Seat MII
Registered from 2012 to 2021.
About this model
The Volkswagen Up is a city car which was produced by the Volkswagen Group from 2011 to 2023. It is part of the New Small Family (NSF) series of models, alongside the SEAT Mii and Škoda Citigo which are rebadged versions of the Up, with slightly different front and rear fascias. Production began in December 2011 at the Volkswagen Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, with Volkswagen do Brasil making the model in Taubaté from February 2014 until 2021. The SEAT and Škoda versions were also manufactured in the Bratislava factory, before being withdrawn from sale in 2021 and 2020 respectively. Production of the Up ended in October 2023. A battery electric version, called E-up, was launched in autumn 2013.
From the Wikipedia article Volkswagen Up, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2013 1.0 petrol. 678 of 4,195 tests failed, 16%.
Better than 67% of 2013 cars. The typical one fails 19%, across 828 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 42% | 286 |
| Lights and electrics | 23% | 155 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 21% | 139 |
| Tyres and wheels | 20% | 137 |
| Suspension | 17% | 112 |
| Body and structure | 13% | 91 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
- An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- 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.
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Fuel system leaking, or missing or ineffective filler cap
Where it stands out against its peers
- Brakes: failed more often than 92% of 2013 cars — 42% of its 678 failed tests, where an ordinary 2013 car has 25%.
- Seat belts and airbags: failed more often than 99% of 2013 cars — 21% of its 678 failed tests, where an ordinary 2013 car has 1%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 42% of its failures
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
- Tyres and wheels — 20% of its failures
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- 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.
- Suspension — 17% of its failures
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Lights and electrics — 23% of its failures
- An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- Seat belts and airbags — 21% of its failures
- Body and structure — 13% of its failures
When it starts failing
At 120–140k miles this one fails 22% of its inspections, against the 24% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 8% | 8% | 165 | |
| 20–40k miles | 11% | 12% | 765 | |
| 40–60k miles | 14% | 16% | 1,311 | |
| 60–80k miles | 19% | 20% | 1,113 | |
| 80–100k miles | 23% | 22% | 564 | |
| 100–120k miles | 23% | 24% | 176 | |
| 120–140k miles | 22% | 24% | 77 |
4,171 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 40k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2021 | electric · 1235 kg · 2417 mm wheelbase · 139 Wh/km |
| 2020 | electric · 1235 kg · 2417 mm wheelbase · 149 Wh/km |
| 2019 | 1.0 petrol · 936 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 5.2 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 1.0 petrol · 930 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 5.2 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 1.0 petrol · 60 hp · 933 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 4.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 1.0 petrol · 65 hp · 931 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2015 | 1.0 petrol · 65 hp · 932 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2014 | 1.0 petrol · 66 hp · 932 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1.0 petrol · 67 hp · 933 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 1.0 petrol · 67 hp · 933 kg · 2407 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
A12/0021/18
The towing eye supplied with the car may have defective welding. If the towing eye is used, it may break with the risk that the towing cable hits people.
Recall of the product from end users