In 2025, 39,568 Volkswagen Beetle cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 59% passed first time, compared with 64% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Beetle worse than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 187 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 7 years old, 81% of Beetles passed first time (all cars that age: 81%). By 20 years, that figure is 52% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 18 years (10 points behind).
Volkswagen Beetle All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Beetle passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 years | 894 | 81% | 81% | 40,331 |
| 8 years | 1,514 | 72% | 78% | 47,131 |
| 9 years | 2,290 | 71% | 75% | 56,101 |
| 10 years | 3,257 | 68% | 72% | 62,814 |
| 11 years | 3,595 | 66% | 69% | 69,516 |
| 12 years | 4,441 | 66% | 66% | 77,539 |
| 13 years | 2,279 | 65% | 63% | 80,121 |
| 14 years | 658 | 54% | 61% | 79,960 |
| 15 years | 2,021 | 54% | 59% | 84,341 |
| 16 years | 1,674 | 53% | 58% | 89,559 |
| 17 years | 2,110 | 49% | 57% | 94,859 |
| 18 years | 2,525 | 47% | 57% | 96,626 |
| 19 years | 2,492 | 49% | 57% | 99,916 |
| 20 years | 2,489 | 52% | 58% | 100,649 |
What fails most on a Volkswagen Beetle
The area that lets the Beetle down most, relative to other cars, is emissions and leaks: 12.2% of tests failed on it, 3.1 times the rate for the average car.
Share of Beetle tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 9.7% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 7.7% |
| The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | Suspension | 5.7% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 5.2% |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | Emissions and leaks | 4.4% |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Steering | 4.2% |
What to check when buying a used Beetle
Based on where the Beetle fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Emissions and leaks: Look for oil and coolant leaks underneath, listen for exhaust blows on a cold start, and watch for smoke when revving. Repair guide
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Beetle
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a BeetleFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volkswagen Beetle?
In 2025, 59% of Volkswagen Beetle cars passed their MOT first time, across 39,568 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 64%.
What do Volkswagen Beetle cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (9.7% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (7.7% of tests); the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired (5.7% of tests).
Other Volkswagen models
Volkswagen Golf (73%), Volkswagen Polo (66%), Volkswagen Transporter (66%), Volkswagen Tiguan (78%), Volkswagen Passat (71%), Volkswagen Caddy (68%). All Volkswagen models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.