Volkswagen Up MOT pass rate: 84.1% (121,528 tests, 2025)

The Volkswagen Up passed 84.1% of its 121,528 MOT tests in 2025 — 6.6 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 10 years old with 47,962 miles on the clock.

84.1%Pass rate (2025)

121,528MOT tests analysed

47,962 miMedian mileage at test

10 yrsMedian age at test

How the Up compares

Volkswagen Up

84.1%

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 Up

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

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	9,456	24.0%
2	Tyres	6,521	16.6%
3	Suspension	6,290	16.0%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	6,151	15.6%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	5,212	13.3%
6	Visibility	2,806	7.1%

Pre-MOT checklist for Up owners

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

Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test

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.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

Up pass rate by registration year

Strongest age-adjusted years: 2012, 2013. Full ranking and method: Volkswagen Up years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2012	41,028	81.0%	+9.8 pts	65,090
2013	59,101	82.7%	+9.4 pts	58,022
2014	62,076	83.8%	+8.0 pts	51,505
2015	47,975	84.0%	+5.3 pts	44,878
2016	37,919	83.8%	+2.5 pts	38,880
2017	39,064	86.9%	+2.9 pts	34,346
2018	38,010	89.2%	+2.8 pts	27,980
2019	24,427	92.5%	+4.1 pts	22,169
2020	5,620	95.2%	+5.3 pts	16,426
2021	1,797	95.2%	+4.7 pts	15,880

Check a specific Up 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 Touran73.2% pass rate · 67,815 tests T-Roc92.0% pass rate · 55,178 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Volkswagen Up?

In 2025, 84.1% of 121,528 first MOT tests on the Volkswagen Up were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Up fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is brakes (24.0% of its recorded defects), followed by tyres.

Is the Volkswagen Up reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 84.1% it performs above the national average at a median age of 10 years and 47,962 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.