Volkswagen Polo MOT Check
MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Volkswagen Polo. Check any Polo by registration number below.
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70.7%
Avg Pass Rate
-15.0%
vs Volkswagen Avg
42
Year Ranges
Average
Reliability
Volkswagen Polo — MOT Reliability Overview
The Volkswagen Polo has an average MOT pass rate of 70.7%, which is 15.0 percentage points below the Volkswagen brand average of 85.7%. This is a reasonable result that reflects typical UK reliability standards. Regular servicing and addressing advisories promptly will help keep your Polo on the road.
The most common reasons a Volkswagen Polo fails its MOT are a wheel bearing with excessive play, 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc. If you are preparing your Polo for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.
Typical mileage for the Polo is around 34,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used Polo, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.
Before buying a used Volkswagen Polo, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.
MOT Pass Rate by Year
How the Volkswagen Polo performs at MOT across different model years.
2023
Based on 107 vehicles
0.0%
19.1%
2022
Based on 407 vehicles
0.2%
2.5%
37k mi
2021
Based on 12,092 vehicles
1.7%
8.5%
35k mi
2020
Based on 38,911 vehicles
1.6%
8.7%
33k mi
53k mi
2019
Based on 94,924 vehicles
2.3%
12.6%
37k mi
55k mi
2018
Based on 110,010 vehicles
2.9%
20.2%
55k mi
2017
Based on 113,552 vehicles
4.6%
18.7%
60k mi
2016
Based on 128,694 vehicles
4.6%
20.3%
2015
Based on 128,376 vehicles
4.9%
22.1%
111k mi
2014
Based on 109,464 vehicles
5.0%
24.9%
108k mi
2013
Based on 98,343 vehicles
4.8%
26.9%
108k mi
2012
Based on 94,589 vehicles
4.9%
28.1%
117k mi
2011
Based on 100,642 vehicles
5.6%
31.7%
2010
Based on 95,528 vehicles
5.9%
32.4%
2009
Based on 57,401 vehicles
6.4%
35.9%
2008
Based on 63,147 vehicles
7.0%
36.9%
2007
Based on 58,518 vehicles
6.9%
36.4%
2006
Based on 51,354 vehicles
7.6%
37.0%
2005
Based on 40,288 vehicles
7.3%
35.8%
2004
Based on 34,726 vehicles
8.0%
36.8%
2003
Based on 28,316 vehicles
7.9%
36.0%
2002
Based on 16,435 vehicles
7.7%
35.9%
2001
Based on 10,367 vehicles
7.3%
30.2%
2000
Based on 120,000 vehicles
0.0%
0.1%
20k mi
34k mi
65k mi
1999
Based on 3,445 vehicles
3.6%
23.3%
1998
Based on 13,129 vehicles
3.9%
27.2%
135k mi
1997
Based on 16,454 vehicles
3.3%
22.1%
1996
Based on 14,172 vehicles
4.2%
29.6%
1995
Based on 8,918 vehicles
5.8%
22.4%
1994
Based on 593 vehicles
2.8%
20.8%
1993
Based on 919 vehicles
3.9%
24.1%
1992
Based on 752 vehicles
2.7%
18.9%
1991
Based on 912 vehicles
2.8%
22.9%
1990
Based on 575 vehicles
3.4%
24.5%
1989
Based on 539 vehicles
3.0%
27.6%
1988
Based on 347 vehicles
3.9%
29.9%
1987
Based on 196 vehicles
3.8%
37.4%
1986
Based on 194 vehicles
3.0%
30.8%
1985
Based on 192 vehicles
3.8%
16.9%
1984
Based on 101 vehicles
3.3%
25.0%
1983
Based on 32 vehicles
28.6%
0
Based on 766,784 vehicles
67k mi
Top MOT Failures — Volkswagen Polo
The most common reasons a Volkswagen Polo fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.
A wheel bearing with excessive play
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
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.
Where Failures Occur
The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.
Nearside
Front Offside
Offside
Typical Mileage — Volkswagen Polo
Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 2000 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used Polo.
At 3 Years
20,000
miles
At 5 Years
34,000
miles
At 10 Years
65,000
miles
Other Volkswagen Models
Compare MOT reliability across Volkswagen models.
Volkswagen Polo — Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Volkswagen Polo MOT and reliability.
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Polo?
What are the most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Polo?
Is the Volkswagen Polo reliable?
How do I check the MOT history of a Volkswagen Polo?
What mileage should I expect on a Volkswagen Polo?
Check Your Volkswagen Polo's MOT History
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