2003 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2003 perform at MOT as they age

23 years

Current Age

47.2%

Latest Pass Rate

99,826

Total Tests (All Years)

107,571 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 2003 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

6 yrs71.6%

→ ↓2.4%

7 yrs69.2%

→ ↓2.9%

8 yrs66.3%

→ ↓2.8%

9 yrs63.5%

→ ↓6.7%

10 yrs56.8%

→ ↓2.3%

11 yrs54.5%

→ ↓1.0%

12 yrs53.5%

→ ↓1.4%

13 yrs52.1%

→ ↓2.3%

14 yrs49.8%

→ ↓1.9%

15 yrs47.9%

→ ↓0.8%

16 yrs47.1%

→ ↓0.2%

17 yrs46.9%

→ ↓0.8%

18 yrs46.1%

→ ↑0.8%

19 yrs46.9%

→ ↑2.4%

20 yrs49.3%

→ ↓2.1%

21 yrs47.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
6 yrs	71.6%	8,268
7 yrs	69.2%	8,108
8 yrs	66.3%	8,241
9 yrs	63.5%	8,209
10 yrs	56.8%	8,308
11 yrs	54.5%	8,131
12 yrs	53.5%	7,972
13 yrs	52.1%	7,809
14 yrs	49.8%	7,433
15 yrs	47.9%	4,842
16 yrs	47.1%	4,733
17 yrs	46.9%	4,102
18 yrs	46.1%	4,416
19 yrs	46.9%	3,135
20 yrs	49.3%	3,187
21 yrs	47.2%	2,932

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (21 yrs)	47.2%	2,932
2023 (20 yrs)	49.3%	3,187
2022 (19 yrs)	46.9%	3,135
2021 (18 yrs)	46.1%	4,416
2020 (17 yrs)	46.9%	4,102
2019 (16 yrs)	47.1%	4,733
2018 (15 yrs)	47.9%	4,842
2017 (14 yrs)	49.8%	7,433
2016 (13 yrs)	52.1%	7,809
2015 (12 yrs)	53.5%	7,972
2014 (11 yrs)	54.5%	8,131
2013 (10 yrs)	56.8%	8,308
2012 (9 yrs)	63.5%	8,209
2011 (8 yrs)	66.3%	8,241
2010 (7 yrs)	69.2%	8,108
2009 (6 yrs)	71.6%	8,268

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

71.6%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 8,268Avg Mileage 49,321Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.3%

2010

69.2%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 8,108Avg Mileage 56,449Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%

2011

66.3%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 8,241Avg Mileage 62,892Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.2%

2012High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 8,209Avg Mileage 69,216Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%

2013High Fail Rate

56.8%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 8,308Avg Mileage 75,175Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.8%

2014High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 8,131Avg Mileage 81,222Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.7%

2015High Fail Rate

53.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 7,972Avg Mileage 86,710Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.4%

2016High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 7,809Avg Mileage 91,843Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 45.1%

2017High Fail Rate

49.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 7,433Avg Mileage 96,210Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.8%

2018High Fail Rate

47.9%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 4,842Avg Mileage 99,252Top Failure Suspension — 50.3%

2019High Fail Rate

47.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 4,733Avg Mileage 102,971Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 55.5%

2020High Fail Rate

46.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 4,102Avg Mileage 104,740Top Failure Brakes — 66.3%

2021High Fail Rate

46.1%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 4,416Avg Mileage 104,974Top Failure Suspension — 68.8%

2022High Fail Rate

46.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 3,135Avg Mileage 105,331Top Failure Brakes — 68.4%

2023High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,187Avg Mileage 106,491Top Failure Suspension — 73.1%

2024High Fail Rate

47.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,932Avg Mileage 107,571Top Failure Brakes — 61.5%

MOT results for 2003 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	6	71.6%	8,268	49,321	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.3%
2010	7	69.2%	8,108	56,449	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%
2011	8	66.3%	8,241	62,892	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.2%
2012	9	63.5%	8,209	69,216	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%
2013	10	56.8%	8,308	75,175	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.8%
2014	11	54.5%	8,131	81,222	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.7%
2015	12	53.5%	7,972	86,710	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.4%
2016	13	52.1%	7,809	91,843	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 45.1%
2017	14	49.8%	7,433	96,210	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.8%
2018	15	47.9%	4,842	99,252	Suspension — 50.3%
2019	16	47.1%	4,733	102,971	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 55.5%
2020	17	46.9%	4,102	104,740	Brakes — 66.3%
2021	18	46.1%	4,416	104,974	Suspension — 68.8%
2022	19	46.9%	3,135	105,331	Brakes — 68.4%
2023	20	49.3%	3,187	106,491	Suspension — 73.1%
2024	21	47.2%	2,932	107,571	Brakes — 61.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2003 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

55.9%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

43.2%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

39.7%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

32.5%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

31.9%

↑ 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	8.3% (6 yrs)	61.5% (21 yrs)	+53.2%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	10.5% (6 yrs)	30.5% (21 yrs)	+20.0%	🔴 ↑

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 2003 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 99,826 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.