Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2019 Volkswagen Up?

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 2019 Volkswagen Up?

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 2019 Volkswagen Up?

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 2019 Volkswagen Up reliable?

Based on MOT data from 8,267 vehicles, the 2019 Volkswagen Up has a first-time MOT pass rate of 93%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2019 Volkswagen Up?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2019 Volkswagen Up are: Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (26.3% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (25.7% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (17.9% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2019 Volkswagen Up?

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.

CarHunch

Get Started

Volkswagen Up (2019)

8,267 real MOT outcomes analysed • 93% first-time pass rate

2019 Volkswagen Up

CarHunch analysed 8,267 real MOT records for the 2019 Volkswagen Up. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2019 VW Up is a genuinely reliable performer, with a 92.5% first-time pass rate that significantly outpaces the UK average of 80%—and fewer than 1 in 10 owners have ever encountered a dangerous defect. This is a petrol-only cohort, and the consistency across all 8,264 vehicles analysed suggests the Up's engineering is solid and predictable.

At just over 20,000 miles median for a five-year-old car, these Ups are running well within normal wear parameters, which explains the low failure rate of 0.38 per vehicle and the modest advisory count of 2.9. When you buy one, budget for minor maintenance (the advisories are typical wear items), but the mechanical core is sound enough that you should prioritise inspection history and service records over hunting for a lower-mileage example.

The 2019 Volkswagen Up passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (93% 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

93%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

9.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.38

Over 4.5 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

20k

Middle half: 13k–30k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 93% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 2.9 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 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 8,267 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.

A solid choice — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 8,267 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 26.3%

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 8%

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively · Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 5.1%

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread · Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Lighting 4.9%

Vehicles internal headlight adjuster altered to recheck lights

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Suspension & steering 3.1%

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2019.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 8,267 Volkswagen Up cars.

Before you buy a 2019 Volkswagen Up

Based on MOT data from 8,267 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 9.8% 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 (100%)	8,264	93%	0.38

Colour Breakdown

Based on 125,934 Volkswagen Up vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

White 27.6%

34,729

Red 25.2%

31,765

Black 17.6%

22,144

Blue 14.9%

18,756

Silver 12.5%

15,728

Yellow 1%

1,298

Orange 0.7%

921

Grey 0.2%

291

Purple 0.2%

204

Gold 0.1%

Turquoise 0%

Brown 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2019 Volkswagen Up 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.

20,258

typical

12,923

low mileage

29,541

high mileage

Half of all 2019 Volkswagen Up vehicles fall between 12,923 and 29,541 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 12,923 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.

✓ 12,923–29,541 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2019 Volkswagen Ups sit.

⚠ Over 39,880 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2019 Volkswagen Up — Still on the Road

Almost all 2019 Volkswagen Ups are still on the road.

Strong survival — 8,043 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 100% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2022–2025.

MOT History Averages

4.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.38

Avg failures per vehicle

2.9

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021 2022 2023

Or browse all models: Volkswagen →

Compare with another model

See how the 2019 Volkswagen Up stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?