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

Based on MOT data from 950 vehicles, the 2021 Volkswagen Up has a first-time MOT pass rate of 95.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2021 Volkswagen Up?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2021 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 2021 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.

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Volkswagen Up (2021)

950 real MOT outcomes analysed • 95.4% first-time pass rate

2021 Volkswagen Up

CarHunch analysed 950 real MOT records for the 2021 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? →

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

The 2021 Volkswagen UP is significantly more reliable than the UK average, with a first-time pass rate of 94.7% compared to the national 80%—and only 3.2% have ever suffered a dangerous defect, which is well below typical concern thresholds. This is a genuinely trustworthy car for its age and class.

At just under 16,000 miles median, these cars are lightly used, which partly explains the strong pass rates, but the real story is in the low failure count of just 0.14 per vehicle—most issues caught are minor advisories rather than structural problems. If you're buying one, check the service history carefully since these cars are young enough that neglect would show up quickly in the MOT record.

The 2021 Volkswagen Up passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (95.4% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

First-time pass

95.4%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

3.2%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.14

Over 2.2 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

16k

Middle half: 9k–25k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 95.4% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

These stats describe 950 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 950 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.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2021.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 950 Volkswagen Up cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Volkswagen Up

Based on MOT data from 950 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 3.2% 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 (97%)	924	95.4%	0.14

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%

Multi-colour 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 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.

15,935

typical

9,443

low mileage

24,602

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Volkswagen Up vehicles fall between 9,443 and 24,602 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 9,443 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.

✓ 9,443–24,602 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Volkswagen Ups sit.

⚠ Over 33,212 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

0.14

Avg failures per vehicle

0.8

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023

Or browse all models: Volkswagen →

Compare with another model

See how the 2021 Volkswagen Up stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?