Car statistics by year

2013 Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo cars first registered in 2013: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2013, so like is set against like.

A year of the Volkswagen Polo. “2013” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
38,297 MOT tests of 2013 Volkswagen Polo cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 62.5% All 2013 cars 66.0%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 75,700 miles; all 2013 cars 84,900
  • Left at the end of 2025 37,814 92.2% of the 41,026 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 7.3% All 2013 cars 8.6%
  • Tests with an advisory 58.8% All 2013 cars 58.8%
  • MOT tests in 2025 38,297 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2013 Volkswagen Polos do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 12 years old, 62.5% of 2013 Volkswagen Polo MOT tests were passed first time, against 66.0% for all cars first registered in 2013. 2013 Volkswagen Polos did worse than average for their age, by 3.5 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 63.6% of the time (all 2013 cars 67.2%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Volkswagen Polo vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Volkswagen Polo bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Volkswagen Polo compared with all cars
First registered Volkswagen PoloAll cars
’07 51.5%57.3%
’08 51.3%57.0%
’09 53.2%58.2%
’10 56.2%59.3%
’11 57.6%61.5%
’12 60.7%63.6%
’13 62.5%66.0%
’14 66.7%69.1%
’15 71.8%72.6%
’16 74.4%75.6%
’17 76.4%79.1%
’18 74.9%81.8%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2013 Volkswagen Polo

Headlamp: not working on dipped beam was the most common single reason a 2013 Volkswagen Polo failed, on 10.6% of about 14,400 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (45.8% of failed tests; all 2013 cars 39.8%). 7.3% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 8.6% for all cars first registered in 2013. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2013 Volkswagen Polo tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 10.6%
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension 10.5%
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 9.2%
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 8.4%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 7.9%
Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension 7.3%
Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes 6.3%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 6.2%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 6.1%
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.8%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Volkswagen Polo vs all 2013 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2013 Volkswagen Polo MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2013 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 45.8%
Suspension 35.4%
Brakes 25.8%
Tyres 17.6%
Body, chassis, structure 12.8%
Visibility 12.8%
Noise, emissions and leaks 11.9%
Steering 7.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2013 Volkswagen Polo

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 58.8% of 2013 Volkswagen Polo tests had at least one (all 2013 cars 58.8%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2013 Volkswagen Polo tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 18.3%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 11.5%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 11.0%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 10.8%
Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension 7.6%
Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories 6.8%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 5.3%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 4.9%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 4.9%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 4.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2013 Volkswagen Polo?

Half of the 2013 Volkswagen Polos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 75,700 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 55,600 and a quarter more than 96,300. For all cars first registered in 2013, the middle figure was 84,900 miles, so 2013 Volkswagen Polos have been driven 10.8% less far than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2013 Volkswagen Polo and all 2013 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2013 Volkswagen Polo 38,900 55,600 75,700 96,300 116,000 36,813
All 2013 cars 43,600 62,100 84,900 110,100 136,600 1,772,152
miles

Half of the 2013 Volkswagen Polos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 75,700 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2013 Volkswagen Polos are left?

At the end of 2014, 41,026 2013 Volkswagen Polos were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 37,814 were: 36,585 licensed and 1,229 declared off the road (SORN). That is 92.2% still on the record, against 86.9% for all cars first registered in 2013.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2013 Volkswagen Polos on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 2013 cars
Year end 2013 Volkswagen PoloAll 2013 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 98.6%98.9%
2016 98.8%96.4%
2017 99.5%97.2%
2018 99.1%96.3%
2019 98.1%95.5%
2020 96.8%94.3%
2021 96.7%93.9%
2022 95.8%92.7%
2023 94.9%91.1%
2024 93.7%89.2%
2025 92.2%86.9%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2013

4 of the Volkswagen Polo’s 24 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2013. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2013 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2013 may have been built in 2012, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Volkswagen Polo recalls whose build dates include 2013
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
22 Aug 2025 Takata front drivers or passenger airbag replacement 8 Nov 2006 to 7 May 2009 and 8 Aug 2009 to 11 Oct 2013 43
13 Jun 2023 Takata Front airbag 3 Nov 2006 to 7 May 2009 and 3 Aug 2009 to 31 Oct 2013 67,860
9 Aug 2019 The housing bolts on the camshelf adjuster may come loose 17 Dec 2013 to 4 Dec 2014 472 (all models)
5 Dec 2014 Fuel may leak 1 Apr 2010 to 1 Apr 2014 18,314

Every Volkswagen Polo recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Volkswagen Polo

24 years of the Volkswagen Polo, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2022 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (91.6% passed first time) and the 2003 cars worst (48.1%).

Volkswagen Polos by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
1999 2,629 60.2% 65.4%
2000 5,112 54.0% 63.1%
2001 6,181 55.1% 61.5%
2002 7,055 49.0% 59.7%
2003 10,681 48.1% 58.9%
2004 12,456 47.9% 57.9%
2005 14,316 47.2% 57.7%
2006 18,139 48.4% 56.9%
2007 21,318 51.5% 57.3%
2008 23,569 51.3% 57.0%
2009 22,026 53.2% 58.2%
2010 35,846 56.2% 59.3%
2011 37,698 57.6% 61.5%
2012 36,229 60.7% 63.6%
2013 37,814 62.5% 66.0%
2014 45,902 44,054 66.7% 69.1%
2015 53,513 51,439 71.8% 72.6%
2016 52,860 51,632 74.4% 75.6%
2017 45,894 45,532 76.4% 79.1%
2018 43,750 43,293 74.9% 81.8%
2019 35,969 35,916 78.7% 84.4%
2020 26,334 26,050 86.4% 86.9%
2021 30,202 29,589 88.0% 88.4%
2022 23,171 22,347 91.6% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 38,297 MOT tests of 2013 Volkswagen Polo cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 37,814 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Volkswagen Polo cars first registered in 2013; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2013.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.