1988 Volkswagen Polo — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

56.1%

Latest Pass Rate

4,817

Total Tests (All Years)

74,878 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 1988 Volkswagen Polo as it ages.

21 yrs45.2%

→ ↑3.2%

22 yrs48.4%

→ ↓0.2%

23 yrs48.2%

→ ↑2.0%

24 yrs50.2%

→ ↓3.1%

25 yrs47.1%

→ ↑1.0%

26 yrs48.1%

→ ↑3.1%

27 yrs51.2%

→ ↓2.7%

28 yrs48.5%

→ ↑3.0%

29 yrs51.5%

→ ↓1.1%

30 yrs50.4%

→ ↓0.8%

31 yrs49.6%

→ ↑6.3%

32 yrs55.9%

→ ↑5.2%

33 yrs61.1%

→ ↓12.5%

34 yrs48.6%

→ ↑9.9%

35 yrs58.5%

→ ↓2.4%

36 yrs56.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	45.2%	961
22 yrs	48.4%	699
23 yrs	48.2%	546
24 yrs	50.2%	420
25 yrs	47.1%	359
26 yrs	48.1%	285
27 yrs	51.2%	246
28 yrs	48.5%	206
29 yrs	51.5%	194
30 yrs	50.4%	115
31 yrs	49.6%	125
32 yrs	55.9%	111
33 yrs	61.1%	131
34 yrs	48.6%	105
35 yrs	58.5%	118
36 yrs	56.1%	196

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 Volkswagen Polo pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (36 yrs)	56.1%	196
2023 (35 yrs)	58.5%	118
2022 (34 yrs)	48.6%	105
2021 (33 yrs)	61.1%	131
2020 (32 yrs)	55.9%	111
2019 (31 yrs)	49.6%	125
2018 (30 yrs)	50.4%	115
2017 (29 yrs)	51.5%	194
2016 (28 yrs)	48.5%	206
2015 (27 yrs)	51.2%	246
2014 (26 yrs)	48.1%	285
2013 (25 yrs)	47.1%	359
2012 (24 yrs)	50.2%	420
2011 (23 yrs)	48.2%	546
2010 (22 yrs)	48.4%	699
2009 (21 yrs)	45.2%	961

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 961Avg Mileage 77,396Top Failure Suspension — 35.5%

2010High Fail Rate

48.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 699Avg Mileage 77,279Top Failure Suspension — 33.3%

2011High Fail Rate

48.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 546Avg Mileage 76,650Top Failure Suspension — 33.7%

2012High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 420Avg Mileage 76,653Top Failure Suspension — 33.3%

2013High Fail Rate

47.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 359Avg Mileage 78,297Top Failure Suspension — 67.1%

2014High Fail Rate

48.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 285Avg Mileage 76,522Top Failure Suspension — 82.5%

2015High Fail Rate

51.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 246Avg Mileage 75,973Top Failure Suspension — 72.4%

2016High Fail Rate

48.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 206Avg Mileage 75,592Top Failure Suspension — 77.2%

2017High Fail Rate

51.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 194Avg Mileage 76,903Top Failure Suspension — 76.3%

2018High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 115Avg Mileage 77,013Top Failure Suspension — 61.7%

2019High Fail Rate

49.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 125Avg Mileage 77,032Top Failure Suspension — 68.8%

2020High Fail Rate

55.9%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 111Avg Mileage 76,964Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 63.1%

2021High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 131Avg Mileage 78,884Top Failure Suspension — 67.9%

2022High Fail Rate

48.6%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 105Avg Mileage 79,357Top Failure Brakes — 87.6%

2023High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 118Avg Mileage 77,113Top Failure Suspension — 54.2%

2024High Fail Rate

56.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 196Avg Mileage 74,878Top Failure Brakes — 50.5%

MOT results for 1988 Volkswagen Polo by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	45.2%	961	77,396	Suspension — 35.5%
2010	22	48.4%	699	77,279	Suspension — 33.3%
2011	23	48.2%	546	76,650	Suspension — 33.7%
2012	24	50.2%	420	76,653	Suspension — 33.3%
2013	25	47.1%	359	78,297	Suspension — 67.1%
2014	26	48.1%	285	76,522	Suspension — 82.5%
2015	27	51.2%	246	75,973	Suspension — 72.4%
2016	28	48.5%	206	75,592	Suspension — 77.2%
2017	29	51.5%	194	76,903	Suspension — 76.3%
2018	30	50.4%	115	77,013	Suspension — 61.7%
2019	31	49.6%	125	77,032	Suspension — 68.8%
2020	32	55.9%	111	76,964	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 63.1%
2021	33	61.1%	131	78,884	Suspension — 67.9%
2022	34	48.6%	105	79,357	Brakes — 87.6%
2023	35	58.5%	118	77,113	Suspension — 54.2%
2024	36	56.1%	196	74,878	Brakes — 50.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 Volkswagen Polo, with age trends.

Suspension

57.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

47.8%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

45.2%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

41.1%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

38.0%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	29.0% (21 yrs)	50.5% (36 yrs)	+21.5%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	35.5% (21 yrs)	39.3% (36 yrs)	+3.8%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volkswagen Polo page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Polo cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,817 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.