Does the Volkswagen up! fail the MOT on body, chassis and structure more than it should?
The Volkswagen up! records 1.49 body, chassis and structure failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 2.04 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−0.55, 95% interval −0.58 to −0.51). It ranks 344 of 663 models on body, chassis and structure (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on body, chassis and structure · check a Volkswagen up! by registration
What exactly fails on body, chassis and structure?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volkswagen up! is “Fuel system leaking, or missing or ineffective filler cap”, recorded 5,366 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system leaking, or missing or ineffective filler cap | 5,366 | 0.82 |
| Exhaust system leaking or insecure | 1,615 | 0.25 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated | 820 | 0.12 |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 463 | 0.07 |
| Fire risk due to fuel tank shield or exhaust shield missing where fitted as original equipment | 434 | 0.07 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 656,392 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Volkswagen up! gets a body, chassis and structure advisory, how often does it fail next time?
10.9% of Volkswagen up! MOTs with a body, chassis and structure advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 6,501 miles later (3,286 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,286 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Volkswagen up! 2012 · 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! 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