How reliable is the Volkswagen E-Up compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Volkswagen E-Up, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 91.7% across 2,498 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Volkswagen E-Up?

The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 42.5% of failed Volkswagen E-Up tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Volkswagen E-Up?

The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 27.1% of all Volkswagen E-Up tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Volkswagen E-Up usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 18,931 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Model reliability file

Volkswagen E-Up MOT pass rate & common failures

From 2,498 recorded MOT tests of the Volkswagen E-Up, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 2,498 MOT tests, 91.7% of Volkswagen E-Up tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Volkswagen E-Up fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is tyre seriously damaged, which appears in 42.5% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 18,931 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

91.7%unadjusted, not comparable2,498 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the E-Up. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 2,498 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

Electric car

How the E-Up compares with other electric cars

At 3 to 5 years old the Volkswagen E-Up passes 91.6% of MOT tests, from 2,463 tests in that age band. Petrol and diesel cars of the same age pass 89.9%, so this model sits 1.7 points above that baseline. Among electric cars it ranks 3 of 43.

There is no emissions test for an electric car and the MOT does not check the battery. Electric cars as a group fail slightly more often than same-age petrol cars, almost entirely on tyres and suspension, because they are heavier and deliver full torque instantly.

Every electric car ranked, and what fails · What the MOT tests on an electric car

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Volkswagen E-Up tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A tyre seriously damaged42.5%
68 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements13.8%
22 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.A tyre cords visible or damaged9.4%
15 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
4.A tyre seriously damaged8.8%
14 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake5.6%
9 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
6.An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.0%
8 occurrencesLamp not working explained
7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen5.0%
8 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
8.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen3.8%
6 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
9.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements3.1%
5 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
10.A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative3.1%
5 occurrencesTyre pressure monitoring system inoperative explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Volkswagen E-Up tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.A tyre seriously damaged27.1%
676 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements17.0%
425 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.3%
82 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured2.2%
56 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.Nail in tyre1.5%
37 tests
6.A tyre seriously damaged1.4%
36 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
7.Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt1.4%
35 tests
8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn1.0%
25 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Volkswagen E-Up

The 17 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

What gets tested

The E-Up fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 18,931
Fuel mix of tested cars: Electric100.0%

Check a specific Volkswagen E-Up

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Volkswagen models

Volkswagen Golf — 78.3% adjusted
Volkswagen Polo — 67.5% adjusted
Volkswagen Transporter — 73.7% adjusted
Volkswagen Tiguan — 77.3% adjusted
Volkswagen Passat — 77.9% adjusted
Volkswagen Caddy — 72.1% adjusted
All Volkswagen models

Common questions

How reliable is the Volkswagen E-Up compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Volkswagen E-Up, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 91.7% across 2,498 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Volkswagen E-Up?: The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 42.5% of failed Volkswagen E-Up tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Volkswagen E-Up?: The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 27.1% of all Volkswagen E-Up tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Volkswagen E-Up usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 18,931 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.