1998 Volkswagen Polo — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

56.2%

Latest Pass Rate

175,999

Total Tests (All Years)

67,026 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 1998 Volkswagen Polo as it ages.

11 yrs52.8%

→ ↓2.0%

12 yrs50.8%

→ ↓2.2%

13 yrs48.6%

→ ↓0.7%

14 yrs47.9%

→ ↓0.4%

15 yrs47.5%

→ ↓1.4%

16 yrs46.1%

→ ↑3.5%

17 yrs49.6%

→ ↑1.5%

18 yrs51.1%

→ ↑1.2%

19 yrs52.3%

→ ↑2.3%

20 yrs54.6%

→ ↑1.2%

21 yrs55.8%

→ ↑3.0%

22 yrs58.8%

→ ↓0.7%

23 yrs58.1%

→ ↓0.3%

24 yrs57.8%

→ ↑0.3%

25 yrs58.1%

→ ↓1.9%

26 yrs56.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	52.8%	35,773
12 yrs	50.8%	31,533
13 yrs	48.6%	27,564
14 yrs	47.9%	22,187
15 yrs	47.5%	17,355
16 yrs	46.1%	12,839
17 yrs	49.6%	9,223
18 yrs	51.1%	6,550
19 yrs	52.3%	4,459
20 yrs	54.6%	2,153
21 yrs	55.8%	1,669
22 yrs	58.8%	1,164
23 yrs	58.1%	1,049
24 yrs	57.8%	663
25 yrs	58.1%	635
26 yrs	56.2%	1,183

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Volkswagen Polo pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	56.2%	1,183
2023 (25 yrs)	58.1%	635
2022 (24 yrs)	57.8%	663
2021 (23 yrs)	58.1%	1,049
2020 (22 yrs)	58.8%	1,164
2019 (21 yrs)	55.8%	1,669
2018 (20 yrs)	54.6%	2,153
2017 (19 yrs)	52.3%	4,459
2016 (18 yrs)	51.1%	6,550
2015 (17 yrs)	49.6%	9,223
2014 (16 yrs)	46.1%	12,839
2013 (15 yrs)	47.5%	17,355
2012 (14 yrs)	47.9%	22,187
2011 (13 yrs)	48.6%	27,564
2010 (12 yrs)	50.8%	31,533
2009 (11 yrs)	52.8%	35,773

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.8%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 35,773Avg Mileage 75,000Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.6%

2010High Fail Rate

50.8%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 31,533Avg Mileage 79,284Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.7%

2011High Fail Rate

48.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 27,564Avg Mileage 81,990Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%

2012High Fail Rate

47.9%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 22,187Avg Mileage 83,058Top Failure Suspension — 28.5%

2013High Fail Rate

47.5%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 17,355Avg Mileage 83,759Top Failure Suspension — 63.5%

2014High Fail Rate

46.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 12,839Avg Mileage 83,519Top Failure Suspension — 69.4%

2015High Fail Rate

49.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 9,223Avg Mileage 82,849Top Failure Suspension — 63.8%

2016High Fail Rate

51.1%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 6,550Avg Mileage 81,023Top Failure Suspension — 62.4%

2017High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,459Avg Mileage 77,957Top Failure Suspension — 62.1%

2018High Fail Rate

54.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 2,153Avg Mileage 75,258Top Failure Suspension — 59.5%

2019High Fail Rate

55.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,669Avg Mileage 75,024Top Failure Suspension — 66.4%

2020High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,164Avg Mileage 72,880Top Failure Suspension — 63.3%

2021High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,049Avg Mileage 70,222Top Failure Suspension — 62.2%

2022High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 663Avg Mileage 70,118Top Failure Suspension — 55.8%

2023High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 635Avg Mileage 69,790Top Failure Suspension — 63.0%

2024High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,183Avg Mileage 67,026Top Failure Suspension — 55.3%

MOT results for 1998 Volkswagen Polo by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	52.8%	35,773	75,000	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.6%
2010	12	50.8%	31,533	79,284	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.7%
2011	13	48.6%	27,564	81,990	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%
2012	14	47.9%	22,187	83,058	Suspension — 28.5%
2013	15	47.5%	17,355	83,759	Suspension — 63.5%
2014	16	46.1%	12,839	83,519	Suspension — 69.4%
2015	17	49.6%	9,223	82,849	Suspension — 63.8%
2016	18	51.1%	6,550	81,023	Suspension — 62.4%
2017	19	52.3%	4,459	77,957	Suspension — 62.1%
2018	20	54.6%	2,153	75,258	Suspension — 59.5%
2019	21	55.8%	1,669	75,024	Suspension — 66.4%
2020	22	58.8%	1,164	72,880	Suspension — 63.3%
2021	23	58.1%	1,049	70,222	Suspension — 62.2%
2022	24	57.8%	663	70,118	Suspension — 55.8%
2023	25	58.1%	635	69,790	Suspension — 63.0%
2024	26	56.2%	1,183	67,026	Suspension — 55.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Volkswagen Polo, with age trends.

Suspension

53.1%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

45.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

33.3%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

27.1%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

25.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	22.1% (11 yrs)	55.3% (26 yrs)	+33.2%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	19.6% (11 yrs)	51.5% (26 yrs)	+31.9%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	17.0% (11 yrs)	28.5% (26 yrs)	+11.5%	🔴 ↑

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 175,999 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.