2011 Volkswagen Fox — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Volkswagen Fox passed 75.3% of its 15,647 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 22.6% of the time, so this is 2.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.9%) and suspension (12.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, headlamp aim and catalyst emissions — washers alone was recorded 982 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 36.1% versus 14.2%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 21.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 2,167 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.2% | 1,913 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.3% | 1,449 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.0% | 943 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 932 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 804 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 982 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 782 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 748 |
| 4 | Wipers | 746 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 725 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 633 |
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 | 27.6% | 4,317 |
| 2 | Suspension | 20.3% | 3,170 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.9% | 2,339 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.5% | 1,806 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 1,432 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.1% | 1,274 |
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 | 1,301 | 14.2% |
| 30-60k | 5,485 | 21.7% |
| 60-90k | 5,812 | 26.6% |
| 90-120k | 2,408 | 30.6% |
| 120-150k | 517 | 29.6% |
| 150k+ | 119 | 36.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,226 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 3,204 | 23.3% |
| 2023 | 3,171 | 25.0% |
| 2024 | 3,123 | 26.4% |
| 2025 | 2,923 | 27.0% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Fox
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.2% 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 (9.3% 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
How many 2011 Volkswagen Foxs pass their MOT?
75.3% of the 15,647 2011 Volkswagen Fox MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volkswagen Fox?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by suspension (12.2%).
Does the 2011 Fox get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.2% in the 0-30k band to 36.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,647 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.