1997 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

54.4%

Latest Pass Rate

539

Total Tests (All Years)

52,705 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 1997 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

12 yrs54.9%

→ ↑2.0%

13 yrs56.9%

→ ↓4.0%

14 yrs52.9%

→ ↑10.1%

15 yrs63.0%

→ ↓10.8%

16 yrs52.2%

→ ↓21.2%

17 yrs31.0%

→ ↓6.0%

18 yrs25.0%

→ ↑26.4%

19 yrs51.4%

→ ↓9.5%

20 yrs41.9%

→ ↑19.2%

24 yrs61.1%

→ ↑6.6%

25 yrs67.7%

→ ↓4.4%

26 yrs63.3%

→ ↓8.9%

27 yrs54.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	54.9%	51
13 yrs	56.9%	51
14 yrs	52.9%	51
15 yrs	63.0%	46
16 yrs	52.2%	46
17 yrs	31.0%	42
18 yrs	25.0%	32
19 yrs	51.4%	35
20 yrs	41.9%	31
24 yrs	61.1%	36
25 yrs	67.7%	31
26 yrs	63.3%	30
27 yrs	54.4%	57

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	54.4%	57
2023 (26 yrs)	63.3%	30
2022 (25 yrs)	67.7%	31
2021 (24 yrs)	61.1%	36
2017 (20 yrs)	41.9%	31
2016 (19 yrs)	51.4%	35
2015 (18 yrs)	25%	32
2014 (17 yrs)	31%	42
2013 (16 yrs)	52.2%	46
2012 (15 yrs)	63%	46
2011 (14 yrs)	52.9%	51
2010 (13 yrs)	56.9%	51
2009 (12 yrs)	54.9%	51

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 51Avg Mileage 55,655Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%

2010High Fail Rate

56.9%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 51Avg Mileage 53,985Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.4%

2011High Fail Rate

52.9%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 51Avg Mileage 49,866Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%

2012High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 46Avg Mileage 53,004Top Failure Brakes — 23.9%

2013High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 46Avg Mileage 52,477Top Failure Brakes — 106.5%

2014High Fail Rate

31.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 42Avg Mileage 46,661Top Failure Brakes — 100.0%

2015High Fail Rate

25.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 32Avg Mileage 39,837Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 115.6%

2016High Fail Rate

51.4%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 35Avg Mileage 47,453Top Failure Suspension — 74.3%

2017High Fail Rate

41.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 31Avg Mileage 40,085Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 106.5%

2021High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 36Avg Mileage 51,112Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 50.0%

2022

67.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 31Avg Mileage 42,166Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.4%

2023High Fail Rate

63.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 30Avg Mileage 47,245Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.3%

2024High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 57Avg Mileage 52,705Top Failure Brakes — 35.1%

MOT results for 1997 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	54.9%	51	55,655	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%
2010	13	56.9%	51	53,985	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.4%
2011	14	52.9%	51	49,866	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%
2012	15	63.0%	46	53,004	Brakes — 23.9%
2013	16	52.2%	46	52,477	Brakes — 106.5%
2014	17	31.0%	42	46,661	Brakes — 100.0%
2015	18	25.0%	32	39,837	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 115.6%
2016	19	51.4%	35	47,453	Suspension — 74.3%
2017	20	41.9%	31	40,085	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 106.5%
2021	24	61.1%	36	51,112	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 50.0%
2022	25	67.7%	31	42,166	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.4%
2023	26	63.3%	30	47,245	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.3%
2024	27	54.4%	57	52,705	Brakes — 35.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

64.6%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

48.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

41.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

31.6%

↓ 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
Brakes	23.5% (12 yrs)	35.1% (27 yrs)	+11.6%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	27.5% (12 yrs)	19.3% (27 yrs)	-8.2%	🟢 ↓

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 539 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.