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Volkswagen Polo — Reliability by Year

1,153,223 vehicles · MOT data 1980–2023 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volkswagen Polo was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

✓
Best pass rate year
2022
95.9% pass rate · 6,572 vehicles
⚠
Lowest pass rate year
1986
62.8% pass rate · 3,825 vehicles
Year Pass rate Avg mileage Vehicles
2023 First MOTs due 2026+ 19,216 mi 439
2022
95.9%
19,952 mi 6,572
2021
92.5%
23,399 mi 6,203
2020
91.3%
25,646 mi 13,606
2019
88.2%
28,957 mi 36,525
2018
86.5%
32,728 mi 43,900
2017
86.8%
35,687 mi 46,380
2016
85.9%
40,151 mi 52,676
2015
84.4%
44,051 mi 52,816
2014
81.3%
47,837 mi 46,396
2013
79.3%
51,382 mi 41,412
2012
78.5%
54,709 mi 41,062
2011
76.6%
57,994 mi 44,986
2010
76.0%
59,741 mi 43,944
2009
75.7%
59,164 mi 28,818
2008
74.5%
62,884 mi 34,339
2007
74.1%
64,406 mi 35,386
2006
72.8%
66,155 mi 36,869
2005
70.3%
66,538 mi 39,189
2004
70.2%
67,679 mi 41,951
2003
70.2%
67,339 mi 47,305
2002
69.3%
68,692 mi 40,823
2001
70.2%
68,735 mi 43,042
2000
69.9%
73,709 mi 43,388
1999
71.3%
71,746 mi 41,918
1998
69.9%
75,054 mi 45,573
1997
68.3%
80,510 mi 51,735
1996
67.2%
86,115 mi 42,063
1995
66.8%
88,645 mi 21,543
1994
67.0%
77,179 mi 10,021
1993
67.4%
83,322 mi 10,407
1992
67.3%
84,754 mi 10,769
1991
67.8%
89,266 mi 10,736
1990
64.8%
85,268 mi 7,118
1989
64.0%
85,280 mi 6,588
1988
63.4%
84,507 mi 5,760
1987
63.4%
80,103 mi 4,769
1986
62.8%
79,532 mi 3,825
1985
65.3%
74,246 mi 3,449
1984
66.1%
70,977 mi 4,721
1983
68.1%
67,662 mi 2,512
1982
67.2%
73,877 mi 932
1981
69.3%
59,307 mi 436
1980
68.4%
52,627 mi 321

* UK vehicles require their first MOT at 3 years old. Recent model years shown in grey have little or no MOT test data yet — pass rate data will build up as those vehicles mature.

Which year Volkswagen Polo is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 19,952 miles (newest year) to 89,266 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Volkswagen Polo.

See the buying guide →

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