Across the 4 registration years we hold, the Volkswagen Polo sat 581,258 MOT tests and passed first time 75.9% of the time, below the 80.5% national average for cars aged 3 to 8. The strongest year is the 2017 at 80.2%, the weakest the 2014 at 69.5%. Pick a year for the full record, or check a specific reg.
Best year to buy. On this data the 2017 Polo is the strongest at 80.2%, 10.7 points clear of the 2014. The newer registrations pass more often, a 10.7-point swing from 2014 to 2017 that usually marks a facelift or new generation.
Reliability by registration year
What fails across the range
Brakes46.5%
Lights & electrics7.4%
Emissions & leaks4%
Body & structure3.5%
Wheels0.5%
Share of tests flagging each component, averaged across every Polo year, weighted by test volume.
First-time MOT pass rate · DVSA bulk data · 2022-2024 · class 4 cars · updated 2026-07-07