Volkswagen Beetle
Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 24 years from 89,303 real MOT tests.
Avg Pass Rate
72%
Total Tests
89,303
Best Year
2018 (85%)
Years Covered
24
How reliable is the Volkswagen Beetle?
Volkswagen Beetle by Year
| Year | Pass Rate | Tests | Avg Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 85% | 1,642 | 36,156 mi |
| 2017 | 83% | 2,903 | 43,575 mi |
| 2016 | 82% | 4,498 | 52,150 mi |
| 2015 | 80% | 6,389 | 58,268 mi |
| 2014 | 79% | 7,334 | 65,889 mi |
| 2013 | 78% | 9,521 | 74,053 mi |
| 2012 | 79% | 4,871 | 75,723 mi |
| 2011 | 74% | 1,296 | 77,381 mi |
| 2010 | 72% | 4,069 | 82,153 mi |
| 2009 | 72% | 3,732 | 87,937 mi |
| 2008 | 68% | 5,007 | 93,584 mi |
| 2007 | 67% | 6,111 | 96,440 mi |
| 2006 | 67% | 6,520 | 102,252 mi |
| 2005 | 68% | 6,429 | 102,064 mi |
| 2004 | 67% | 7,230 | 107,318 mi |
| 2003 | 65% | 5,254 | 108,762 mi |
| 2002 | 67% | 2,479 | 106,749 mi |
| 2001 | 66% | 2,142 | 102,524 mi |
| 2000 | 66% | 1,513 | 103,321 mi |
| 1999 | 73% | 134 | 78,457 mi |
| 1998 | 79% | 70 | 66,190 mi |
| 1997 | 64% | 83 | 46,829 mi |
| 1991 | 47% | 38 | 34,927 mi |
| 1990 | 71% | 38 | 41,089 mi |
Checking a specific Volkswagen Beetle?
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About the Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle has been tested 89,303 times in 2024 MOT data across 24 model years (1990 to 2018), with an average pass rate of 72%. That's 10 points below the national average of 82%, so check the year-by-year data carefully before buying. Available as petrol and diesel and electric.
Best and Worst Years
The 2018 model is the most reliable with a 85% pass rate from 1,642 tests. The 1991 model has the lowest at 47%. With a 38 point spread, choosing the right year makes a big difference to reliability.
Reliability Trend
Newer VOLKSWAGEN BEETLEs show better MOT pass rates than older ones, with an average improvement of 9 percentage points.
Mileage Across Years
The oldest model in our data (1990) averages 41,089 miles, while the newest (2018) averages 36,156 miles.
Compared to the Volkswagen brand average of 85%, the Beetle is 13 points lower, placing it among the less reliable Volkswagen models.
Click any year in the table above to see detailed running costs, individual reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.