2015 Volkswagen Polo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 306,856 MOT tests, the 2015 Volkswagen Polo recorded an 83.1% pass rate. Superminis of a similar age fail at 17.6%, so the 2015 Polo sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (6.4%) and suspension (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and wipers — pins and bushes alone was recorded 11,614 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.4% once past 150k — 2.8× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.7pp more often than petrol ones (21.3% vs 16.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 6.4% | 19,666 |
| 2 | Suspension | 5.4% | 16,576 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.0% | 15,387 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 13,485 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 12,989 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 7,291 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 11,614 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 8,179 |
| 3 | Wipers | 8,096 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 7,970 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 7,893 |
| 6 | Washers | 6,813 |
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 | 26.9% | 82,630 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.3% | 65,305 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.8% | 48,510 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.2% | 19,043 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 10,244 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 7,572 |
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 | 46,820 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 141,259 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 89,939 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 23,917 | 24.2% |
| 120-150k | 4,036 | 25.3% |
| 150k+ | 869 | 26.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 282,582 | 16.5% |
| Diesel | 24,274 | 21.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 59,478 | 13.6% |
| 2022 | 60,466 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | 61,765 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 62,355 | 18.8% |
| 2025 | 62,792 | 19.7% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Polo
On a 2015 Polo, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (6.4% 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.
- Suspension (5.4% 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.
- Tyres (5.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2015 Volkswagen Polos pass their MOT?
83.1% of the 306,856 2015 Volkswagen Polo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Volkswagen Polo?
Brakes, recorded in 6.4% of tests, followed by suspension (5.4%).
Does the 2015 Polo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.3% in the 0-30k band to 26.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 306,856 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.