2000 Volkswagen Lupo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2000 Volkswagen Lupo passed 73.9% of its 5,636 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 28.0% of the time, so this is 1.9pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.7% of all tests — 4.3 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 670 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.8% in the 0-30k band and 29.7% in the 150k+ band, a 16.9-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 38.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 26.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.7% | 827 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.4% | 587 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 10.3% | 579 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.8% | 499 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.2% | 348 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 341 |
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 | 670 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 491 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 339 |
| 4 | Exhaust system | 276 |
| 5 | Wipers | 250 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 238 |
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 | 38.2% | 2,153 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.0% | 1,916 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.5% | 1,550 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 26.6% | 1,499 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.6% | 994 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 777 |
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 | 148 | 12.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,152 | 21.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,736 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,579 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 678 | 31.0% |
| 150k+ | 330 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,246 | 26.0% |
| Diesel | 390 | 28.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,517 | 26.0% |
| 2022 | 1,303 | 25.1% |
| 2023 | 1,095 | 25.4% |
| 2024 | 938 | 27.5% |
| 2025 | 783 | 27.6% |
What to check before buying a 2000 Lupo
On a 2000 Lupo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (10.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2000 Volkswagen Lupos pass their MOT?
73.9% of the 5,636 2000 Volkswagen Lupo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Volkswagen Lupo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.7% of tests, followed by brakes (10.4%).
Does the 2000 Lupo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 0-30k band to 29.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,636 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.