1973 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1973 perform at MOT as they age

53 years

Current Age

81.8%

Latest Pass Rate

4,460

Total Tests (All Years)

43,107 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 1973 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

36 yrs48.3%

→ ↑4.0%

37 yrs52.3%

→ ↓0.2%

38 yrs52.1%

→ ↓2.8%

39 yrs49.3%

→ ↑2.5%

40 yrs51.8%

→ ↑5.3%

41 yrs57.1%

→ ↑0.2%

42 yrs57.3%

→ ↑3.1%

43 yrs60.4%

→ ↓1.7%

44 yrs58.7%

→ ↑8.5%

45 yrs67.2%

→ ↑0.2%

46 yrs67.4%

→ ↓1.3%

47 yrs66.1%

→ ↑3.3%

48 yrs69.4%

→ ↓3.1%

49 yrs66.3%

→ ↑5.4%

50 yrs71.7%

→ ↑10.1%

51 yrs81.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
36 yrs	48.3%	356
37 yrs	52.3%	304
38 yrs	52.1%	317
39 yrs	49.3%	294
40 yrs	51.8%	307
41 yrs	57.1%	315
42 yrs	57.3%	293
43 yrs	60.4%	273
44 yrs	58.7%	623
45 yrs	67.2%	268
46 yrs	67.4%	178
47 yrs	66.1%	124
48 yrs	69.4%	245
49 yrs	66.3%	178
50 yrs	71.7%	198
51 yrs	81.8%	187

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1973 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (51 yrs)	81.8%	187
2023 (50 yrs)	71.7%	198
2022 (49 yrs)	66.3%	178
2021 (48 yrs)	69.4%	245
2020 (47 yrs)	66.1%	124
2019 (46 yrs)	67.4%	178
2018 (45 yrs)	67.2%	268
2017 (44 yrs)	58.7%	623
2016 (43 yrs)	60.4%	273
2015 (42 yrs)	57.3%	293
2014 (41 yrs)	57.1%	315
2013 (40 yrs)	51.8%	307
2012 (39 yrs)	49.3%	294
2011 (38 yrs)	52.1%	317
2010 (37 yrs)	52.3%	304
2009 (36 yrs)	48.3%	356

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

48.3%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 356Avg Mileage 54,927Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.1%

2010High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 304Avg Mileage 51,100Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.9%

2011High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 317Avg Mileage 51,527Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.3%

2012High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 294Avg Mileage 49,089Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.0%

2013High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 307Avg Mileage 49,598Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.5%

2014High Fail Rate

57.1%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 315Avg Mileage 49,959Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 73.7%

2015High Fail Rate

57.3%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 293Avg Mileage 51,714Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 66.9%

2016High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 273Avg Mileage 47,509Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 59.7%

2017High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 623Avg Mileage 48,122Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 57.8%

2018

67.2%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 268Avg Mileage 49,128Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.2%

2019

67.4%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 178Avg Mileage 45,959Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 49.4%

2020

66.1%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 124Avg Mileage 49,638Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 51.6%

2021

69.4%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 245Avg Mileage 44,828Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.7%

2022

66.3%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 178Avg Mileage 49,746Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 57.3%

2023

71.7%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 198Avg Mileage 46,823Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 49.5%

2024

81.8%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 187Avg Mileage 43,107Top Failure Suspension — 15.0%

MOT results for 1973 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	36	48.3%	356	54,927	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.1%
2010	37	52.3%	304	51,100	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.9%
2011	38	52.1%	317	51,527	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.3%
2012	39	49.3%	294	49,089	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.0%
2013	40	51.8%	307	49,598	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.5%
2014	41	57.1%	315	49,959	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 73.7%
2015	42	57.3%	293	51,714	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 66.9%
2016	43	60.4%	273	47,509	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 59.7%
2017	44	58.7%	623	48,122	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 57.8%
2018	45	67.2%	268	49,128	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.2%
2019	46	67.4%	178	45,959	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 49.4%
2020	47	66.1%	124	49,638	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 51.6%
2021	48	69.4%	245	44,828	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.7%
2022	49	66.3%	178	49,746	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 57.3%
2023	50	71.7%	198	46,823	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 49.5%
2024	51	81.8%	187	43,107	Suspension — 15.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

49.6%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

37.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

33.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, Structure and General Items

21.1%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	28.4% (36 yrs)	12.3% (51 yrs)	-16.1%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	30.9% (36 yrs)	15.0% (51 yrs)	-15.9%	🟢 ↓
Steering	12.4% (36 yrs)	8.6% (51 yrs)	-3.8%	🟢 ↓

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 1973 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,460 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.