1989 Volkswagen Unclassified — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

80.5%

Latest Pass Rate

1,336

Total Tests (All Years)

107,241 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 1989 Volkswagen Unclassified as it ages.

20 yrs49.1%

→ ↑2.7%

21 yrs51.8%

→ ↑2.5%

22 yrs54.3%

→ ↑4.5%

23 yrs58.8%

→ ↓11.5%

24 yrs47.3%

→ ↑10.1%

25 yrs57.4%

→ ↑7.7%

26 yrs65.1%

→ ↓1.0%

27 yrs64.1%

→ ↑2.6%

28 yrs66.7%

→ ↓6.3%

29 yrs60.4%

→ ↑4.0%

30 yrs64.4%

→ ↑5.8%

31 yrs70.2%

→ ↓5.3%

32 yrs64.9%

→ ↓3.8%

33 yrs61.1%

→ ↑1.7%

34 yrs62.8%

→ ↑17.7%

35 yrs80.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	49.1%	167
21 yrs	51.8%	139
22 yrs	54.3%	105
23 yrs	58.8%	85
24 yrs	47.3%	55
25 yrs	57.4%	54
26 yrs	65.1%	63
27 yrs	64.1%	64
28 yrs	66.7%	69
29 yrs	60.4%	53
30 yrs	64.4%	59
31 yrs	70.2%	57
32 yrs	64.9%	57
33 yrs	61.1%	72
34 yrs	62.8%	78
35 yrs	80.5%	159

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Volkswagen Unclassified pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	80.5%	159
2023 (34 yrs)	62.8%	78
2022 (33 yrs)	61.1%	72
2021 (32 yrs)	64.9%	57
2020 (31 yrs)	70.2%	57
2019 (30 yrs)	64.4%	59
2018 (29 yrs)	60.4%	53
2017 (28 yrs)	66.7%	69
2016 (27 yrs)	64.1%	64
2015 (26 yrs)	65.1%	63
2014 (25 yrs)	57.4%	54
2013 (24 yrs)	47.3%	55
2012 (23 yrs)	58.8%	85
2011 (22 yrs)	54.3%	105
2010 (21 yrs)	51.8%	139
2009 (20 yrs)	49.1%	167

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

49.1%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 167Avg Mileage 135,388Top Failure Brakes — 32.9%

2010High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 139Avg Mileage 122,881Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.9%

2011High Fail Rate

54.3%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 105Avg Mileage 126,469Top Failure Brakes — 29.5%

2012High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 85Avg Mileage 129,182Top Failure Suspension — 23.5%

2013High Fail Rate

47.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 55Avg Mileage 135,862Top Failure Brakes — 58.2%

2014High Fail Rate

57.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 54Avg Mileage 136,557Top Failure Brakes — 77.8%

2015

65.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 63Avg Mileage 135,983Top Failure Suspension — 44.4%

2016High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 64Avg Mileage 133,977Top Failure Brakes — 59.4%

2017

66.7%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 69Avg Mileage 128,589Top Failure Brakes — 44.9%

2018High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 53Avg Mileage 147,105Top Failure Brakes — 69.8%

2019High Fail Rate

64.4%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 59Avg Mileage 125,665Top Failure Brakes — 50.8%

2020

70.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 57Avg Mileage 122,187Top Failure Suspension — 54.4%

2021High Fail Rate

64.9%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 57Avg Mileage 103,960Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 35.1%

2022High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 72Avg Mileage 115,107Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.2%

2023High Fail Rate

62.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 78Avg Mileage 119,696Top Failure Suspension — 55.1%

2024

80.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 159Avg Mileage 107,241Top Failure Suspension — 17.6%

MOT results for 1989 Volkswagen Unclassified by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	49.1%	167	135,388	Brakes — 32.9%
2010	21	51.8%	139	122,881	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.9%
2011	22	54.3%	105	126,469	Brakes — 29.5%
2012	23	58.8%	85	129,182	Suspension — 23.5%
2013	24	47.3%	55	135,862	Brakes — 58.2%
2014	25	57.4%	54	136,557	Brakes — 77.8%
2015	26	65.1%	63	135,983	Suspension — 44.4%
2016	27	64.1%	64	133,977	Brakes — 59.4%
2017	28	66.7%	69	128,589	Brakes — 44.9%
2018	29	60.4%	53	147,105	Brakes — 69.8%
2019	30	64.4%	59	125,665	Brakes — 50.8%
2020	31	70.2%	57	122,187	Suspension — 54.4%
2021	32	64.9%	57	103,960	Body, chassis, structure — 35.1%
2022	33	61.1%	72	115,107	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.2%
2023	34	62.8%	78	119,696	Suspension — 55.1%
2024	35	80.5%	159	107,241	Suspension — 17.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Volkswagen Unclassified, with age trends.

Brakes

41.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

33.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

32.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

24.6%

↓ 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	32.9% (20 yrs)	9.4% (35 yrs)	-23.5%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	28.7% (20 yrs)	17.6% (35 yrs)	-11.1%	🟢 ↓

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,336 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.