1965 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1965 perform at MOT as they age

61 years

Current Age

81.1%

Latest Pass Rate

1,685

Total Tests (All Years)

52,080 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1965 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

44 yrs50.9%

→ ↑6.6%

45 yrs57.5%

→ ↓1.9%

46 yrs55.6%

→ ↑2.3%

47 yrs57.9%

→ ↑12.2%

48 yrs70.1%

→ ↓0.3%

49 yrs69.8%

→ ↑2.6%

50 yrs72.4%

→ ↑6.4%

51 yrs78.8%

→ ↓5.2%

52 yrs73.6%

→ ↓0.3%

53 yrs73.3%

→ ↑6.7%

54 yrs80.0%

→ ↓0.5%

55 yrs79.5%

→ ↑1.6%

56 yrs81.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
44 yrs	50.9%	171
45 yrs	57.5%	153
46 yrs	55.6%	169
47 yrs	57.9%	164
48 yrs	70.1%	147
49 yrs	69.8%	162
50 yrs	72.4%	174
51 yrs	78.8%	165
52 yrs	73.6%	174
53 yrs	73.3%	75
54 yrs	80.0%	55
55 yrs	79.5%	39
56 yrs	81.1%	37

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1965 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2021 (56 yrs)	81.1%	37
2020 (55 yrs)	79.5%	39
2019 (54 yrs)	80%	55
2018 (53 yrs)	73.3%	75
2017 (52 yrs)	73.6%	174
2016 (51 yrs)	78.8%	165
2015 (50 yrs)	72.4%	174
2014 (49 yrs)	69.8%	162
2013 (48 yrs)	70.1%	147
2012 (47 yrs)	57.9%	164
2011 (46 yrs)	55.6%	169
2010 (45 yrs)	57.5%	153
2009 (44 yrs)	50.9%	171

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.9%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 171Avg Mileage 44,594Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%

2010High Fail Rate

57.5%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 153Avg Mileage 44,132Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.4%

2011High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 169Avg Mileage 42,889Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.8%

2012High Fail Rate

57.9%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 164Avg Mileage 44,723Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.6%

2013

70.1%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 147Avg Mileage 45,533Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 43.5%

2014

69.8%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 162Avg Mileage 42,661Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%

2015

72.4%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 174Avg Mileage 51,243Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.0%

2016

78.8%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 165Avg Mileage 45,094Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%

2017

73.6%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 174Avg Mileage 44,375Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.5%

2018

73.3%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 75Avg Mileage 39,860Top Failure Suspension — 28.0%

2019

80.0%

Age (yrs) 54Tests 55Avg Mileage 45,308Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.3%

2020

79.5%

Age (yrs) 55Tests 39Avg Mileage 45,304Top Failure Brakes — 25.6%

2021

81.1%

Age (yrs) 56Tests 37Avg Mileage 52,080Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 21.6%

MOT results for 1965 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	44	50.9%	171	44,594	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%
2010	45	57.5%	153	44,132	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.4%
2011	46	55.6%	169	42,889	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.8%
2012	47	57.9%	164	44,723	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.6%
2013	48	70.1%	147	45,533	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 43.5%
2014	49	69.8%	162	42,661	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%
2015	50	72.4%	174	51,243	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.0%
2016	51	78.8%	165	45,094	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%
2017	52	73.6%	174	44,375	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.5%
2018	53	73.3%	75	39,860	Suspension — 28.0%
2019	54	80.0%	55	45,308	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.3%
2020	55	79.5%	39	45,304	Brakes — 25.6%
2021	56	81.1%	37	52,080	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 21.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1965 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

35.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

26.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

25.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

24.4%

— Consistent

Steering

14.1%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	24.6% (44 yrs)	10.8% (56 yrs)	-13.8%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volkswagen Beetle page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Beetle cars manufactured in 1965 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2021, covering 1,685 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.