MOT fail rates by first-use year

2007 Volkswagen Polo MOT fail rate and common faults

How Volkswagen Polo cars first used in 2007 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 97,727 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 18 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 18 (n=21,099)48.1%

All cars at 18 years (n=3,261,622)43.3%

Difference+4.8 pts

MOT tests of 2007 cars, 2022 to 202597,727

What stands out

In 2025, at 18 years old, Volkswagen Polo cars first used in 2007 failed 48.1% of MOTs (21,099 tests), 4.8 points above the 43.3% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 15 to 18 years old, the fail rate moved from 45.6% to 48.1%.
Volkswagen Polo cars first used a year earlier, in 2006, failed 51.1% at the same age of 18 years (20,246 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Volkswagen Polo at 18 years, is driveshaft CV boot split, at 9.1 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 3.2).

MOT fail rate by test year

Volkswagen Polo cars first used in 2007: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2022	15 years	45.6%	27,349	41.6%	+4.0 pts
2023	16 years	47.1%	25,716	42.6%	+4.6 pts
2024	17 years	48.2%	23,563	43.1%	+5.1 pts
2025	18 years	48.1%	21,099	43.3%	+4.8 pts

Most common faults at 18 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Polo MOTs at 18 years: cars first used 2004 to 2007, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=77,718). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Driveshaft CV boot split	9.1	3.2
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear	6.9	4.0
Side/position light not working Wear	6.5	5.6
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear	4.8	2.3
Brake light not working Wear	4.5	4.0
Engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault	4.3	2.5
Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	4.1	1.8
Coil spring broken	3.6	3.1
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	3.4	2.9
Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases	3.3	2.0

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=77,718). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	19.7	17.4
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	12.3	9.8
Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot severely deteriorated	10.5	4.0
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive	9.7	12.6
Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases	9.4	5.0
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement	8.3	8.5
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources Wear	7.3	5.8
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	6.7	11.1
Coil spring: corroded	6.1	7.7
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Wear	6.1	5.4

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=77,718). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 18 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Polo MOTs at 18 years: cars first used 2004 to 2007, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=77,718). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Petrol	86.9%	50.3%	67,567	43.2%	90,830 miles
Diesel	13.1%	52.4%	10,146	43.6%	126,528 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 18 years

These figures cover all Volkswagen Polo MOTs at 18 years: cars first used 2004 to 2007, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=77,718). At 18 years, Volkswagen Polo cars at over 150,000 miles failed more often (57.0%, n=5,858) than those at under 30,000 miles (28.4%, n=1,554). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Under 30,000 miles	28.4%	1,554	21.6%
30,000 to 60,000 miles	38.4%	10,716	32.9%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	48.9%	22,225	41.7%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	54.8%	23,674	46.3%
120,000 to 150,000 miles	57.7%	13,021	47.5%
Over 150,000 miles	57.0%	5,858	46.8%

Car tax rules for a 2007 car

Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Diesel cars first registered before September 2015 usually do not meet Euro 6, so a 2007 diesel usually pays the ULEZ daily charge. A few models met Euro 6 early.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Volkswagen Polo

2006 Volkswagen Polo 2008 Volkswagen Polo

Other Volkswagen models first used in 2007

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Volkswagen Golf (2007)	18 years in 2025	41.7%	34,441	43.3%
Volkswagen Passat (2007)	18 years in 2025	40.6%	6,030	43.3%
Volkswagen Touran (2007)	18 years in 2025	43.6%	4,599	43.3%
Volkswagen Fox (2007)	18 years in 2025	49.9%	3,934	43.3%
Volkswagen Eos (2007)	18 years in 2025	39.7%	2,392	43.3%
Volkswagen Beetle (2007)	18 years in 2025	52.2%	2,554	43.3%
Volkswagen Jetta (2007)	18 years in 2025	40.2%	1,576	43.3%
Volkswagen Touareg (2007)	18 years in 2025	35.1%	1,705	43.3%

More on the Volkswagen Polo

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2007 Volkswagen Polo cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.