1989 Volkswagen Polo — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

57.9%

Latest Pass Rate

7,696

Total Tests (All Years)

80,767 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 1989 Volkswagen Polo as it ages.

20 yrs46.7%

→ ↓0.8%

21 yrs45.9%

→ ↑2.1%

22 yrs48.0%

→ ↓2.7%

23 yrs45.3%

→ ↑2.7%

24 yrs48.0%

→ ↓1.0%

25 yrs47.0%

→ ↓0.6%

26 yrs46.4%

→ ↑4.5%

27 yrs50.9%

→ ↑4.2%

28 yrs55.1%

→ ↑2.8%

29 yrs57.9%

→ ↓2.3%

30 yrs55.6%

→ ↓1.6%

31 yrs54.0%

→ ↓2.3%

32 yrs51.7%

→ ↑5.9%

33 yrs57.6%

→ ↑8.4%

34 yrs66.0%

→ ↓8.1%

35 yrs57.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	46.7%	1,558
21 yrs	45.9%	1,153
22 yrs	48.0%	888
23 yrs	45.3%	695
24 yrs	48.0%	565
25 yrs	47.0%	485
26 yrs	46.4%	388
27 yrs	50.9%	342
28 yrs	55.1%	285
29 yrs	57.9%	164
30 yrs	55.6%	169
31 yrs	54.0%	161
32 yrs	51.7%	201
33 yrs	57.6%	151
34 yrs	66.0%	144
35 yrs	57.9%	347

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Volkswagen Polo pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	57.9%	347
2023 (34 yrs)	66%	144
2022 (33 yrs)	57.6%	151
2021 (32 yrs)	51.7%	201
2020 (31 yrs)	54%	161
2019 (30 yrs)	55.6%	169
2018 (29 yrs)	57.9%	164
2017 (28 yrs)	55.1%	285
2016 (27 yrs)	50.9%	342
2015 (26 yrs)	46.4%	388
2014 (25 yrs)	47%	485
2013 (24 yrs)	48%	565
2012 (23 yrs)	45.3%	695
2011 (22 yrs)	48%	888
2010 (21 yrs)	45.9%	1,153
2009 (20 yrs)	46.7%	1,558

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

46.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 1,558Avg Mileage 78,559Top Failure Suspension — 33.1%

2010High Fail Rate

45.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,153Avg Mileage 77,985Top Failure Suspension — 34.3%

2011High Fail Rate

48.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 888Avg Mileage 78,016Top Failure Suspension — 35.4%

2012High Fail Rate

45.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 695Avg Mileage 77,749Top Failure Suspension — 37.1%

2013High Fail Rate

48.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 565Avg Mileage 77,412Top Failure Suspension — 92.6%

2014High Fail Rate

47.0%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 485Avg Mileage 78,997Top Failure Suspension — 82.9%

2015High Fail Rate

46.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 388Avg Mileage 78,884Top Failure Suspension — 85.1%

2016High Fail Rate

50.9%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 342Avg Mileage 86,697Top Failure Suspension — 79.5%

2017High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 285Avg Mileage 81,246Top Failure Suspension — 75.4%

2018High Fail Rate

57.9%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 164Avg Mileage 79,739Top Failure Suspension — 67.7%

2019High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 169Avg Mileage 83,075Top Failure Suspension — 71.6%

2020High Fail Rate

54.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 161Avg Mileage 83,578Top Failure Suspension — 64.6%

2021High Fail Rate

51.7%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 201Avg Mileage 86,743Top Failure Suspension — 65.2%

2022High Fail Rate

57.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 151Avg Mileage 86,488Top Failure Brakes — 59.6%

2023

66.0%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 144Avg Mileage 84,170Top Failure Suspension — 54.9%

2024High Fail Rate

57.9%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 347Avg Mileage 80,767Top Failure Suspension — 56.5%

MOT results for 1989 Volkswagen Polo by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	46.7%	1,558	78,559	Suspension — 33.1%
2010	21	45.9%	1,153	77,985	Suspension — 34.3%
2011	22	48.0%	888	78,016	Suspension — 35.4%
2012	23	45.3%	695	77,749	Suspension — 37.1%
2013	24	48.0%	565	77,412	Suspension — 92.6%
2014	25	47.0%	485	78,997	Suspension — 82.9%
2015	26	46.4%	388	78,884	Suspension — 85.1%
2016	27	50.9%	342	86,697	Suspension — 79.5%
2017	28	55.1%	285	81,246	Suspension — 75.4%
2018	29	57.9%	164	79,739	Suspension — 67.7%
2019	30	55.6%	169	83,075	Suspension — 71.6%
2020	31	54.0%	161	83,578	Suspension — 64.6%
2021	32	51.7%	201	86,743	Suspension — 65.2%
2022	33	57.6%	151	86,488	Brakes — 59.6%
2023	34	66.0%	144	84,170	Suspension — 54.9%
2024	35	57.9%	347	80,767	Suspension — 56.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Volkswagen Polo, with age trends.

Suspension

61.9%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

46.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

46.0%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

41.7%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

33.1%

↑ 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	25.3% (20 yrs)	55.3% (35 yrs)	+30.0%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	33.1% (20 yrs)	56.5% (35 yrs)	+23.4%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	15.9% (20 yrs)	20.2% (35 yrs)	+4.3%	🔴 ↑

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 7,696 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.