2020 Volkswagen E-Up — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Volkswagen E-Up passed 93.9% of its 742 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 9.4% of the time, so this is 3.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.0%) and lighting & signalling (2.4%) 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 service brake imbalance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 13 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.5% of tests failed in 2023 against 7.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.0% | 30 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 18 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.9% | 7 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.7% | 5 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 2 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.1% | 1 |
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 | 13 |
| 2 | Wipers | 6 |
| 3 | Service brake imbalance | 3 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 3 |
| 5 | Lever | 2 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 2 |
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 | 21.6% | 160 |
| 2 | Other defects | 5.7% | 42 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.0% | 22 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.4% | 18 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.4% | 10 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 3 |
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 | 641 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 88 | 10.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 237 | 2.5% |
| 2024 | 250 | 8.4% |
| 2025 | 250 | 7.2% |
What to check before buying a 2020 E-Up
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.0% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.0% 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 (2.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (0.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Volkswagen E-Ups pass their MOT?
93.9% of the 742 2020 Volkswagen E-Up MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen E-Up?
Tyres, recorded in 4.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.4%).
Does the 2020 E-Up get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 10.2% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 742 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.