Volkswagen High Up
From 555 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake and a tyre seriously damaged. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 11 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 11 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 10 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 7 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 6 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 5 |
| excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution. | 5 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 5 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 4 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 4 |
| fuel system leaking, or missing or ineffective filler cap | 3 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 53.3% of failures are serious: 45% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 8.3% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £93.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 85.7% | a tyre seriously damaged, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 2013 | 80.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
Typical mileage
Half of all High Ups tested had between 34,396 and 75,383 miles on the clock.
At 52,579 median miles, the High Up has 0.031 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Volkswagen models
| Volkswagen Golf | 79.1% |
| Volkswagen Polo | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Transporter | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 84.6% |
| Volkswagen Passat | 76.9% |
Common questions
What is the Volkswagen High Up MOT pass rate?
The Volkswagen High Up has a 83.6% MOT pass rate based on 555 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Volkswagen High Up?
The most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen High Up is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 11 failures. Other common issues include significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake.
What is the typical mileage of a Volkswagen High Up at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Volkswagen High Up is 52,579 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 34,396 and 75,383 miles.
Buying a used High Up?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 83.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £93 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.