.5%
avg · 5-15k
2.2%
high · 15k+
Most cover 3,489-7,839 miles a year (median 5,369).
Yearly mileage as the car ages
Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.
Mileage & condition
Odometer when tested (2025)
Typical odometer rising: 44,860 → 50,423 → 56,231 → 61,758
Pass rate as the odometer climbs
First-time pass rate by fuel
Diesel
8,321 tests
81.5%
A 2025 Volkswagen California passes first time 81.5% of the time - above the 77.6% UK average, and easing slightly year on year. The typical one is driven about 6,026 miles a year, and reliability is mostly about miles: 88.7% of low-mileage cars pass versus 66.5% past 120k.
Of 1,551 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.
Share of failed tests, by area
Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed
Before you buy a specific Volkswagen CALIFORNIA, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.
