Fault File
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Volkswagen up!

All generations and engines together · 125,481 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 40k

First-time failure at age 7
17.2%
Across 12,742 tests. The average across all tracked models is 19.5%.
Rank at age 7
98 of 239
1 = lowest failure rate among the models tracked.
Typical mileage at age 7
40k miles
Check the mileage view below; low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

How this model wears

Volkswagen up!Class average, all tracked models

Known issues

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 50,148 tests in this band.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
9.6%class 5.9%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
2.7%class 0.9%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
2.1%class 1.3%
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Advisory
2.0%class 0.7%
Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
Advisory
1.4%class 1.1%
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source m
Fail
1.1%class 0.4%
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Advisory
1.1%class 1.9%
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
Fail
1.0%class 0.8%
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.
Advisory
1.0%class 0.6%
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Fail
1.0%class 0.2%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
27.7%class 12.7%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
15.8%class 22.9%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
8.4%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
4.1%class 8.7%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
3.9%class 3.4%
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
Advisory
2.6%class 1.5%
A tyre seriously damaged
Fail
2.2%class 1.8%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
2.1%class 1.7%

Unconfirmed issues

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Premature clutch failure

Emerging

Owners have reported clutches wearing out or failing well before you'd expect, in some cases as early as 2,000 to 12,500 miles, and others failing by 28,000 miles. It shows up as a slipping or juddering pedal and a bite point that's crept high. Replacement runs to roughly £1,100, and while some cars are fixed under warranty, VW hasn't put out any public acknowledgement or fix for it.

Reported 2,000-28,000 miles · sources: Honest John

ASG automated-manual gearbox glitches

Automatics only

The ASG automated manual (VW's clutchless auto option, not a true DSG) has a history of clumsy gear selection, stalling on hill starts, and reluctance to engage reverse when the car's cold. One reported case had a car slipping out of 5th gear at 24,000 miles, with a repair bill around £2,500, and another showed a transmission whine pointing to a failing bearing near 30,000 miles. Doesn't affect manual cars.

Reported 24,000-30,000 miles · sources: Honest John

Electrical gremlins, especially the daytime running lights

Emerging

Electrical faults are the single most commonly reported problem type on the up!, from daytime running lights that blow repeatedly to ABS and traction control warning lights coming on for no obvious reason. Carbuyer's owner survey found electrical gremlins were the top cause among the roughly a quarter of owners who reported any fault at all. It's rarely a big-money repair on its own, but a car with several unresolved warning lights is a bad sign of neglect.

Reported across ages · sources: Honest John, Carbuyer

EGR fault dropping the engine onto two cylinders

Disputed

A handful of owners have reported the three-cylinder engine intermittently running on two cylinders, with the engine management light coming on, traced to the EGR system. It's not clear how widespread this is: reports are thin and isolated to specific cars rather than a pattern across the model range, so treat it as a possibility to check for rather than an established fault.

Reported on 2013-era cars · sources: Honest John

Paint blistering and wheelarch corrosion

Disputed

Some early cars have shown paint runs and blistering around door edges, the bonnet and boot, and penetrative rust starting at the top of the front wheelarches. Owners and VW dealers disagree on whether this is covered once the three-year paint warranty has run out, which is why it's marked disputed rather than confirmed. Worth a proper look in good light at a viewing since a respray or wing repair isn't cheap.

Reported on early cars · sources: Honest John

Bulkhead seal water leak into the footwell

Emerging

A failed bulkhead seal has been reported letting rainwater into the driver's footwell, leaving carpets damp and eventually musty. It's not a common complaint compared with the clutch or electrical issues, but it's an expensive one to trace and fix properly, around £1,000, since the dash often has to come out to get at the seal.

Reported occasionally · sources: Honest John

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

Push the clutch pedal and find the bite point on the test drive. A bite point high off the floor, or a juddery, slipping feel, points to the known early clutch wear.
If it's an ASG automatic, try a cold hill start and select reverse straight away. Hesitation, stalling, or reluctance to engage reverse when cold is the reported ASG fault, not just an odd gearbox feel.
Run the engine and check both daytime running lights are lit. A dead DRL is the most commonly reported electrical fault on this car.
Watch the dash on a cold start and during the drive for the engine management light. A light that comes on with a rough, two-cylinder feel points at the reported EGR fault.
Check the wheelarch tops and door edges in daylight, running a hand over the paint. Bubbling paint or rust starting at the arch tops is the reported corrosion pattern, and VW may not cover it out of warranty.
Lift the footwell carpets and sniff for damp or mildew. A musty smell or wet carpet means the bulkhead seal has let water in, an expensive fix to trace properly.
Ask to see invoices for any clutch or gearbox work. A car on its second clutch, or with unexplained gearbox bills, suggests you're buying someone else's ongoing problem.

Others in its class

Same segment (City cars), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.

Toyota Aygo15.3%Suzuki Celerio15.8%Mitsubishi Mirage16.4%Peugeot 10817.0%Citroen C118.3%Smart Fortwo18.6%See all City carsreliability ranked

How it compares

Head to head with the other popular cars in its class on reliability and common faults.

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