Volkswagen Beetle common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 40,554 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Beetle in Great Britain, and 59.1% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volkswagen Beetle at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 40,554
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 59.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 5.3% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 40.9%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.4%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 17,392 off the road (SORN): 42,510

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Beetle fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
18.6%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
16.4%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
8.7%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Noise, emissions and leaks
7.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
5Body, chassis and structure
6.9%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
6Visibility
6.3%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Tyres
6.1%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
8Steering
4.7%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
2.7%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.4%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks7.6%
Suspension armsSuspension7.5%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics5.9%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics5.4%
Brake performanceBrakes4.7%
SpringsSuspension4.7%
ConditionTyres4.0%
Front and rear fog lampsLamps and electrics3.9%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2018	894	80.9%	3.9%
2017	1,514	72.2%	5.2%
2016	2,290	71.1%	4.9%
2015	3,259	68.0%	5.7%
2014	3,595	66.3%	6.1%
2013	4,444	65.6%	6.8%
2012	2,282	65.5%	5.1%
2011	658	54.3%	9.6%
2010	2,022	53.6%	7.4%
2009	1,678	53.0%	7.7%
2008	2,115	49.1%	10.1%
2007	2,527	47.2%	9.3%
2006	2,494	48.7%	8.4%
2005	2,491	52.1%	9.2%
2004	2,777	48.4%	10.1%
2003	2,059	49.9%	8.6%
2002	967	51.7%	9.3%
2001	793	53.1%	8.3%
2000	540	48.7%	6.7%

Mileage

Beetle mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
6 years	36,300 miles	547
7 years	42,300 miles	1,341
8 years	49,600 miles	1,784
9 years	57,900 miles	2,848
10 years	62,800 miles	3,388
11 years	72,200 miles	4,093
12 years	78,100 miles	3,563
13 years	79,100 miles	874
14 years	79,700 miles	1,618
15 years	84,800 miles	1,781
16 years	91,300 miles	1,748
17 years	94,900 miles	2,592
18 years	97,000 miles	2,369
19 years	99,000 miles	2,416
20 years	101,900 miles	2,677
21 years	104,700 miles	2,575
22 years	104,700 miles	1,324
23 years	102,600 miles	845
24 years	98,200 miles	694
25 years	96,200 miles	264

Checking a particular Beetle?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Volkswagen Beetle: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Beetle?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volkswagen Beetle was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 18.6% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (16.4%) and brakes (8.7%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Beetle?

59.1% of 40,554 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Beetle in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 5.3% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Volkswagen Beetle is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 7.4% of initial tests on the Volkswagen Beetle found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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