1966 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1966 perform at MOT as they age

60 years

Current Age

77.8%

Latest Pass Rate

2,399

Total Tests (All Years)

29,530 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 1966 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

43 yrs58.9%

→ ↑1.4%

44 yrs60.3%

→ ↓0.9%

45 yrs59.4%

→ ↑6.6%

46 yrs66.0%

→ ↓5.1%

47 yrs60.9%

→ ↑0.1%

48 yrs61.0%

→ ↑5.8%

49 yrs66.8%

→ ↓4.2%

50 yrs62.6%

→ ↑6.3%

51 yrs68.9%

→ ↑7.0%

52 yrs75.9%

→ ↓6.1%

53 yrs69.8%

→ ↑14.4%

54 yrs84.2%

→ ↓8.6%

55 yrs75.6%

→ ↓1.9%

56 yrs73.7%

→ ↑17.7%

57 yrs91.4%

→ ↓13.6%

58 yrs77.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
43 yrs	58.9%	219
44 yrs	60.3%	204
45 yrs	59.4%	217
46 yrs	66.0%	203
47 yrs	60.9%	230
48 yrs	61.0%	213
49 yrs	66.8%	217
50 yrs	62.6%	211
51 yrs	68.9%	318
52 yrs	75.9%	112
53 yrs	69.8%	63
54 yrs	84.2%	38
55 yrs	75.6%	45
56 yrs	73.7%	38
57 yrs	91.4%	35
58 yrs	77.8%	36

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1966 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (58 yrs)	77.8%	36
2023 (57 yrs)	91.4%	35
2022 (56 yrs)	73.7%	38
2021 (55 yrs)	75.6%	45
2020 (54 yrs)	84.2%	38
2019 (53 yrs)	69.8%	63
2018 (52 yrs)	75.9%	112
2017 (51 yrs)	68.9%	318
2016 (50 yrs)	62.6%	211
2015 (49 yrs)	66.8%	217
2014 (48 yrs)	61%	213
2013 (47 yrs)	60.9%	230
2012 (46 yrs)	66%	203
2011 (45 yrs)	59.4%	217
2010 (44 yrs)	60.3%	204
2009 (43 yrs)	58.9%	219

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 219Avg Mileage 44,372Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.9%

2010High Fail Rate

60.3%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 204Avg Mileage 47,984Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.0%

2011High Fail Rate

59.4%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 217Avg Mileage 45,366Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.9%

2012

66.0%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 203Avg Mileage 49,314Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.2%

2013High Fail Rate

60.9%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 230Avg Mileage 47,335Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 60.0%

2014High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 213Avg Mileage 47,343Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.7%

2015

66.8%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 217Avg Mileage 48,766Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.1%

2016High Fail Rate

62.6%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 211Avg Mileage 47,687Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.7%

2017

68.9%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 318Avg Mileage 45,374Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.8%

2018

75.9%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 112Avg Mileage 46,825Top Failure Brakes — 22.3%

2019

69.8%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 63Avg Mileage 42,590Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.4%

2020

84.2%

Age (yrs) 54Tests 38Avg Mileage 42,811Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.5%

2021

75.6%

Age (yrs) 55Tests 45Avg Mileage 44,376Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%

2022

73.7%

Age (yrs) 56Tests 38Avg Mileage 40,018Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.8%

2023

91.4%

Age (yrs) 57Tests 35Avg Mileage 43,031Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.6%

2024

77.8%

Age (yrs) 58Tests 36Avg Mileage 29,530Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.9%

MOT results for 1966 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	43	58.9%	219	44,372	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.9%
2010	44	60.3%	204	47,984	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.0%
2011	45	59.4%	217	45,366	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.9%
2012	46	66.0%	203	49,314	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.2%
2013	47	60.9%	230	47,335	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 60.0%
2014	48	61.0%	213	47,343	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.7%
2015	49	66.8%	217	48,766	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.1%
2016	50	62.6%	211	47,687	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.7%
2017	51	68.9%	318	45,374	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.8%
2018	52	75.9%	112	46,825	Brakes — 22.3%
2019	53	69.8%	63	42,590	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.4%
2020	54	84.2%	38	42,811	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 10.5%
2021	55	75.6%	45	44,376	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%
2022	56	73.7%	38	40,018	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.8%
2023	57	91.4%	35	43,031	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.6%
2024	58	77.8%	36	29,530	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1966 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

41.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

29.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

21.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Driver's View of the Road

16.4%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	23.3% (43 yrs)	5.6% (58 yrs)	-17.7%	🟢 ↓
Steering	11.0% (43 yrs)	5.6% (58 yrs)	-5.4%	🟢 ↓

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 1966 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,399 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.