2016 Volkswagen Polo 1.4L Petrol · NJ66 OGM

This 2016 Volkswagen Polo presents a clean bill of health at its most recent MOT on 18 June 2025, passing with zero defects at 61,293 miles. That result is significant. The vehicle had failed its prior test just three days earlier in November 2023 at 56,634 miles, with a cluster of issues spanning worn and pitted front and rear brake discs, fluctuating service brakes on all four corners, and excessively worn front suspension arm pins or bushes. The fact that none of those items appeared as defects in the 2025 pass indicates the previous owner addressed the braking and suspension faults between late 2023 and mid-2025. The maintenance trajectory is therefore one of recovery and improvement, moving from a failed state with multiple mechanical advisories to a fully clean record. The mileage profile is consistent and unremarkable. At roughly 6,129 miles per year over a decade, this Polo sits squarely within typical annual usage for its class. There is a notable gap in the MOT record between the November 2023 test at 56,634 miles and the June 2025 test at 61,293 miles, representing an accumulation of 4,659 miles over approximately nineteen months. That is a modest rate of roughly 245 miles per month, suggesting the vehicle saw lighter use or possibly stood for extended periods during that interval. No MOT entries exist for 2024, which is not unusual for a vehicle that may have been laid up or used sparingly, but it does create a gap in documented oversight that a buyer should be aware of. The recurring theme across the MOT history is brake and suspension wear. Brake discs were flagged as worn and pitted in both the November 2023 failure and the November 2022 pass, indicating a pattern of disc degradation that likely reflects sustained use without timely replacement prior to 2023. The front suspension arm bushes were noted as slightly worn in November 2021 at 47,149 miles and had deteriorated to excessively worn by November 2023 at 56,634 miles. That progression over two years and roughly 9,500 miles suggests the bushes were subjected to sustained stress, possibly from poor road conditions or spirited driving. A prospective buyer should inspect the front suspension bushes and ball joints in person, checking for play or deterioration, and examine the condition of the brake discs and pads to confirm the 2025 repairs have held. Tyre condition has been a recurring advisory item. Cracking, perishing, and wear to the legal limit appeared on multiple tyres during the November 2023 tests, and a nail was found in the nearside rear tyre in November 2022. These are consumable items and not structural concerns, but the frequency of tyre-related advisories across consecutive years suggests the previous owners deferred basic upkeep. A buyer should check the date codes and tread depth on all four tyres, including the spare if fitted, and look for signs of age-related sidewall cracking given the vehicle's ten-year age. The clean 2025 result provides reassurance, but the pattern of neglect in earlier years warrants a thorough physical inspection of all rubber components, including suspension bushes, brake hoses, and tyre sidewalls.