Volkswagen Up GTI — MOT pass rate & failures

The Volkswagen Up GTI recorded a 90.1% MOT pass rate across 5,160 tests in this dataset (model years 2019–2023), with tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes its most common failure areas. Its 9.9% fail rate is lower than the 11.9% average across all Volkswagen Up versions.

Pass rate

5,160

MOT tests analysed

9.9%

Fail rate

worse than

vs city cars of similar age

2019–2023

Model years

How it compares

Fail rate for the Up GTI against the whole Up range, its segment and the national average for cars of a similar age.

By model year

Volkswagen Up GTI MOT results by model year
Year	Tests	Pass rate	Fail rate
2020	2,129	89.4%	10.6%
2021	2,045	90.2%	9.8%
2022	968	91.2%	8.8%

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — Volkswagen Up GTI
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	7.6%	392
2	Lighting & signalling	2.8%	143
3	Brakes	0.8%	42
4	Visibility	0.7%	36
5	Emissions & environmental	0.5%	27
6	Suspension	0.3%	15
7	Seat belts & restraints	0.3%	13
8	Other defects	0.2%	9

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category, across all model years.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — Volkswagen Up GTI
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Headlamp aim	130
2	Headlamp	28
3	Rear fog lamp	25
4	Washers	21
5	Service brake performance	19
6	Malfunction indicator lamp	17

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — Volkswagen Up GTI
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	15.8%	815
2	Brakes	4.3%	222
3	Other defects	4.0%	205
4	Road wheels	1.9%	96
5	Suspension	1.2%	63
6	Visibility	1.2%	62

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — Volkswagen Up GTI
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	4,266	9.4%
30-60k	819	11.7%
60-90k	66	21.2%

Failure rate by age

How the Up GTI's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — Volkswagen Up GTI
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2023	747	9.6%
2024	1,757	10.1%
2025	2,649	9.9%

What to check before buying a Volkswagen Up GTI

Focus on the areas it most often fails on — and remember MOT data covers testable defects only, not engine or gearbox health.

Tyres (7.6% 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.
Lighting & signalling (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Brakes (0.8% 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.

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 reliable is the Volkswagen Up GTI at MOT time?

90.1% of the 5,160 Volkswagen Up GTI MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.9% fail rate, better than the 11.9% average across all Up versions.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Volkswagen Up GTI?

Tyres, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.8%).

Does the Up GTI get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 21.2% in the 60-90k band.

Methodology & source. Based on 5,160 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-06. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.