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Volkswagen Tricycle Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Volkswagen Tricycle car check

Is the Volkswagen Tricycle reliable? We analysed 944 real MOT tests across 106 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 944 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
80.4%
Typical Mileage
7,174mi
Annual Mileage
410mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
42yrs

The Volkswagen Tricycle is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake recording little or no effort, wheel bearing has excessive play and stop lamp not working. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Volkswagen Tricycle.

Volkswagen Tricycle Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Volkswagen Tricycle. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Volkswagen Tricycle MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Volkswagen Tricycle to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

83.6%
2003
88%
1998
70.3%
1995
79.7%
1984

Volkswagen Tricycle Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Volkswagen Tricycle fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

parking brake recording little or no effort 20
wheel bearing has excessive play 18
Stop lamp not working 17
brake recording little or no effort 12
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 11
reflector missing 9
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel 9
Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 8
Service brake: efficiency below requirements 8
Obligatory mirror missing 7

Volkswagen Tricycle Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Volkswagen Tricycle owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
146 mi/yr
Typical
410 mi/yr
Average
1,247 mi/yr
Heavy usage
1,000 mi/yr

Volkswagen Tricycle MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Volkswagen Tricycle year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2003 55 83.6% 3,561 6,138 28,640
1998 75 88.0% 4,649 8,735 22,041
1995 64 70.3% 2,614 19,243 23,452
1984 69 79.7% 3,655 6,189 11,980

How Long Does a Volkswagen Tricycle Last?

Based on 106 Volkswagen Tricycle vehicles on UK roads.

Average
27.2 years
Median
27.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
42 years

Volkswagen Tricycle Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Volkswagen Tricycle MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
7,174 mi
75th Percentile
19,579 mi
95th Percentile
38,421 mi
Max Recorded
171,270 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Volkswagen Tricycle

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
1998

88.0% MOT pass rate from 75 tests

Year to avoid
1995

70.3% MOT pass rate from 64 tests

The best year to buy a used Volkswagen Tricycle is 1998, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 88.0% across 75 tests. The 1995 model year has the lowest pass rate at 70.3% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Volkswagen Tricycle Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Volkswagen Tricycle THIS CAR 80.4% 944 7,174 mi 42 yrs
Volkswagen Golf 74.9% 22,270,993 83,305 mi 37 yrs
Volkswagen Polo 72.9% 14,598,296 60,351 mi 35 yrs
Volkswagen Passat 73.5% 6,960,690 105,632 mi 32 yrs
Ford Transit 100 T260 FWD 80.3% 619 122,545 mi — yrs

Compared to the Volkswagen Golf (74.9% pass rate) and the Volkswagen Polo (72.9% pass rate), the Volkswagen Tricycle outperforms both on MOT reliability.

Found a Volkswagen Tricycle you like?

Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.

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Should you buy a used Volkswagen Tricycle?

The Volkswagen Tricycle has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.4% across 944 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Volkswagen Tricycle are parking brake recording little or no effort (20 recorded failures), wheel bearing has excessive play (18), and stop lamp not working (17). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Volkswagen Tricycle owner drives around 410 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Volkswagen Tricycle models stay on UK roads for around 42 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Volkswagen Tricycle — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Volkswagen Tricycle reliable?
Based on 944 MOT tests, the Volkswagen Tricycle has a 80.4% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Volkswagen Tricycle?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake recording little or no effort, wheel bearing has excessive play, and stop lamp not working. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Volkswagen Tricycle do per year?
The typical Volkswagen Tricycle does around 410 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Volkswagen Tricycle last?
Most Volkswagen Tricycle models stay on UK roads for around 42 years based on our analysis of 106 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Volkswagen Tricycle?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Volkswagen Tricycle?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Volkswagen Tricycle is 1998 with a 88.0% pass rate across 75 tests.