MOT performance
Volkswagen Beetle diesel: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 22,202 MOT tests on diesel Volkswagen Beetles in 2023–2024 (on average 11.5 years old at test, median 78,146 miles), 61.5% passed first time, against 57.1% of 69,486 petrol Volkswagen Beetle tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, diesel Volkswagen Beetles failed 21% more often than comparable cars — 1.21× against 1.17× for the Volkswagen Beetle as a whole.
22,202 MOT tests on 11,382 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 61.5% | ±0.6 pts (95%), n = 22,202 |
| All Volkswagen Beetles | 58.2% | n = 91,710 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.21× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Volkswagen Beetle overall 1.17× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 8.5% | n = 22,202 |
| Average age at test | 11.5 years | n = 22,202 |
| Registration years covered | 1998–2018 | DVSA first-use date |
Diesel against the other Volkswagen Beetle fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The diesel cars were tested 3.2 years younger on average than the petrol ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 69,486 | 14.7 yrs | 57.1% | +15% | 8.3% |
| Diesel | 22,202 | 11.5 yrs | 61.5% | +21% | 8.5% |
Where diesel Volkswagen Beetles differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: diesel Volkswagen Beetles failed 34% less often than the Volkswagen Beetle overall, relative to comparable cars (1.07× vs 1.61×).
- Steering: diesel Volkswagen Beetles failed 33% less often than the Volkswagen Beetle overall, relative to comparable cars (1.23× vs 1.85×).
- Suspension: diesel Volkswagen Beetles failed 22% more often than the Volkswagen Beetle overall, relative to comparable cars (1.49× vs 1.22×).
- Body, chassis and structure: diesel Volkswagen Beetles failed 21% less often than the Volkswagen Beetle overall, relative to comparable cars (0.99× vs 1.26×).
| Area | Diesel (vs similar) | All Volkswagen Beetles (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 16.9% (+35%) | 19.5% (+23%) |
| Suspension | 16.7% (+49%) | 15.5% (+22%) |
| Brakes | 8.6% (Same) | 9.2% (-2%) |
| Tyres | 7.3% (+9%) | 6.6% (+1%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 5.0% (+5%) | 7.1% (+19%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 4.8% (-1%) | 7.2% (+26%) |
| Steering | 3.3% (+23%) | 5.0% (+85%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.1% (+7%) | 8.4% (+61%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 2.3% (+56%) | 3.0% (+81%) |
Most common diesel Volkswagen Beetle failure items
1 of these 5 items is not among the Volkswagen Beetle's ten most common failures overall.
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Rear fog lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 6.22% |
| Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 6.05% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 5.45% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 2.69% |
| Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 2.64% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | diesel pass rate (tests) | petrol pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | — | 80.6% (500) |
| 5-6 | 72.7% (1,500) | 78.8% (3,523) |
| 7-8 | 68.5% (4,590) | 72.8% (6,249) |
| 9-10 | 65.6% (7,115) | 67.7% (7,967) |
| 11-12 | 63.8% (1,709) | 64.2% (5,330) |
| 13-15 | 51.4% (1,625) | 51.8% (10,933) |
| 16+ | 49.4% (5,555) | 49.9% (34,982) |
Volkswagen Beetle by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2001 Volkswagen Beetle · 49.4%
- 2002 Volkswagen Beetle · 47.5%
- 2003 Volkswagen Beetle · 48.3%
- 2004 Volkswagen Beetle · 47.8%
- 2005 Volkswagen Beetle · 51.1%
- 2006 Volkswagen Beetle · 49.4%
- 2007 Volkswagen Beetle · 48.7%
- 2008 Volkswagen Beetle · 49.1%
- 2009 Volkswagen Beetle · 52.8%
- 2010 Volkswagen Beetle · 56.5%
- 2012 Volkswagen Beetle · 65.8%
- 2013 Volkswagen Beetle · 65.8%
- 2014 Volkswagen Beetle · 68.2%
- 2015 Volkswagen Beetle · 70.4%
- 2016 Volkswagen Beetle · 71.9%
- 2017 Volkswagen Beetle · 76.4%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific diesel Volkswagen Beetle
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.