2005 Volkswagen Beetle — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2005 perform at MOT as they age

21 years

Current Age

50.1%

Latest Pass Rate

85,098

Total Tests (All Years)

101,347 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 19

This car: 50.1%

Average: 55.4%

⚠️ 5.3% below average (7550 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2005 Volkswagen Beetle as it ages.

4 yrs78.1%

→ ↓2.0%

5 yrs76.1%

→ ↓4.0%

6 yrs72.1%

→ ↓2.2%

7 yrs69.9%

→ ↓3.4%

8 yrs66.5%

→ ↓2.3%

9 yrs64.2%

→ ↓1.2%

10 yrs63.0%

→ ↓3.4%

11 yrs59.6%

→ ↓0.7%

12 yrs58.9%

→ ↓3.8%

13 yrs55.1%

→ ↓1.7%

14 yrs53.4%

→ ↓1.7%

15 yrs51.7%

→ ↓0.8%

16 yrs50.9%

→ ↑1.2%

17 yrs52.1%

→ ↑0.1%

18 yrs52.2%

→ ↓2.1%

19 yrs50.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
4 yrs	78.1%	6,455
5 yrs	76.1%	6,330
6 yrs	72.1%	6,494
7 yrs	69.9%	6,400
8 yrs	66.5%	6,456
9 yrs	64.2%	6,416
10 yrs	63.0%	6,331
11 yrs	59.6%	6,255
12 yrs	58.9%	6,145
13 yrs	55.1%	4,263
14 yrs	53.4%	4,309
15 yrs	51.7%	3,936
16 yrs	50.9%	4,734
17 yrs	52.1%	3,501
18 yrs	52.2%	3,677
19 yrs	50.1%	3,396

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2005 Volkswagen Beetle pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (19 yrs)	50.1%	3,396
2023 (18 yrs)	52.2%	3,677
2022 (17 yrs)	52.1%	3,501
2021 (16 yrs)	50.9%	4,734
2020 (15 yrs)	51.7%	3,936
2019 (14 yrs)	53.4%	4,309
2018 (13 yrs)	55.1%	4,263
2017 (12 yrs)	58.9%	6,145
2016 (11 yrs)	59.6%	6,255
2015 (10 yrs)	63%	6,331
2014 (9 yrs)	64.2%	6,416
2013 (8 yrs)	66.5%	6,456
2012 (7 yrs)	69.9%	6,400
2011 (6 yrs)	72.1%	6,494
2010 (5 yrs)	76.1%	6,330
2009 (4 yrs)	78.1%	6,455

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

78.1%

Age (yrs) 4Tests 6,455Avg Mileage 32,900Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.8%

2010

76.1%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 6,330Avg Mileage 40,027Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.4%

2011

72.1%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 6,494Avg Mileage 47,339Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.1%

2012

69.9%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 6,400Avg Mileage 53,557Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.9%

2013

66.5%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 6,456Avg Mileage 60,329Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.0%

2014High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 6,416Avg Mileage 66,215Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%

2015High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 6,331Avg Mileage 72,607Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.0%

2016High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 6,255Avg Mileage 77,812Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.6%

2017High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 6,145Avg Mileage 83,154Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.2%

2018High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 4,263Avg Mileage 87,902Top Failure Brakes — 40.6%

2019High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 4,309Avg Mileage 92,087Top Failure Brakes — 47.3%

2020High Fail Rate

51.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 3,936Avg Mileage 94,866Top Failure Brakes — 55.1%

2021High Fail Rate

50.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 4,734Avg Mileage 96,508Top Failure Brakes — 57.2%

2022High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 3,501Avg Mileage 97,971Top Failure Brakes — 56.1%

2023High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 3,677Avg Mileage 99,573Top Failure Brakes — 59.1%

2024High Fail Rate

50.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 3,396Avg Mileage 101,347Top Failure Brakes — 51.5%

MOT results for 2005 Volkswagen Beetle by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	4	78.1%	6,455	32,900	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.8%
2010	5	76.1%	6,330	40,027	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.4%
2011	6	72.1%	6,494	47,339	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.1%
2012	7	69.9%	6,400	53,557	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.9%
2013	8	66.5%	6,456	60,329	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.0%
2014	9	64.2%	6,416	66,215	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.7%
2015	10	63.0%	6,331	72,607	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.0%
2016	11	59.6%	6,255	77,812	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.6%
2017	12	58.9%	6,145	83,154	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.2%
2018	13	55.1%	4,263	87,902	Brakes — 40.6%
2019	14	53.4%	4,309	92,087	Brakes — 47.3%
2020	15	51.7%	3,936	94,866	Brakes — 55.1%
2021	16	50.9%	4,734	96,508	Brakes — 57.2%
2022	17	52.1%	3,501	97,971	Brakes — 56.1%
2023	18	52.2%	3,677	99,573	Brakes — 59.1%
2024	19	50.1%	3,396	101,347	Brakes — 51.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2005 Volkswagen Beetle, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

47.9%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

32.4%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

29.3%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

27.6%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.1%

↑ 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	5.9% (4 yrs)	51.5% (19 yrs)	+45.6%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	7.6% (4 yrs)	30.6% (19 yrs)	+23.0%	🔴 ↑

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 2005 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 85,098 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.