1970 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1970 perform at MOT as they age

56 years

Current Age

85.3%

Latest Pass Rate

5,601

Total Tests (All Years)

46,557 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 1970 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

39 yrs54.6%

→ ↓2.2%

40 yrs52.4%

→ ↑2.1%

41 yrs54.5%

→ ↓0.3%

42 yrs54.2%

→ ↑2.0%

43 yrs56.2%

→ ↓0.3%

44 yrs55.9%

→ ↑2.2%

45 yrs58.1%

→ ↑6.5%

46 yrs64.6%

→ ↑2.0%

47 yrs66.6%

→ ↑0.3%

48 yrs66.9%

→ ↓1.5%

49 yrs65.4%

→ ↑10.4%

50 yrs75.8%

→ ↓7.8%

51 yrs68.0%

→ ↑7.5%

52 yrs75.5%

→ ↑3.3%

53 yrs78.8%

→ ↑6.5%

54 yrs85.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
39 yrs	54.6%	500
40 yrs	52.4%	492
41 yrs	54.5%	508
42 yrs	54.2%	496
43 yrs	56.2%	493
44 yrs	55.9%	490
45 yrs	58.1%	454
46 yrs	64.6%	432
47 yrs	66.6%	704
48 yrs	66.9%	278
49 yrs	65.4%	182
50 yrs	75.8%	120
51 yrs	68.0%	147
52 yrs	75.5%	106
53 yrs	78.8%	104
54 yrs	85.3%	95

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1970 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (54 yrs)	85.3%	95
2023 (53 yrs)	78.8%	104
2022 (52 yrs)	75.5%	106
2021 (51 yrs)	68%	147
2020 (50 yrs)	75.8%	120
2019 (49 yrs)	65.4%	182
2018 (48 yrs)	66.9%	278
2017 (47 yrs)	66.6%	704
2016 (46 yrs)	64.6%	432
2015 (45 yrs)	58.1%	454
2014 (44 yrs)	55.9%	490
2013 (43 yrs)	56.2%	493
2012 (42 yrs)	54.2%	496
2011 (41 yrs)	54.5%	508
2010 (40 yrs)	52.4%	492
2009 (39 yrs)	54.6%	500

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

54.6%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 500Avg Mileage 47,085Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.4%

2010High Fail Rate

52.4%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 492Avg Mileage 47,169Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.3%

2011High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 508Avg Mileage 50,677Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.1%

2012High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 496Avg Mileage 47,915Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.5%

2013High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 493Avg Mileage 47,424Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 83.0%

2014High Fail Rate

55.9%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 490Avg Mileage 47,718Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 74.9%

2015High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 454Avg Mileage 46,367Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.6%

2016High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 432Avg Mileage 46,181Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.7%

2017

66.6%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 704Avg Mileage 45,124Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%

2018

66.9%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 278Avg Mileage 44,403Top Failure Suspension — 46.4%

2019

65.4%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 182Avg Mileage 43,453Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.1%

2020

75.8%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 120Avg Mileage 43,700Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 30.8%

2021

68.0%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 147Avg Mileage 45,090Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 46.9%

2022

75.5%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 106Avg Mileage 42,949Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 44.3%

2023

78.8%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 104Avg Mileage 44,945Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 24.0%

2024

85.3%

Age (yrs) 54Tests 95Avg Mileage 46,557Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.2%

MOT results for 1970 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	39	54.6%	500	47,085	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.4%
2010	40	52.4%	492	47,169	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.3%
2011	41	54.5%	508	50,677	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.1%
2012	42	54.2%	496	47,915	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.5%
2013	43	56.2%	493	47,424	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 83.0%
2014	44	55.9%	490	47,718	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 74.9%
2015	45	58.1%	454	46,367	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.6%
2016	46	64.6%	432	46,181	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.7%
2017	47	66.6%	704	45,124	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.8%
2018	48	66.9%	278	44,403	Suspension — 46.4%
2019	49	65.4%	182	43,453	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.1%
2020	50	75.8%	120	43,700	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 30.8%
2021	51	68.0%	147	45,090	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 46.9%
2022	52	75.5%	106	42,949	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 44.3%
2023	53	78.8%	104	44,945	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 24.0%
2024	54	85.3%	95	46,557	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1970 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

48.9%

— Consistent

Suspension

35.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

34.0%

— Consistent

Brakes

29.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, Structure and General Items

19.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	27.6% (39 yrs)	7.4% (54 yrs)	-20.2%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	24.2% (39 yrs)	15.8% (54 yrs)	-8.4%	🟢 ↓
Steering	11.0% (39 yrs)	8.4% (54 yrs)	-2.6%	🟢 ↓

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 1970 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 5,601 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.