1996 Volkswagen Polo — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

57.0%

Latest Pass Rate

117,167

Total Tests (All Years)

75,290 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 1996 Volkswagen Polo as it ages.

13 yrs45.6%

→ ↓1.2%

14 yrs44.4%

→ ↓1.0%

15 yrs43.4%

→ ↓0.5%

16 yrs42.9%

→ ↓0.0%

17 yrs42.9%

→ ↑0.7%

18 yrs43.6%

→ ↑2.0%

19 yrs45.6%

→ ↑3.6%

20 yrs49.2%

→ ↓1.3%

21 yrs47.9%

→ ↑5.5%

22 yrs53.4%

→ ↑3.8%

23 yrs57.2%

→ ↓1.9%

24 yrs55.3%

→ ↑3.5%

25 yrs58.8%

→ ↓1.2%

26 yrs57.6%

→ ↑3.2%

27 yrs60.8%

→ ↓3.8%

28 yrs57.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	45.6%	28,072
14 yrs	44.4%	23,412
15 yrs	43.4%	18,803
16 yrs	42.9%	14,148
17 yrs	42.9%	10,138
18 yrs	43.6%	7,156
19 yrs	45.6%	4,997
20 yrs	49.2%	3,400
21 yrs	47.9%	2,341
22 yrs	53.4%	1,091
23 yrs	57.2%	830
24 yrs	55.3%	609
25 yrs	58.8%	599
26 yrs	57.6%	410
27 yrs	60.8%	408
28 yrs	57.0%	753

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Volkswagen Polo pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	57%	753
2023 (27 yrs)	60.8%	408
2022 (26 yrs)	57.6%	410
2021 (25 yrs)	58.8%	599
2020 (24 yrs)	55.3%	609
2019 (23 yrs)	57.2%	830
2018 (22 yrs)	53.4%	1,091
2017 (21 yrs)	47.9%	2,341
2016 (20 yrs)	49.2%	3,400
2015 (19 yrs)	45.6%	4,997
2014 (18 yrs)	43.6%	7,156
2013 (17 yrs)	42.9%	10,138
2012 (16 yrs)	42.9%	14,148
2011 (15 yrs)	43.4%	18,803
2010 (14 yrs)	44.4%	23,412
2009 (13 yrs)	45.6%	28,072

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 28,072Avg Mileage 86,892Top Failure Suspension — 30.8%

2010High Fail Rate

44.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 23,412Avg Mileage 90,269Top Failure Suspension — 32.9%

2011High Fail Rate

43.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 18,803Avg Mileage 91,541Top Failure Suspension — 34.6%

2012High Fail Rate

42.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 14,148Avg Mileage 91,592Top Failure Suspension — 35.6%

2013High Fail Rate

42.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 10,138Avg Mileage 90,532Top Failure Suspension — 87.8%

2014High Fail Rate

43.6%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 7,156Avg Mileage 90,036Top Failure Suspension — 88.2%

2015High Fail Rate

45.6%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,997Avg Mileage 87,943Top Failure Suspension — 84.4%

2016High Fail Rate

49.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,400Avg Mileage 85,803Top Failure Suspension — 85.5%

2017High Fail Rate

47.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,341Avg Mileage 83,576Top Failure Suspension — 79.8%

2018High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,091Avg Mileage 80,211Top Failure Suspension — 69.0%

2019High Fail Rate

57.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 830Avg Mileage 77,350Top Failure Suspension — 57.1%

2020High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 609Avg Mileage 78,490Top Failure Suspension — 61.4%

2021High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 599Avg Mileage 75,601Top Failure Suspension — 62.4%

2022High Fail Rate

57.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 410Avg Mileage 72,580Top Failure Suspension — 75.6%

2023High Fail Rate

60.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 408Avg Mileage 75,476Top Failure Suspension — 66.2%

2024High Fail Rate

57.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 753Avg Mileage 75,290Top Failure Suspension — 61.5%

MOT results for 1996 Volkswagen Polo by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	45.6%	28,072	86,892	Suspension — 30.8%
2010	14	44.4%	23,412	90,269	Suspension — 32.9%
2011	15	43.4%	18,803	91,541	Suspension — 34.6%
2012	16	42.9%	14,148	91,592	Suspension — 35.6%
2013	17	42.9%	10,138	90,532	Suspension — 87.8%
2014	18	43.6%	7,156	90,036	Suspension — 88.2%
2015	19	45.6%	4,997	87,943	Suspension — 84.4%
2016	20	49.2%	3,400	85,803	Suspension — 85.5%
2017	21	47.9%	2,341	83,576	Suspension — 79.8%
2018	22	53.4%	1,091	80,211	Suspension — 69.0%
2019	23	57.2%	830	77,350	Suspension — 57.1%
2020	24	55.3%	609	78,490	Suspension — 61.4%
2021	25	58.8%	599	75,601	Suspension — 62.4%
2022	26	57.6%	410	72,580	Suspension — 75.6%
2023	27	60.8%	408	75,476	Suspension — 66.2%
2024	28	57.0%	753	75,290	Suspension — 61.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Volkswagen Polo, with age trends.

Suspension

63.3%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

57.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

37.3%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

26.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

24.4%

↑ 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
Suspension	30.8% (13 yrs)	61.5% (28 yrs)	+30.7%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	29.2% (13 yrs)	50.3% (28 yrs)	+21.1%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	19.1% (13 yrs)	22.6% (28 yrs)	+3.5%	🔴 ↑

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 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 117,167 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.