1972 Volkswagen Unclassified — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1972 perform at MOT as they age

54 years

Current Age

63.2%

Latest Pass Rate

1,669

Total Tests (All Years)

35,506 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 1972 Volkswagen Unclassified as it ages.

37 yrs46.4%

→ ↑1.0%

38 yrs47.4%

→ ↑7.4%

39 yrs54.8%

→ ↓4.8%

40 yrs50.0%

→ ↑9.8%

41 yrs59.8%

→ ↑3.2%

42 yrs63.0%

→ ↑0.6%

43 yrs63.6%

→ ↓0.7%

44 yrs62.9%

→ ↑2.0%

45 yrs64.9%

→ ↓2.1%

46 yrs62.8%

→ ↑10.2%

47 yrs73.0%

→ ↑3.2%

48 yrs76.2%

→ ↓10.4%

49 yrs65.8%

→ ↑0.9%

50 yrs66.7%

→ ↑6.6%

51 yrs73.3%

→ ↓10.1%

52 yrs63.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
37 yrs	46.4%	192
38 yrs	47.4%	171
39 yrs	54.8%	168
40 yrs	50.0%	126
41 yrs	59.8%	87
42 yrs	63.0%	81
43 yrs	63.6%	107
44 yrs	62.9%	140
45 yrs	64.9%	148
46 yrs	62.8%	78
47 yrs	73.0%	63
48 yrs	76.2%	42
49 yrs	65.8%	73
50 yrs	66.7%	57
51 yrs	73.3%	60
52 yrs	63.2%	76

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1972 Volkswagen Unclassified pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (52 yrs)	63.2%	76
2023 (51 yrs)	73.3%	60
2022 (50 yrs)	66.7%	57
2021 (49 yrs)	65.8%	73
2020 (48 yrs)	76.2%	42
2019 (47 yrs)	73%	63
2018 (46 yrs)	62.8%	78
2017 (45 yrs)	64.9%	148
2016 (44 yrs)	62.9%	140
2015 (43 yrs)	63.6%	107
2014 (42 yrs)	63%	81
2013 (41 yrs)	59.8%	87
2012 (40 yrs)	50%	126
2011 (39 yrs)	54.8%	168
2010 (38 yrs)	47.4%	171
2009 (37 yrs)	46.4%	192

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

46.4%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 192Avg Mileage 53,892Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.1%

2010High Fail Rate

47.4%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 171Avg Mileage 58,643Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.8%

2011High Fail Rate

54.8%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 168Avg Mileage 52,627Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%

2012High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 126Avg Mileage 54,277Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.1%

2013High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 87Avg Mileage 52,996Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.3%

2014High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 81Avg Mileage 50,700Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 76.5%

2015High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 107Avg Mileage 53,692Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.5%

2016High Fail Rate

62.9%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 140Avg Mileage 54,530Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.3%

2017High Fail Rate

64.9%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 148Avg Mileage 52,850Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 70.9%

2018High Fail Rate

62.8%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 78Avg Mileage 42,681Top Failure Suspension — 46.2%

2019

73.0%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 63Avg Mileage 49,826Top Failure Brakes — 55.6%

2020

76.2%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 42Avg Mileage 36,177Top Failure Suspension — 45.2%

2021

65.8%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 73Avg Mileage 45,540Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.5%

2022

66.7%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 57Avg Mileage 41,770Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.6%

2023

73.3%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 60Avg Mileage 44,053Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 46.7%

2024High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 76Avg Mileage 35,506Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.6%

MOT results for 1972 Volkswagen Unclassified by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	37	46.4%	192	53,892	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.1%
2010	38	47.4%	171	58,643	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.8%
2011	39	54.8%	168	52,627	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%
2012	40	50.0%	126	54,277	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.1%
2013	41	59.8%	87	52,996	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.3%
2014	42	63.0%	81	50,700	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 76.5%
2015	43	63.6%	107	53,692	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.5%
2016	44	62.9%	140	54,530	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.3%
2017	45	64.9%	148	52,850	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 70.9%
2018	46	62.8%	78	42,681	Suspension — 46.2%
2019	47	73.0%	63	49,826	Brakes — 55.6%
2020	48	76.2%	42	36,177	Suspension — 45.2%
2021	49	65.8%	73	45,540	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.5%
2022	50	66.7%	57	41,770	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.6%
2023	51	73.3%	60	44,053	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 46.7%
2024	52	63.2%	76	35,506	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1972 Volkswagen Unclassified, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

54.4%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

37.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

35.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

24.4%

↓ Decreases 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	28.6% (37 yrs)	17.1% (52 yrs)	-11.5%	🟢 ↓
Steering	17.7% (37 yrs)	13.2% (52 yrs)	-4.5%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	30.7% (37 yrs)	26.3% (52 yrs)	-4.4%	🟢 ↓

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 1972 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,669 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.