Volkswagen Beetle MOT pass rate: 64.4% (40,400 tests, 2025)

The Volkswagen Beetle passed 64.4% of its 40,400 MOT tests in 2025 — 13.1 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 15 years old with 80,036 miles on the clock.
64.4%Pass rate (2025)
40,400MOT tests analysed
80,036 miMedian mileage at test
15 yrsMedian age at test

How the Beetle compares

Volkswagen Beetle

64.4%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Volkswagen average (all models)

77.6%

What fails most on the Volkswagen Beetle

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the Beetle:

#SystemDefects recordedShare
1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment10,62324.5%
2Suspension10,26223.7%
3Brakes5,76213.3%
4Noise, emissions and leaks4,73110.9%
5Body, chassis, structure3,9629.1%
6Tyres3,2357.5%

Pre-MOT checklist for Beetle owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

  • Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
  • Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
  • Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
  • A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test
  • Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars
Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Beetle pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2001, 2002, 2007. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2012. Full ranking and method: Volkswagen Beetle years to avoid.

Registration yearTestsPass rateVs same-ageMedian mileage
2001 3,129 57.7% -8.8 pts 100,824
2002 3,724 56.2% -9.4 pts 105,021
2003 7,688 56.7% -8.3 pts 104,536
2004 10,300 55.6% -8.7 pts 103,358
2005 9,150 59.2% -5.3 pts 98,754
2006 8,944 56.2% -8.2 pts 97,919
2007 8,432 54.8% -10.4 pts 92,492
2008 7,018 56.4% -8.8 pts 90,796
2009 5,249 60.3% -6.1 pts 84,966
2010 6,215 63.3% -4.0 pts 78,131
2011 1,969 64.8% -4.3 pts 74,327
2012 6,707 69.4% -1.7 pts 73,563
2013 13,115 69.3% -4.0 pts 69,848
2014 10,633 71.2% -4.7 pts 62,040
2015 9,659 73.1% -5.6 pts 54,408
2016 6,745 74.9% -6.4 pts 47,318
2017 4,462 78.1% -5.9 pts 38,632
2018 2,653 83.0% -3.3 pts 31,614

Check a specific Beetle before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Volkswagen models

Golf77.8% pass rate · 782,869 tests Polo71.4% pass rate · 577,151 tests Transporter70.7% pass rate · 269,178 tests Tiguan81.4% pass rate · 184,098 tests Passat75.3% pass rate · 166,958 tests Caddy73.4% pass rate · 139,412 tests Up84.1% pass rate · 121,528 tests Touran73.2% pass rate · 67,815 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Volkswagen Beetle?

In 2025, 64.4% of 40,400 first MOT tests on the Volkswagen Beetle were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Beetle fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (24.5% of its recorded defects), followed by suspension.

Is the Volkswagen Beetle reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 64.4% it performs below the national average at a median age of 15 years and 80,036 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.