Volkswagen Fox MOT pass rate & common failures
The Volkswagen Fox appears in 187,834 MOT tests spanning model years 2003–2021, and 71.7% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail 26.0% of the time, so this is 2.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and visibility.
Best and worst Fox years
Ranked across Fox years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2011 (75.3% pass rate); the weakest is 2007 (70.0%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (15.9%) and suspension (15.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 12,603 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 34.2% versus 22.7%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 30.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Fox model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 19,825 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 34,981 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 31,447 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 33,463 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 51,884 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 15,647 | 75.3% | 24.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 563 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.9% | 29,946 |
| 2 | Suspension | 15.0% | 28,133 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.4% | 17,606 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 15,520 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.8% | 14,595 |
| 6 | Brakes | 6.5% | 12,208 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.7% | 8,813 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.3% | 4,393 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 12,603 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 12,264 |
| 3 | Washers | 11,558 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 9,841 |
| 5 | Wipers | 9,712 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 8,461 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 8,456 |
| 8 | Joints | 7,701 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 30.2% | 56,658 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.9% | 54,338 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 15.9% | 29,839 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.3% | 28,726 |
| 5 | Brakes | 15.0% | 28,268 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.2% | 19,137 |
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 | 15,908 | 22.7% |
| 30-60k | 44,612 | 23.6% |
| 60-90k | 64,346 | 28.9% |
| 90-120k | 40,473 | 32.1% |
| 120-150k | 12,032 | 33.3% |
| 150k+ | 2,956 | 34.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 187,621 | 28.3% |
| Diesel | 213 | 32.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 42,158 | 26.8% |
| 2022 | 40,488 | 27.7% |
| 2023 | 38,369 | 28.6% |
| 2024 | 35,276 | 29.4% |
| 2025 | 31,543 | 29.6% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Fox
- Lighting & signalling (15.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (15.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Visibility (9.4% 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 Fox?
71.7% of the 187,834 Volkswagen Fox MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.3% fail rate, across model years 2003–2021.
What does the Volkswagen Fox most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.9% of tests, then suspension (15.0%).
Which Fox years are best and worst for MOT results?
2011 has the best pass rate at 75.3% and 2007 the weakest at 70.0%, from 15,647 and 34,981 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Fox MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.2% for 150k+, a 11.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 187,834 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.