Volkswagen Beetle 2015: MOT failure rate for its age
24.6% of 19,594 MOT tests of the Volkswagen Beetle first registered in 2015 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 99.7 (95% CI 96.9–102.5; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2015 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 24.6 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 19594 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 96.9–102.5) | 99.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 19594 |
| Rank among this model's 20 build years | 11 | of 20 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 19594 |
| Tested in 2024 | 3259 | tests | median 54,847 miles | 2024 | 3259 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle fail at each age?
Cars built in 2015 were tested at ages 4 to 9 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3,308 | 16.1 | 14.9–17.4 | 17.7 | 91.3 |
| 5 | 3,242 | 21.2 | 19.8–22.6 | 20.7 | 102.5 |
| 6 | 3,263 | 24.6 | 23.2–26.1 | 24.5 | 100.3 |
| 7 | 3,264 | 26.4 | 25–28 | 26.1 | 101.3 |
| 8 | 3,258 | 28.2 | 26.7–29.8 | 28.3 | 99.8 |
| 9 | 3,259 | 31 | 29.4–32.6 | 30.7 | 100.9 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 19,594 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2015 is suspension: 14.4 items per 100 first tests, against 22.2 across all build years of the Volkswagen Beetle. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2015 were tested at ages 4 to 9.
| Failure group | Built 2015, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 14.4 | 22.2 | 2,824 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.4 | 34.2 | 1,453 |
| Visibility | 7.3 | 13.4 | 1,430 |
| Tyres | 7.1 | 9.1 | 1,395 |
| Brakes | 3.5 | 15.1 | 677 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 19,594 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2015 compare with the years around it?
Among the 20 published build years of the Volkswagen Beetle, 2015 ranks 11 (1 = fails least for its age). 2014: index 99.8. 2016: index 103.0.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 86.7 | 71.0–102.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 246 |
| 2000 | 102.2 | 99.3–105.2 | no different | 8,246 |
| 2001 | 98.2 | 95.9–100.6 | no different | 12,321 |
| 2002 | 99.1 | 96.9–101.3 | no different | 14,574 |
| 2003 | 100.4 | 98.7–102.1 | no different | 25,135 |
| 2004 | 100.5 | 98.9–102.0 | no different | 31,156 |
| 2005 | 94.8 | 93.2–96.5 | better | 26,250 |
| 2006 | 97.8 | 96.0–99.6 | better | 23,044 |
| 2007 | 103.8 | 101.7–105.8 | worse | 20,114 |
| 2008 | 103.1 | 100.8–105.5 | worse | 15,850 |
| 2009 | 102.6 | 99.8–105.5 | no different | 11,285 |
| 2010 | 99.2 | 96.4–101.9 | no different | 13,050 |
| 2011 | 102.6 | 97.4–107.8 | no different | 4,102 |
| 2012 | 95.4 | 92.6–98.3 | better | 13,497 |
| 2013 | 99.7 | 97.5–101.9 | no different | 26,626 |
| 2014 | 99.8 | 97.3–102.3 | no different | 21,718 |
| 2015 | 99.7 | 96.9–102.5 | no different | 19,594 |
| 2016 | 103.0 | 99.3–106.7 | no different | 13,648 |
| 2017 | 95.8 | 90.8–100.8 | no different | 7,877 |
| 2018 | 91.9 | 84.5–99.4 | better (rough estimate) | 3,658 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 311,991 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Volkswagen Beetle 2015 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/volkswagen-beetle/2015/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Volkswagen Beetle 1999 · Volkswagen Beetle 2000 · Volkswagen Beetle 2001 · Volkswagen Beetle 2002 · Volkswagen Beetle 2003 · Volkswagen Beetle 2004 · Volkswagen Beetle 2005 · Volkswagen Beetle 2006 · Volkswagen Beetle 2007 · Volkswagen Beetle 2008 · Volkswagen Beetle 2009 · Volkswagen Beetle 2010 · Volkswagen Beetle 2011 · Volkswagen Beetle 2012 · Volkswagen Beetle 2013 · Volkswagen Beetle 2014 · Volkswagen Beetle 2016 · Volkswagen Beetle 2017 · Volkswagen Beetle 2018 · Volkswagen Beetle in Norway · Volkswagen Beetle in Finland · Volkswagen Beetle in the Netherlands · Volkswagen Beetle by postcode area · Volkswagen Beetle body, chassis and structure failures · Volkswagen Beetle brakes failures · Volkswagen Beetle vehicle identification failures · Volkswagen Beetle lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volkswagen Beetle noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volkswagen Beetle road wheels failures · Volkswagen Beetle seat belts and airbags failures · Volkswagen Beetle steering failures · Volkswagen Beetle suspension failures · Volkswagen Beetle tyres failures · Volkswagen Beetle visibility failures