In 2025, 122,109 Volkswagen Up cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 79% passed first time, compared with 72% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Up better than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 28 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 3 years old, 93% of Ups passed first time (all cars that age: 88%). By 13 years, that figure is 74% (all cars: 63%). It beats the average car at every age with enough data, from 3 to 13 years.
Volkswagen Up All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Up passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 761 | 93% | 88% | 15,536 |
| 4 years | 914 | 92% | 87% | 21,749 |
| 5 years | 1,865 | 92% | 86% | 23,970 |
| 6 years | 8,282 | 88% | 84% | 30,464 |
| 7 years | 12,866 | 85% | 81% | 36,283 |
| 8 years | 13,200 | 81% | 78% | 42,714 |
| 9 years | 12,820 | 76% | 75% | 46,844 |
| 10 years | 16,268 | 78% | 72% | 52,891 |
| 11 years | 21,101 | 77% | 69% | 59,135 |
| 12 years | 20,172 | 76% | 66% | 65,126 |
| 13 years | 13,822 | 74% | 63% | 72,046 |
What fails most on a Volkswagen Up
The area that lets the Up down most, relative to other cars, is seat belts and airbags: 0.5% of tests failed on it, 1.5 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on suspension and body and structure.
Share of Up tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 3.3% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 2.4% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 2.3% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 2.0% |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Visibility | 1.9% |
| Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | Brakes | 1.7% |
What to check when buying a used Up
Based on where the Up fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Seat belts and airbags: Pull every belt out fully and let it retract, check the buckles latch, and make sure the airbag light goes out after starting. More
- 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
- Brakes: Look through the wheels for lipped or scored discs, check the handbrake holds on a slope, and feel for pulling or vibration under firm braking. 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 Up
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a UpFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volkswagen Up?
In 2025, 79% of Volkswagen Up cars passed their MOT first time, across 122,109 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 72%.
What do Volkswagen Up cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (3.3% of tests); a tyre seriously damaged (2.4% of tests); a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (2.3% 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.