Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition reliable?

Based on MOT data from 698 vehicles, the 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition has a first-time MOT pass rate of 94.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Volkswagen Up Black Edition (2021)

698 real MOT outcomes analysed • 94.4% first-time pass rate

2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition

CarHunch analysed 698 real MOT records for the 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 VW Up Black Edition is a genuinely reliable proposition, with a first-time pass rate of 94.1% — well above the UK average of 80% — and only 8.7% of vehicles ever flagged with a dangerous defect, which is reassuring for a budget city car. Petrol models maintain this strong performance consistently at 94.0% pass rate.

At just under 15,000 miles median, these cars are relatively low-mileage for their age, which partly explains the stellar pass rate; the real insight is that owners face almost no failures (0.17 per vehicle) and only minor advisory issues (0.9 per vehicle), suggesting the Up is mechanically straightforward and affordable to maintain. If you're buying one, focus your pre-purchase inspection on bodywork and interior wear rather than mechanical concerns — that's where you'll find the real variation between examples.

The 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (94.4% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

94.4%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

8.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.17

Over 2.2 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

15k

Middle half: 10k–23k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 94.4% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 698 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 698 Volkswagen Up Black Edition cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition

Based on MOT data from 698 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 8.7% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (98%)	681	94.2%	0.18

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,156 Volkswagen Up Black Edition vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 32.3%

697

Blue 21.7%

467

Red 21.2%

458

Silver 13.4%

289

Grey 10.4%

225

Yellow 0.9%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

14,969

typical

9,565

low mileage

22,711

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Edition vehicles fall between 9,565 and 22,711 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 9,565 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 9,565–22,711 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Volkswagen Up Black Editions sit.

⚠ Over 30,659 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

MOT History Averages

2.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.17

Avg failures per vehicle

0.9

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Volkswagen Up Black Edition: All Up Black Edition years → Which year to buy? →

2020 2022 2023

Or browse all models: Volkswagen →

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