MOT pass rates / Volvo
Volvo MOT pass rates and common failures
Volvo cars passed 72.9% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 464,348 class-4 initial tests and 31 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Volvo 28th of 59 makes in the dataset.
Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Volvo is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.
Checking a Volvo?
Make-level pass rates cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
What Volvo cars fail on
The items most often behind a first-test failure across Volvo model groups, as a share of Volvo tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.
- Condition — 4.8% of Volvo tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.9% of Volvo tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Brake Performance — 2.6% of Volvo tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Position Lamps — 2.4% of Volvo tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Mechanical Brake Components — 2.3% of Volvo tests. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.
- Springs — 2.1% of Volvo tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
- Suspension Arms — 1.9% of Volvo tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Tread Depth — 1.3% of Volvo tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
Volvo MOT pass rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 84,765 | 88.8% |
| 6–9 years | 148,326 | 79.3% |
| 10–14 years | 127,507 | 67.3% |
| 15–30 years | 103,679 | 57.8% |
Volvo models by MOT pass rate
| Model | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Xc60 | 83,913 | 77.6% |
| V40 | 78,789 | 73% |
| Xc90 | 51,474 | 70.8% |
| Xc40 | 47,036 | 89.4% |
| V70 | 32,720 | 63.3% |
| V50 | 26,881 | 54.8% |
| V60 | 24,291 | 75.3% |
| C30 | 20,791 | 58.5% |
| S40 | 16,704 | 57% |
| S60 | 15,844 | 69.6% |
| Xc70 | 15,188 | 69.5% |
| V90 | 9,079 | 82.9% |
| C70 | 6,698 | 59% |
| S80 | 6,457 | 67.9% |
| S90 | 3,854 | 86.7% |
| 900 Series | 2,224 | 62% |
| Xc40 Inscription PRO B4 MHEV A | 2,166 | 93.1% |
| Xc40 Inscript PRO T5 Rcharge A | 1,782 | 91.9% |
| Xc90 R-design B5 MHEV AWD Auto | 1,771 | 85.8% |
| Xc40 R-design PRO B4 MHEV Auto | 1,710 | 91.5% |
| Xc40 R-design T4 Recharge Auto | 1,696 | 92.2% |
| Xc40 Rdesign PRO T5 Recharge A | 1,678 | 89.3% |
| 800 Series | 1,582 | 62.4% |
| Xc40 R-design B4 MHEV Auto | 1,436 | 93.8% |
| Xc90 Momentum B5 MHEV AWD Auto | 1,365 | 88.9% |
| Xc40 Inscription B4 MHEV Auto | 1,310 | 93.7% |
| Xc60 Edition T4 Auto | 1,296 | 88.9% |
| Xc40 R-design T5 Recharge Auto | 1,238 | 92.3% |
| Xc60 Momentum B5 MHEV Auto | 1,207 | 93.7% |
| Xc40 Inscription B4 MHEV AWD A | 1,108 | 92.8% |
| V90 Momentum + T4 Auto | 1,060 | 85.6% |
How many Volvo vehicles are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 768,449 licensed and 65,146 SORN Volvo vehicles across 45 published model groups.
Licensed and SORN counts for every Volvo model
Before you buy
- Condition — 4.8% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.9% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Brake Performance — 2.6% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Position Lamps — 2.4% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Check the actual Volvo — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Common questions
What is the Volvo MOT pass rate?
72.9% of 464,348 class-4 initial MOT tests on Volvo cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average across all published models.
Which Volvo has the best MOT pass rate?
Of the Volvo model groups with a substantial sample, the Xc40 has the highest initial pass rate at 89.4% across 47,036 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.
Does a good Volvo pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?
No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that Volvo's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.