Volkswagen
Lupo
11,911 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Lupos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 9.3 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
68.3%
Pass-after-fix
5.3%
Fail
25.3%
Avg miles
90,478
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Lupo: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 8,834 MOT tests, the Lupo returns 67.5% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a split CV-joint boot. A defective headlamp lens and headlamp aim out of spec round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 87,432, 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.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–32
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–32
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
494 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
444 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 03
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
443 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
394 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 05
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
371 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 06
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
344 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 07
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
304 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 08
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
259 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
243 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
235 occurrences · 2.0% 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
£20–£160
If every one of this Lupo'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 →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Buying or keeping a Lupo?
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 a Lupo 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.