2002 Volkswagen Lupo MOT pass rate: 66.5% (4,197 tests)

2002-registered Volkswagen Lupos passed 66.5% of 4,197 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — broadly in line with same-age cars (65.7%).
66.5%Pass rate, 2002 cars
100.8Age-adjusted index (100 = average)
4,197Tests analysed
84,084 miMedian mileage at test
67.3% / 61.4%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2002 Lupo getting worse?

Pass rate of 2002-registered cars across recent test years:

Test yearPass rate
202367.2%
+2.1 vs same-age
202465.3%
-0.1 vs same-age
202567.0%
+0.3 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2002 Lupo

#SystemDefects recordedShare
1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1,16623.7%
2Suspension87417.8%
3Brakes80816.4%
4Noise, emissions and leaks66813.6%
5Body, chassis, structure49310.0%
6Tyres3226.6%

All Lupo years compared

Registration yearTestsPass rateVs same-ageMedian mileage
2001 3,070 65.8% -0.8 pts 87,502
2002 (this page) 4,197 66.5% +0.8 pts 84,084
2003 3,000 67.4% +2.4 pts 83,248
2004 3,049 66.7% +2.4 pts 79,401
Buying a 2002 Lupo? Two checks first

FAQs

Is a 2002 Volkswagen Lupo reliable?

2002-registered examples passed 66.5% of their MOT tests (4,197 tests, 2023–2025), +0.8 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 24 years old with a median 84,084 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2002 Lupo?

The median tested example shows 84,084 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Should I buy the petrol or diesel 2002 Lupo?

In this cohort petrols pass 67.3% of tests against 61.4% for diesels. Mileage and use can explain part of that gap, so treat it as a reason to inspect DPF and emissions history, not a fuel-type verdict.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.