1978 Volkswagen Unclassified — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1978 perform at MOT as they age

48 years

Current Age

62.5%

Latest Pass Rate

1,127

Total Tests (All Years)

59,171 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 1978 Volkswagen Unclassified as it ages.

31 yrs45.6%

→ ↓3.0%

32 yrs42.6%

→ ↑7.0%

33 yrs49.6%

→ ↓8.1%

34 yrs41.5%

→ ↑6.6%

35 yrs48.1%

→ ↑13.7%

36 yrs61.8%

→ ↓5.6%

37 yrs56.2%

→ ↑2.7%

38 yrs58.9%

→ ↓5.7%

39 yrs53.2%

→ ↑18.9%

40 yrs72.1%

→ ↓13.4%

41 yrs58.7%

→ ↑3.8%

42 yrs62.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
31 yrs	45.6%	147
32 yrs	42.6%	129
33 yrs	49.6%	125
34 yrs	41.5%	118
35 yrs	48.1%	81
36 yrs	61.8%	76
37 yrs	56.2%	89
38 yrs	58.9%	107
39 yrs	53.2%	109
40 yrs	72.1%	68
41 yrs	58.7%	46
42 yrs	62.5%	32

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1978 Volkswagen Unclassified pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (42 yrs)	62.5%	32
2019 (41 yrs)	58.7%	46
2018 (40 yrs)	72.1%	68
2017 (39 yrs)	53.2%	109
2016 (38 yrs)	58.9%	107
2015 (37 yrs)	56.2%	89
2014 (36 yrs)	61.8%	76
2013 (35 yrs)	48.1%	81
2012 (34 yrs)	41.5%	118
2011 (33 yrs)	49.6%	125
2010 (32 yrs)	42.6%	129
2009 (31 yrs)	45.6%	147

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 147Avg Mileage 64,536Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.7%

2010High Fail Rate

42.6%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 129Avg Mileage 69,779Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%

2011High Fail Rate

49.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 125Avg Mileage 66,061Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.6%

2012High Fail Rate

41.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 118Avg Mileage 68,927Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.4%

2013High Fail Rate

48.1%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 81Avg Mileage 66,759Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.1%

2014High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 76Avg Mileage 58,778Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.9%

2015High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 89Avg Mileage 72,955Top Failure Suspension — 42.7%

2016High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 107Avg Mileage 67,170Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 55.1%

2017High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 109Avg Mileage 57,191Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 74.3%

2018

72.1%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 68Avg Mileage 53,754Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 29.4%

2019High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 46Avg Mileage 54,132Top Failure Brakes — 37.0%

2020High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 32Avg Mileage 59,171Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 75.0%

MOT results for 1978 Volkswagen Unclassified by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	31	45.6%	147	64,536	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.7%
2010	32	42.6%	129	69,779	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%
2011	33	49.6%	125	66,061	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.6%
2012	34	41.5%	118	68,927	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.4%
2013	35	48.1%	81	66,759	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.1%
2014	36	61.8%	76	58,778	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.9%
2015	37	56.2%	89	72,955	Suspension — 42.7%
2016	38	58.9%	107	67,170	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 55.1%
2017	39	53.2%	109	57,191	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 74.3%
2018	40	72.1%	68	53,754	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 29.4%
2019	41	58.7%	46	54,132	Brakes — 37.0%
2020	42	62.5%	32	59,171	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 75.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1978 Volkswagen Unclassified, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

47.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

47.1%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

36.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

31.9%

↑ Increases with age

Driver's View of the Road

27.1%

↓ 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	32.0% (31 yrs)	56.3% (42 yrs)	+24.3%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	25.2% (31 yrs)	34.4% (42 yrs)	+9.2%	🔴 ↑

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 1978 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,127 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.