MOT fail rates by first-use year
2014 Volkswagen up! MOT fail rate and common faults
How Volkswagen up! cars first used in 2014 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 86,482 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.
MOT data updated
At 11 years, tested in 2025
What stands out
- In 2025, at 11 years old, Volkswagen up! cars first used in 2014 failed 22.5% of MOTs (21,795 tests), 10.8 points below the 33.3% for all cars that age.
- From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 8 to 11 years old, the fail rate moved from 17.4% to 22.5%.
- Volkswagen up! cars first used a year earlier, in 2013, failed 23.3% at the same age of 11 years (20,487 tests, in 2024).
- The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Volkswagen up! at 11 years, is service brake performance: excessively binding, at 2.0 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 0.8).
MOT fail rate by test year
| Test year | Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 years | 17.4% | 21,498 | 23.8% | −6.3 pts |
| 2023 | 9 years | 19.8% | 21,583 | 27.1% | −7.4 pts |
| 2024 | 10 years | 22.2% | 21,606 | 30.3% | −8.1 pts |
| 2025 | 11 years | 22.5% | 21,795 | 33.3% | −10.8 pts |
Most common faults at 11 years
These figures cover all Volkswagen up! MOTs at 11 years: cars first used 2012 to 2014, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=56,179). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Wear | 2.0 | 1.5 |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding | 2.0 | 0.8 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear | 1.9 | 2.8 |
| Wipers not clearing screen Wear | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Headlamp aim: too low Wear | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| Side/position light not working Wear | 1.3 | 3.2 |
| Fuel cap/sealing device: ineffective | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits | 1.2 | 0.5 |
| Coil spring broken | 1.2 | 3.6 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear | 1.2 | 1.6 |
Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=56,179). 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 | 13.7 | 17.6 |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear | 13.4 | 8.7 |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | 6.0 | 10.0 |
| Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement | 4.8 | 6.6 |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively | 3.5 | 1.6 |
| Brake pads wearing thin Wear | 3.2 | 7.8 |
| Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s) | 2.6 | 1.7 |
| Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases | 2.5 | 2.1 |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | 2.1 | 3.7 |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively | 2.1 | 2.6 |
Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=56,179). A test with two items counts once for each.
Fuel type at 11 years
These figures cover all Volkswagen up! MOTs at 11 years: cars first used 2012 to 2014, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=56,179). 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 | 99.8% | 22.9% | 56,058 | 32.5% | 57,948 miles |
Fail rate by mileage at 11 years
These figures cover all Volkswagen up! MOTs at 11 years: cars first used 2012 to 2014, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=56,179). At 11 years, Volkswagen up! cars at 120,000 to 150,000 miles failed more often (37.7%, n=1,401) than those at under 30,000 miles (11.8%, n=7,423). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
| Mileage at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30,000 miles | 11.8% | 7,423 | 16.3% |
| 30,000 to 60,000 miles | 18.5% | 22,194 | 26.2% |
| 60,000 to 90,000 miles | 27.5% | 18,431 | 34.2% |
| 90,000 to 120,000 miles | 34.8% | 6,222 | 37.8% |
| 120,000 to 150,000 miles | 37.7% | 1,401 | 38.8% |
Car tax rules for a 2014 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.
- 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 up!
Other Volkswagen models first used in 2014
| Model | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Golf (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 20.9% | 64,030 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen Polo (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 33.2% | 44,444 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen Tiguan (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 28.0% | 15,254 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen Passat (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 30.4% | 14,594 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen Touran (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 27.8% | 4,984 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen Scirocco (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 31.4% | 3,691 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen Beetle (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 33.5% | 3,615 | 33.3% |
| Volkswagen CC (2014) | 11 years in 2025 | 29.0% | 3,343 | 33.3% |
More on the Volkswagen up!
Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.
These figures describe 2014 Volkswagen up! 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.
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.