Volkswagen Move Up MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 4 model years and 3,407 tests, the Volkswagen Move Up passes its MOT 89.0% of the time. That is 7.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.0%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.6%) and brakes (3.9%) 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 catalyst emissions — headlamp aim alone was recorded 116 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.7% versus 6.6%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Move Up model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 40 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Brakes |
| 2013 | 1,141 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 2,221 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.6% | 156 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.9% | 132 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.4% | 117 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.2% | 108 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 64 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 53 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 38 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 12 |
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 | 116 |
| 2 | Wipers | 92 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 75 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 69 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 64 |
| 6 | Washers | 51 |
| 7 | Fuel cap/sealing device | 43 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 40 |
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 | 23.6% | 803 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.2% | 383 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 230 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.8% | 199 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 76 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 45 |
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 | 1,046 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,465 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 666 | 15.8% |
| 90-120k | 178 | 18.5% |
| 120-150k | 38 | 23.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 665 | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 684 | 9.9% |
| 2023 | 677 | 10.0% |
| 2024 | 691 | 13.3% |
| 2025 | 690 | 13.0% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Move Up
- Lighting & signalling (4.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.9% 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.
- Visibility (3.4% 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 Move Up?
89.0% of the 3,407 Volkswagen Move Up MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.0% fail rate, across model years 2012–2015.
What does the Volkswagen Move Up most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.6% of tests, then brakes (3.9%).
How much does mileage affect Move Up MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.7% for 120-150k, a 17.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,407 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.