Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0
Volkswagen
2,383 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where E UPs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 14.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
92.2%
Pass-after-fix
1.8%
Fail
5.7%
Avg miles
16,564
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,383 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.5 points across the cohorts — newer E UP examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
90.0%
Fail
7.2%
PRS
1.7%
Avg mileage at test
17,021 mi
Pass
92.6%
Fail
5.3%
PRS
1.9%
Avg mileage at test
16,472 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 2,383 MOT tests, the E-Up returns 92.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A defective wiper blade and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 16,564, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
A tyre seriously damaged
33 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Wiper blade defective
22 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
19 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
12 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
12 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
11 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface
6 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
6 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£80–£140
If every one of this E UP's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.5-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Volkswagen E UP makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.6%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 92.6% — a 2.5-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, blade defective — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
90.0%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 90.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.6% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, has a bulge, caused by separation or…, and does not clear the windscreen effectively. Average mileage on test for this band is 17,021 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (92.6% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (90.0% pass). That's a 2.5-point spread across 402 older tests and 1,981 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Volkswagen Shadow Blue Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Volkswagen Reflex Silver Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Volkswagen Black 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Volkswagen Mars Red 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
EV King · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
EV Charging Cables
8M - 32amp (3 Phase)- Blaupunkt Type 2 Charging Cable 32amp - 3 Phase (22kW) 8M
£329.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
15M - 32amp -Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable Type 2 to Type 2 15M 32amp (7.4kW)
£315.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Evoque Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Sport Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an E UP and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.