37,755 tests in 2025
Volkswagen Beetle reliability and MOT pass rate
64.4% passed first time. The 35.6% fail rate is 13.0 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 15 years old with 80,419 miles.
Pass rate
64.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 35.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
80,419 mi
15 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2 | — |
| 6-9 years | 4,338 | 23.6% |
| 10-13 years | 12,593 | 30.4% |
| 14+ years | 20,820 | 41.3% |
What the Beetle fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension281 dangerous46.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment98 dangerous42.7%
- Brakes1,029 dangerous24.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks20 dangerous20%
- Body, chassis, structure113 dangerous19.3%
- Tyres2,225 dangerous16.7%
- Visibility3 dangerous13.8%
- Steering45 dangerous13.2%
Is the Beetle getting worse?
The fail rate rose 0.6 points to 35.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the age of a typical one barely moved, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 52,374 | 15 | 35% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 48,471 | 15 | 35.3% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 38,635 | 15 | 36.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 37,751 | 15 | 35.6% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Beetle at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Beetle in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,923 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken1,728 tests
- 3Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1,414 tests
- 4Rear fog lamp: not working1,303 tests
- 5Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength1,285 tests
- 6Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect1,190 tests
- 7Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,129 tests
- 8Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1,069 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Beetle collects 3.07 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm5,749 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure4,685 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened4,597 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4,566 tests
- 5Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened3,488 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine2,948 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2,375 tests
- 8Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,612 tests
Questions
What is the Volkswagen Beetle MOT pass rate?
64.4% of the 37,755 Volkswagen Beetle first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 35.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Volkswagen Beetle usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded on 1,923 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction". By section, suspension appears in 46.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 42.7% of failures, brakes appears in 24.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 41.3%. The median Volkswagen Beetle tested in 2025 was 15 years old with 80,419 miles.
Is the Volkswagen Beetle getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 0.6 points to 35.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the age of a typical one barely moved, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Beetle trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 7 safety recalls naming the Volkswagen Beetle: Volkswagen Beetle recalls.
Other Volkswagen models
Checking a particular Beetle?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.