Car statistics by year

2015 Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo cars first registered in 2015: 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 2015, so like is set against like.

A year of the Volkswagen Polo. “2015” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
51,276 MOT tests of 2015 Volkswagen Polo cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 71.8% All 2015 cars 72.6%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 64,700 miles; all 2015 cars 72,100
  • Left at the end of 2025 51,439 96.1% of the 53,513 at the end of 2015
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 7.1% All 2015 cars 7.2%
  • Tests with an advisory 53.7% All 2015 cars 51.7%
  • MOT tests in 2025 51,276 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2015 Volkswagen Polos do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 10 years old, 71.8% of 2015 Volkswagen Polo MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.6% for all cars first registered in 2015. 2015 Volkswagen Polos did about as well as average for their age. A year earlier the same cars passed 72.9% of the time (all 2015 cars 74.3%).

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
’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%
’19 78.7%84.4%
’20 86.4%86.9%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2015 Volkswagen Polo

Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn was the most common single reason a 2015 Volkswagen Polo failed, on 16.6% of about 14,500 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (36.9% of failed tests; all 2015 cars 31.6%). 7.1% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.2% for all cars first registered in 2015. 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 2015 Volkswagen Polo tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 16.6%
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension 8.2%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 8.2%
Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes 7.1%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks 6.7%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 5.7%
Service brake performance: excessively binding Brakes 5.6%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 5.2%
Lever: excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment Brakes 4.7%
Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres 4.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Volkswagen Polo vs all 2015 cars

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

Share of failed 2015 Volkswagen Polo MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2015 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Suspension 36.9%
Brakes 31.3%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 23.8%
Tyres 22.0%
Visibility 14.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks 12.7%
Body, chassis, structure 7.8%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 2.7%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2015 Volkswagen Polo

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 53.7% of 2015 Volkswagen Polo tests had at least one (all 2015 cars 51.7%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2015 Volkswagen Polo tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 18.2%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 12.9%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 12.0%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 11.2%
Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension 6.4%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 5.4%
Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes 3.4%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 3.1%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 2.3%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 2.2%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2015 Volkswagen Polo?

Half of the 2015 Volkswagen Polos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 64,700 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 46,600 and a quarter more than 83,400. For all cars first registered in 2015, the middle figure was 72,100 miles, so 2015 Volkswagen Polos have been driven 10.3% 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, 2015 Volkswagen Polo and all 2015 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2015 Volkswagen Polo 31,600 46,600 64,700 83,400 101,900 49,505
All 2015 cars 36,100 52,200 72,100 94,600 119,500 2,231,507
miles

Half of the 2015 Volkswagen Polos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 64,700 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2015 Volkswagen Polos are left?

At the end of 2015, 53,513 2015 Volkswagen Polos were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 51,439 were: 50,852 licensed and 587 declared off the road (SORN). That is 96.1% still on the record, against 93.2% for all cars first registered in 2015.

Share still on the record since 2015

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2015. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2015 Volkswagen Polos on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2015, compared with all 2015 cars
Year end 2015 Volkswagen PoloAll 2015 cars
2015 100.0%100.0%
2016 100.8%100.7%
2017 99.7%99.9%
2018 97.7%96.7%
2019 98.5%97.6%
2020 98.1%96.9%
2021 97.9%96.7%
2022 97.5%96.1%
2023 97.1%95.3%
2024 96.7%94.3%
2025 96.1%93.2%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2015

3 of the Volkswagen Polo’s 24 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2015. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2015 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2015 may have been built in 2014, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Volkswagen Polo recalls whose build dates include 2015
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
21 Dec 2017 Towing eye in the vehicle tool kit may detach during use 1 Oct 2015 to 31 Jul 2017 110,001 (all models)
23 Jun 2016 Child lock may disengage 25 Nov 2015 to 14 Apr 2016 13,620 (all models)
4 Aug 2015 Backrest may not perform correctly in a collision 21 Apr 2015 to 23 Apr 2015 207

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 51,276 MOT tests of 2015 Volkswagen Polo cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 51,439 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 2015; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2015.
  • 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.