Volkswagen Polo vs Volkswagen Thing: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Volkswagen Polo
73%
MOT pass rate · 1,167,422 vehicles
Volkswagen Thing
87%
MOT pass rate · 3 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Volkswagen Polo (73%) and Volkswagen Thing (87%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Head to head
| Measure | Volkswagen Polo | Volkswagen Thing |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 73% | 87% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 27% | 13% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 2.0 ✓ | 3.1 |
| Dangerous-fault share | 2% | 0% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 88,804 mi | 326,020 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 1,167,422 | 3 |
Most common faults
Volkswagen Polo
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
Volkswagen Thing
- Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)
- Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)
- Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
- Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)
- Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)
- Oil leak
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate the Volkswagen Polo (73%) and Volkswagen Thing (87%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Full Volkswagen Polo report Full Volkswagen Thing report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.