1997 Volkswagen Polo — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

62.1%

Latest Pass Rate

164,920

Total Tests (All Years)

73,301 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 1997 Volkswagen Polo as it ages.

12 yrs48.5%

→ ↓2.1%

13 yrs46.4%

→ ↓0.9%

14 yrs45.5%

→ ↓0.8%

15 yrs44.7%

→ ↓0.8%

16 yrs43.9%

→ ↑0.7%

17 yrs44.6%

→ ↑2.1%

18 yrs46.7%

→ ↑1.4%

19 yrs48.1%

→ ↑2.7%

20 yrs50.8%

→ ↑1.2%

21 yrs52.0%

→ ↑4.4%

22 yrs56.4%

→ ↑0.4%

23 yrs56.8%

→ ↑1.0%

24 yrs57.8%

→ ↑0.4%

25 yrs58.2%

→ ↓2.5%

26 yrs55.7%

→ ↑6.4%

27 yrs62.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	48.5%	37,024
13 yrs	46.4%	31,950
14 yrs	45.5%	26,516
15 yrs	44.7%	20,455
16 yrs	43.9%	15,081
17 yrs	44.6%	10,731
18 yrs	46.7%	7,680
19 yrs	48.1%	5,218
20 yrs	50.8%	3,607
21 yrs	52.0%	1,715
22 yrs	56.4%	1,216
23 yrs	56.8%	938
24 yrs	57.8%	844
25 yrs	58.2%	558
26 yrs	55.7%	501
27 yrs	62.1%	886

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Volkswagen Polo pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	62.1%	886
2023 (26 yrs)	55.7%	501
2022 (25 yrs)	58.2%	558
2021 (24 yrs)	57.8%	844
2020 (23 yrs)	56.8%	938
2019 (22 yrs)	56.4%	1,216
2018 (21 yrs)	52%	1,715
2017 (20 yrs)	50.8%	3,607
2016 (19 yrs)	48.1%	5,218
2015 (18 yrs)	46.7%	7,680
2014 (17 yrs)	44.6%	10,731
2013 (16 yrs)	43.9%	15,081
2012 (15 yrs)	44.7%	20,455
2011 (14 yrs)	45.5%	26,516
2010 (13 yrs)	46.4%	31,950
2009 (12 yrs)	48.5%	37,024

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

48.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 37,024Avg Mileage 80,931Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.7%

2010High Fail Rate

46.4%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 31,950Avg Mileage 84,859Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.6%

2011High Fail Rate

45.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 26,516Avg Mileage 86,268Top Failure Suspension — 31.3%

2012High Fail Rate

44.7%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 20,455Avg Mileage 86,853Top Failure Suspension — 32.2%

2013High Fail Rate

43.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 15,081Avg Mileage 86,434Top Failure Suspension — 78.1%

2014High Fail Rate

44.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 10,731Avg Mileage 85,323Top Failure Suspension — 79.7%

2015High Fail Rate

46.7%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 7,680Avg Mileage 84,410Top Failure Suspension — 75.7%

2016High Fail Rate

48.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 5,218Avg Mileage 82,126Top Failure Suspension — 72.3%

2017High Fail Rate

50.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,607Avg Mileage 79,769Top Failure Suspension — 66.7%

2018High Fail Rate

52.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,715Avg Mileage 77,463Top Failure Suspension — 66.6%

2019High Fail Rate

56.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,216Avg Mileage 76,048Top Failure Suspension — 62.1%

2020High Fail Rate

56.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 938Avg Mileage 75,570Top Failure Suspension — 55.1%

2021High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 844Avg Mileage 75,052Top Failure Suspension — 63.2%

2022High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 558Avg Mileage 74,758Top Failure Suspension — 65.2%

2023High Fail Rate

55.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 501Avg Mileage 74,809Top Failure Suspension — 66.1%

2024High Fail Rate

62.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 886Avg Mileage 73,301Top Failure Suspension — 60.0%

MOT results for 1997 Volkswagen Polo by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	48.5%	37,024	80,931	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.7%
2010	13	46.4%	31,950	84,859	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.6%
2011	14	45.5%	26,516	86,268	Suspension — 31.3%
2012	15	44.7%	20,455	86,853	Suspension — 32.2%
2013	16	43.9%	15,081	86,434	Suspension — 78.1%
2014	17	44.6%	10,731	85,323	Suspension — 79.7%
2015	18	46.7%	7,680	84,410	Suspension — 75.7%
2016	19	48.1%	5,218	82,126	Suspension — 72.3%
2017	20	50.8%	3,607	79,769	Suspension — 66.7%
2018	21	52.0%	1,715	77,463	Suspension — 66.6%
2019	22	56.4%	1,216	76,048	Suspension — 62.1%
2020	23	56.8%	938	75,570	Suspension — 55.1%
2021	24	57.8%	844	75,052	Suspension — 63.2%
2022	25	58.2%	558	74,758	Suspension — 65.2%
2023	26	55.7%	501	74,809	Suspension — 66.1%
2024	27	62.1%	886	73,301	Suspension — 60.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Volkswagen Polo, with age trends.

Suspension

58.1%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

46.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

36.4%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

28.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.2%

↑ 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	26.4% (12 yrs)	60.0% (27 yrs)	+33.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	23.2% (12 yrs)	35.1% (27 yrs)	+11.9%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	18.5% (12 yrs)	26.4% (27 yrs)	+7.9%	🔴 ↑

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 164,920 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.