Volkswagen E-Up MOT pass rate & common failures
4,495 MOT tests on the Volkswagen E-Up (2018–2023) give it a 94.2% pass rate. That is 2.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.7%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.8%) and lighting & signalling (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 91 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.0% once past 60-90k — 5.0× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 6.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every E-Up model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 742 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 2,672 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 1,006 | 94.0% | 6.0% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.8% | 169 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 103 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.3% | 58 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.7% | 32 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 16 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 14 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.1% | 5 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.0% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 91 |
| 2 | Wipers | 35 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 35 |
| 4 | Washers | 31 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 16 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 15 |
| 7 | Rbt (sp) | 8 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 7 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 22.8% | 1,024 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.9% | 219 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 111 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 63 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 59 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 27 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 3,901 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 555 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 32 | 25.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 250 | 2.4% |
| 2024 | 1,597 | 6.1% |
| 2025 | 2,627 | 6.0% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen E-Up
- Tyres (3.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.3% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen E-Up?
94.2% of the 4,495 Volkswagen E-Up MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.9% fail rate, across model years 2018–2023.
What does the Volkswagen E-Up most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.8% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.3%).
How much does mileage affect E-Up MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.0% for 60-90k, a 20.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,495 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.