2014 Volkswagen Up — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 118,753 MOT tests, the 2014 Volkswagen Up recorded an 87.4% pass rate. City cars of a similar age fail 17.4% of the time, so this is 4.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.5%) and brakes (4.5%) 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 service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 3,480 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.5% in the 0-30k band and 22.0% in the 150k+ band, a 15.5-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 6,577 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.5% | 5,382 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.6% | 4,340 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.5% | 4,103 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 2,322 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.9% | 2,298 |
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 | 3,480 |
| 2 | Wipers | 3,326 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 3,320 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 3,162 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 2,547 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,704 |
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 | 24.8% | 29,471 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.7% | 17,434 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 8,107 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.7% | 7,976 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 3,599 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 2,418 |
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 | 26,246 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 54,960 | 11.7% |
| 60-90k | 28,446 | 17.2% |
| 90-120k | 7,412 | 21.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,317 | 22.1% |
| 150k+ | 346 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 118,316 | 12.6% |
| Electric | 434 | 9.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,100 | 9.8% |
| 2022 | 23,260 | 10.8% |
| 2023 | 23,844 | 12.9% |
| 2024 | 24,093 | 14.5% |
| 2025 | 24,456 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Up
On a 2014 Up, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.5% 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 (3.6% 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 2014 Volkswagen Ups pass their MOT?
87.4% of the 118,753 2014 Volkswagen Up MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Volkswagen Up?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by brakes (4.5%).
Does the 2014 Up get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.5% in the 0-30k band to 22.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 118,753 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.