Volkswagen up! 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
21.1% of 82,741 MOT tests of the Volkswagen up! first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 98.7 (95% CI 97.2–100.1; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2012 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 | 21.1 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 82741 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 97.2–100.1) | 98.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 82741 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 6 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 82741 |
| Tested in 2024 | 13900 | tests | median 65,563 miles | 2024 | 13900 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 Volkswagen up! fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 13,999 | 17.8 | 17.1–18.4 | 19.4 | 91.4 |
| 8 | 13,556 | 18.9 | 18.2–19.5 | 19.5 | 96.5 |
| 9 | 13,674 | 19.7 | 19–20.4 | 20.5 | 96.2 |
| 10 | 13,771 | 21.2 | 20.6–21.9 | 21.1 | 100.5 |
| 11 | 13,841 | 23.1 | 22.4–23.8 | 22.6 | 101.9 |
| 12 | 13,900 | 26.2 | 25.4–26.9 | 25.3 | 103.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 82,741 (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 2012 Volkswagen up!?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is brakes: 10.1 items per 100 first tests, against 5.8 across all build years of the Volkswagen up!. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 10.1 | 5.8 | 8,361 |
| Visibility | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5,026 |
| Tyres | 6 | 4.8 | 4,953 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3,730 |
| Suspension | 3.2 | 2 | 2,640 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 82,741 (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 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Volkswagen up!, 2012 ranks 6 (1 = fails least for its age). 2013: index 99.3.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 98.7 | 97.2–100.1 | no different | 82,741 |
| 2013 | 99.3 | 98.0–100.5 | no different | 118,455 |
| 2014 | 97.3 | 96.0–98.5 | better | 125,350 |
| 2015 | 109.7 | 108.1–111.3 | worse | 97,405 |
| 2016 | 116.9 | 114.9–118.9 | worse | 76,786 |
| 2017 | 97.7 | 95.7–99.7 | better | 67,903 |
| 2018 | 94.2 | 91.9–96.5 | better | 51,689 |
| 2019 | 71.6 | 68.5–74.6 | better | 24,973 |
| 2020 | 81.4 | 74.7–88.1 | better | 6,596 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 651,898 (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 up! 2012 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-up/2012/
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 up! 2013 · Volkswagen up! 2014 · Volkswagen up! 2015 · Volkswagen up! 2016 · Volkswagen up! 2017 · Volkswagen up! 2018 · Volkswagen up! 2019 · Volkswagen up! 2020 · Volkswagen up! in Norway · Volkswagen up! in Finland · Volkswagen up! in the Netherlands · Volkswagen up! by postcode area · Volkswagen up! body, chassis and structure failures · Volkswagen up! brakes failures · Volkswagen up! vehicle identification failures · Volkswagen up! lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volkswagen up! noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volkswagen up! road wheels failures · Volkswagen up! seat belts and airbags failures · Volkswagen up! steering failures · Volkswagen up! suspension failures · Volkswagen up! tyres failures · Volkswagen up! visibility failures