1972 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1972 perform at MOT as they age

54 years

Current Age

79.0%

Latest Pass Rate

3,747

Total Tests (All Years)

46,491 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 1972 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

37 yrs51.4%

→ ↓1.7%

38 yrs49.7%

→ ↓0.8%

39 yrs48.9%

→ ↑10.2%

40 yrs59.1%

→ ↑0.7%

41 yrs59.8%

→ ↓5.0%

42 yrs54.8%

→ ↑0.1%

43 yrs54.9%

→ ↑11.8%

44 yrs66.7%

→ ↓2.1%

45 yrs64.6%

→ ↑12.4%

46 yrs77.0%

→ ↓4.5%

47 yrs72.5%

→ ↑7.2%

48 yrs79.7%

→ ↓8.0%

49 yrs71.7%

→ ↓1.0%

50 yrs70.7%

→ ↓0.5%

51 yrs70.2%

→ ↑8.8%

52 yrs79.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
37 yrs	51.4%	290
38 yrs	49.7%	292
39 yrs	48.9%	270
40 yrs	59.1%	269
41 yrs	59.8%	264
42 yrs	54.8%	252
43 yrs	54.9%	246
44 yrs	66.7%	240
45 yrs	64.6%	438
46 yrs	77.0%	161
47 yrs	72.5%	120
48 yrs	79.7%	74
49 yrs	71.7%	276
50 yrs	70.7%	188
51 yrs	70.2%	191
52 yrs	79.0%	176

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1972 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (52 yrs)	79%	176
2023 (51 yrs)	70.2%	191
2022 (50 yrs)	70.7%	188
2021 (49 yrs)	71.7%	276
2020 (48 yrs)	79.7%	74
2019 (47 yrs)	72.5%	120
2018 (46 yrs)	77%	161
2017 (45 yrs)	64.6%	438
2016 (44 yrs)	66.7%	240
2015 (43 yrs)	54.9%	246
2014 (42 yrs)	54.8%	252
2013 (41 yrs)	59.8%	264
2012 (40 yrs)	59.1%	269
2011 (39 yrs)	48.9%	270
2010 (38 yrs)	49.7%	292
2009 (37 yrs)	51.4%	290

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

51.4%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 290Avg Mileage 43,926Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.7%

2010High Fail Rate

49.7%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 292Avg Mileage 46,600Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.5%

2011High Fail Rate

48.9%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 270Avg Mileage 48,892Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.1%

2012High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 269Avg Mileage 48,002Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%

2013High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 264Avg Mileage 49,060Top Failure Suspension — 65.9%

2014High Fail Rate

54.8%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 252Avg Mileage 49,520Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 87.3%

2015High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 246Avg Mileage 49,538Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 72.8%

2016

66.7%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 240Avg Mileage 49,068Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.8%

2017High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 438Avg Mileage 50,326Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.6%

2018

77.0%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 161Avg Mileage 51,523Top Failure Brakes — 25.5%

2019

72.5%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 120Avg Mileage 45,929Top Failure Brakes — 30.8%

2020

79.7%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 74Avg Mileage 46,566Top Failure Suspension — 33.8%

2021

71.7%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 276Avg Mileage 45,921Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.1%

2022

70.7%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 188Avg Mileage 44,755Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 38.3%

2023

70.2%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 191Avg Mileage 45,754Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.3%

2024

79.0%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 176Avg Mileage 46,491Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.3%

MOT results for 1972 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	37	51.4%	290	43,926	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.7%
2010	38	49.7%	292	46,600	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.5%
2011	39	48.9%	270	48,892	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.1%
2012	40	59.1%	269	48,002	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%
2013	41	59.8%	264	49,060	Suspension — 65.9%
2014	42	54.8%	252	49,520	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 87.3%
2015	43	54.9%	246	49,538	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 72.8%
2016	44	66.7%	240	49,068	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.8%
2017	45	64.6%	438	50,326	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.6%
2018	46	77.0%	161	51,523	Brakes — 25.5%
2019	47	72.5%	120	45,929	Brakes — 30.8%
2020	48	79.7%	74	46,566	Suspension — 33.8%
2021	49	71.7%	276	45,921	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.1%
2022	50	70.7%	188	44,755	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 38.3%
2023	51	70.2%	191	45,754	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.3%
2024	52	79.0%	176	46,491	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

48.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

34.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

31.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, Structure and General Items

21.5%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	27.2% (37 yrs)	15.3% (52 yrs)	-11.9%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	24.5% (37 yrs)	18.8% (52 yrs)	-5.7%	🟢 ↓

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 1972 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 3,747 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.