Car statistics by year

2017 Volkswagen Up

Volkswagen Up cars first registered in 2017: 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 2017, so like is set against like.

A year of the Volkswagen Up. “2017” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
13,202 MOT tests of 2017 Volkswagen Up cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 81.4% All 2017 cars 79.1%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 39,600 miles; all 2017 cars 58,200
  • Left at the end of 2025 13,108 98.7% of the 13,284 at the end of 2017
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 4.1% All 2017 cars 6.3%
  • Tests with an advisory 42.5% All 2017 cars 45.7%
  • MOT tests in 2025 13,202 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2017 Volkswagen Ups do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 8 years old, 81.4% of 2017 Volkswagen Up MOT tests were passed first time, against 79.1% for all cars first registered in 2017. 2017 Volkswagen Ups did better than average for their age, by 2.3 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 82.6% of the time (all 2017 cars 80.7%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Volkswagen Up 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 Up bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Volkswagen Up compared with all cars
First registered Volkswagen UpAll cars
’12 73.9%63.6%
’13 76.2%66.0%
’14 77.4%69.1%
’15 77.5%72.6%
’16 76.3%75.6%
’17 81.4%79.1%
’18 84.8%81.8%
’19 88.4%84.4%
’20 90.5%86.9%
’21 90.5%88.4%
’22 90.3%89.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2017 Volkswagen Up

Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn was the most common single reason a 2017 Volkswagen Up failed, on 14.0% of about 2,500 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (34.6% of failed tests; all 2017 cars 25.0%). 4.1% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.3% for all cars first registered in 2017. 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 2017 Volkswagen Up tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 14.0%
Rear fog lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 10.6%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 8.9%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 8.2%
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 6.5%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 6.4%
Service brake performance: excessively binding Brakes 6.0%
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 5.2%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 4.6%
Tyres: tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres 4.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Volkswagen Up vs all 2017 cars

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

Share of failed 2017 Volkswagen Up MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2017 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 34.6%
Suspension 22.4%
Tyres 20.8%
Brakes 20.1%
Visibility 16.7%
Body, chassis, structure 5.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks 5.6%
Identification of the vehicle 1.7%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2017 Volkswagen Up

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 42.5% of 2017 Volkswagen Up tests had at least one (all 2017 cars 45.7%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2017 Volkswagen Up tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 15.8%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 10.2%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 7.5%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 7.4%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 4.0%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 3.4%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 3.2%
Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes 2.1%
Nail in tyre Non-component advisories 1.4%
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories 1.1%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2017 Volkswagen Up?

Half of the 2017 Volkswagen Ups tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 39,600 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 26,100 and a quarter more than 55,200. For all cars first registered in 2017, the middle figure was 58,200 miles, so 2017 Volkswagen Ups have been driven 32.0% 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, 2017 Volkswagen Up and all 2017 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2017 Volkswagen Up 16,300 26,100 39,600 55,200 72,200 12,836
All 2017 cars 28,400 41,600 58,200 77,000 98,000 2,218,578
miles

Half of the 2017 Volkswagen Ups tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 39,600 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2017 Volkswagen Ups are left?

At the end of 2017, 13,284 2017 Volkswagen Ups were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 13,108 were: 12,997 licensed and 111 declared off the road (SORN). That is 98.7% still on the record, against 95.8% for all cars first registered in 2017.

Share still on the record since 2017

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2017. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2017 Volkswagen Ups on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2017, compared with all 2017 cars
Year end 2017 Volkswagen UpAll 2017 cars
2017 100.0%100.0%
2018 100.5%100.7%
2019 100.0%100.0%
2020 97.1%95.7%
2021 98.4%97.3%
2022 98.9%97.6%
2023 98.9%97.0%
2024 98.6%96.5%
2025 98.7%95.8%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2017

1 of the Volkswagen Up’s 8 recalls in DVSA’s records covers cars built during 2017.

The 2017 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2017 may have been built in 2016, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Volkswagen Up recalls whose build dates include 2017
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)

Every Volkswagen Up 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 Up

11 years of the Volkswagen Up, 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 2012 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (73.9% passed first time) and the 2016 cars worst (76.3%).

Volkswagen Ups by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2012 13,615 73.9% 63.6%
2013 19,821 76.2% 66.0%
2014 22,068 21,253 77.4% 69.1%
2015 16,623 16,123 77.5% 72.6%
2016 12,928 12,740 76.3% 75.6%
2017 13,284 13,108 81.4% 79.1%
2018 13,049 12,811 84.8% 81.8%
2019 8,304 8,212 88.4% 84.4%
2020 3,515 3,451 90.5% 86.9%
2021 4,466 4,317 90.5% 88.4%
2022 3,346 3,257 90.3% 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 13,202 MOT tests of 2017 Volkswagen Up cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 13,108 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Volkswagen Up cars first registered in 2017; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2017.
  • 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.