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Volkswagen POLO - 1996

393.9 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 1996 is 337.1 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Volkswagen POLO, model year 1996. Sample size: 353 cars, 717 tests and 2,824 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 353 cars

The 1996 Volkswagen Polo has a higher overall defect rate, with 394 defects per 100 cars compared to the yearly average of 330 defects per 100 cars, reflecting a 20% increase. Notably, the Polo shows significant improvement in steering and lights and electrics, with defect rates substantially lower than the average for these categories. However, it performs worse in critical areas like brakes, wheels, suspensions, and axles, where defect rates are over 40% higher than average. Mileage trends indicate that defect rates increase with more miles driven, particularly in the higher mileage segments.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 353 cars

More model years for Volkswagen POLO

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

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Categories

Brakes
▼ 44.6% worse
197.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 136.6 / 100 tests
  • Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
  • Brakes imbalance across an axle such that: the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. Or in the case of testing on the road, the vehicle deviates excessively from a straight lin
  • Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
  • Brake hose ferrules: excessively corroded
Steering
▲ 64.6% better
10.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 30.8 / 100 tests
  • Power steering pipe, hose or wiring: excessively damaged or corroded
  • Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
Visibility
▼ 13.0% worse
31.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 27.6 / 100 tests
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
  • Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
  • Wiper blade: defective
  • Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured: but not adversely affecting driver’s view
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Lights & Electrics
▲ 32.6% better
44.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 66.2 / 100 tests
  • A battery insecure: but not likely to fall from carrier
  • Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
  • A headlamp: missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
  • A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
  • Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
Wheels & Suspension
▼ 41.1% worse
330.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 234.4 / 100 tests
  • A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
  • A wheel bearing: with excessive play
  • A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
  • A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
  • Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Body/Structure
▲ 15.9% better
72.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 86.6 / 100 tests
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • 6.1.1 (d) (i)
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
Equipment
▲ 23.8% better
19.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 26.0 / 100 tests
  • is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
  • A seat belt: webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened
  • An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
  • is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
  • Audible warning:
Other
▼ 21.5% worse
80.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 65.9 / 100 tests
  • Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
  • Emissions levels exceed default limits
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits
  • Emissions test unable to be completed

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 584 0–31,000 mi 31,000–62,000 62,000–93,000 93,000–124,000 124,000+
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.

Most common faults (Top 10)

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 252
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 214
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 205
A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 173
A wheel bearing: with excessive play
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 143
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 139
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 113
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 107
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 75
Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 75

Serious faults (Top 10)

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm … is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 41
is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
FAIL
Occurrences: 30
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 30
Brakes imbalance across an axle such that: the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. Or in the case of testing on the road, the vehicle deviates excessively from a straight lin
FAIL
Occurrences: 25
Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
FAIL
Occurrences: 23
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
FAIL
Occurrences: 19
Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
FAIL
Occurrences: 18
Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 17
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits
FAIL
Occurrences: 17
Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
FAIL
Occurrences: 17