1971 Volkswagen Unclassified — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age

55 years

Current Age

75.8%

Latest Pass Rate

5,513

Total Tests (All Years)

43,252 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 1971 Volkswagen Unclassified as it ages.

38 yrs44.9%

→ ↑4.4%

39 yrs49.3%

→ ↑1.1%

40 yrs50.4%

→ ↓1.4%

41 yrs49.0%

→ ↑6.2%

42 yrs55.2%

→ ↓1.5%

43 yrs53.7%

→ ↑4.2%

44 yrs57.9%

→ ↑0.8%

45 yrs58.7%

→ ↓2.7%

46 yrs56.0%

→ ↑4.1%

47 yrs60.1%

→ ↑2.0%

48 yrs62.1%

→ ↑11.5%

49 yrs73.6%

→ ↓1.1%

50 yrs72.5%

→ ↑5.1%

51 yrs77.6%

→ ↑1.6%

52 yrs79.2%

→ ↓3.4%

53 yrs75.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
38 yrs	44.9%	900
39 yrs	49.3%	802
40 yrs	50.4%	677
41 yrs	49.0%	569
42 yrs	55.2%	359
43 yrs	53.7%	307
44 yrs	57.9%	335
45 yrs	58.7%	460
46 yrs	56.0%	475
47 yrs	60.1%	208
48 yrs	62.1%	124
49 yrs	73.6%	87
50 yrs	72.5%	51
51 yrs	77.6%	49
52 yrs	79.2%	48
53 yrs	75.8%	62

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1971 Volkswagen Unclassified pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (53 yrs)	75.8%	62
2023 (52 yrs)	79.2%	48
2022 (51 yrs)	77.6%	49
2021 (50 yrs)	72.5%	51
2020 (49 yrs)	73.6%	87
2019 (48 yrs)	62.1%	124
2018 (47 yrs)	60.1%	208
2017 (46 yrs)	56%	475
2016 (45 yrs)	58.7%	460
2015 (44 yrs)	57.9%	335
2014 (43 yrs)	53.7%	307
2013 (42 yrs)	55.2%	359
2012 (41 yrs)	49%	569
2011 (40 yrs)	50.4%	677
2010 (39 yrs)	49.3%	802
2009 (38 yrs)	44.9%	900

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

44.9%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 900Avg Mileage 50,180Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.8%

2010High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 802Avg Mileage 52,788Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.5%

2011High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 677Avg Mileage 51,061Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.5%

2012High Fail Rate

49.0%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 569Avg Mileage 50,797Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.3%

2013High Fail Rate

55.2%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 359Avg Mileage 51,204Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 70.2%

2014High Fail Rate

53.7%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 307Avg Mileage 45,587Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 90.6%

2015High Fail Rate

57.9%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 335Avg Mileage 49,667Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.5%

2016High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 460Avg Mileage 49,823Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 88.5%

2017High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 475Avg Mileage 50,395Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 77.7%

2018High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 208Avg Mileage 46,969Top Failure Suspension — 57.7%

2019High Fail Rate

62.1%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 124Avg Mileage 45,598Top Failure Suspension — 59.7%

2020

73.6%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 87Avg Mileage 49,129Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 50.6%

2021

72.5%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 51Avg Mileage 41,745Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.9%

2022

77.6%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 49Avg Mileage 39,654Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.6%

2023

79.2%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 48Avg Mileage 38,146Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 37.5%

2024

75.8%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 62Avg Mileage 43,252Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.5%

MOT results for 1971 Volkswagen Unclassified by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	38	44.9%	900	50,180	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.8%
2010	39	49.3%	802	52,788	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.5%
2011	40	50.4%	677	51,061	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.5%
2012	41	49.0%	569	50,797	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.3%
2013	42	55.2%	359	51,204	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 70.2%
2014	43	53.7%	307	45,587	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 90.6%
2015	44	57.9%	335	49,667	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.5%
2016	45	58.7%	460	49,823	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 88.5%
2017	46	56.0%	475	50,395	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 77.7%
2018	47	60.1%	208	46,969	Suspension — 57.7%
2019	48	62.1%	124	45,598	Suspension — 59.7%
2020	49	73.6%	87	49,129	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 50.6%
2021	50	72.5%	51	41,745	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.9%
2022	51	77.6%	49	39,654	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.6%
2023	52	79.2%	48	38,146	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 37.5%
2024	53	75.8%	62	43,252	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1971 Volkswagen Unclassified, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

59.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

42.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

39.4%

— Consistent

Brakes

35.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Driver's View of the Road

21.8%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	31.2% (38 yrs)	14.5% (53 yrs)	-16.7%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	27.9% (38 yrs)	27.4% (53 yrs)	-0.5%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Volkswagen Unclassified cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 5,513 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.