Volkswagen High Up MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 3 model years and 2,094 tests, the Volkswagen High Up passes its MOT 88.3% of the time. That is 7.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.1%. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (4.4%) and lighting & signalling (4.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, service brake performance and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 72 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.3% versus 7.1%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every High Up model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 875 | 88.1% | 11.9% | Brakes |
| 2014 | 1,213 | 88.5% | 11.5% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 4.4% | 93 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 86 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.2% | 67 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.1% | 65 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 53 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 39 |
| 7 | Suspension | 1.3% | 27 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 4 |
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 | 72 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 67 |
| 3 | Wipers | 51 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 48 |
| 5 | Fuel cap/sealing device | 36 |
| 6 | Washers | 29 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 27 |
| 8 | Brake discs | 20 |
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 | 22.6% | 474 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.9% | 374 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.6% | 160 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.5% | 136 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 68 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 34 |
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 | 575 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 867 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 438 | 14.8% |
| 90-120k | 180 | 23.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 401 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 422 | 10.9% |
| 2023 | 418 | 11.5% |
| 2024 | 430 | 12.8% |
| 2025 | 423 | 14.0% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen High Up
- Brakes (4.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.2% 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 High Up?
88.3% of the 2,094 Volkswagen High Up MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.7% fail rate, across model years 2013–2015.
What does the Volkswagen High Up most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 4.4% of tests, then lighting & signalling (4.1%).
How much does mileage affect High Up MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.3% for 90-120k, a 16.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,094 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.