Volkswagen Beetle: emissions & environmental MOT failures
Emissions & environmental was a recorded failure area in 6.5% of Volkswagen Beetle MOT tests in this dataset. It is most prominent on 2000, 2001 cars.
More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair cost: £100–£600 (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Emissions & environmental failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 371 | 7.8% |
| 2000 | 6,666 | 13.0% |
| 2001 | 9,434 | 13.2% |
| 2003 | 21,432 | 11.8% |
| 2004 | 28,286 | 10.9% |
| 2016 | 13,840 | 1.6% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.