Volkswagen Up Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free Volkswagen Up car check
Is the Volkswagen Up reliable? We analysed 1,165,022 real MOT tests across 126,770 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific Volkswagen Up? Enter the reg for a free check:
The Volkswagen Up is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Volkswagen Up.
Volkswagen Up Number Plates
Number plates registered to a Volkswagen Up. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
Volkswagen Up MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a Volkswagen Up to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
Volkswagen Up Common Faults & Problems
These are the most common serious faults found on Volkswagen Up models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.
Volkswagen Up Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical Volkswagen Up owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
Volkswagen Up MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Volkswagen Up year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 257 | 96.1% | 7,894 | 13,260 | 24,531 |
| 2022 | 1,135 | 93.2% | 8,902 | 14,960 | 22,962 |
| 2021 | 2,300 | 93.1% | 9,946 | 16,849 | 26,760 |
| 2020 | 7,072 | 93.3% | 10,398 | 17,469 | 26,824 |
| 2019 | 40,149 | 91.2% | 12,352 | 20,669 | 32,185 |
| 2018 | 77,749 | 88.3% | 14,188 | 23,668 | 36,662 |
| 2017 | 98,002 | 87.0% | 16,849 | 27,818 | 42,697 |
| 2016 | 110,918 | 84.1% | 18,211 | 29,879 | 45,546 |
| 2015 | 160,318 | 84.3% | 20,391 | 33,108 | 50,112 |
| 2014 | 229,519 | 85.0% | 22,491 | 36,906 | 55,991 |
| 2013 | 243,585 | 84.3% | 25,185 | 41,008 | 61,525 |
| 2012 | 187,225 | 83.7% | 27,723 | 44,940 | 67,151 |
How Long Does a Volkswagen Up Last?
Based on 126,770 Volkswagen Up vehicles on UK roads.
Volkswagen Up Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all Volkswagen Up MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used Volkswagen Up
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
96.1% MOT pass rate from 257 tests
83.7% MOT pass rate from 187,225 tests
The best year to buy a used Volkswagen Up is 2023, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 96.1% across 257 tests. The 2012 model year has the lowest pass rate at 83.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the Volkswagen Up Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Up THIS CAR | 85.1% | 1,165,022 | 34,746 mi | 14 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 |
| Toyota Previa | 68.6% | 509,000 | 114,199 mi | 36 yrs |
Compared to the Volkswagen Golf (74.9% pass rate) and the Volkswagen Polo (72.9% pass rate), the Volkswagen Up outperforms both on MOT reliability.
Found a Volkswagen Up 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.
Check a specific Volkswagen UpShould you buy a used Volkswagen Up?
The Volkswagen Up has an overall MOT pass rate of 85.1% across 1,165,022 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Volkswagen Up with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.
A typical Volkswagen Up owner drives around 4,276 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 Up models stay on UK roads for around 14 years. 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.