Volvo Xc70 MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 15,188 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 69.5% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 77.3% of cars aged 6–9 years passed first time, against 62.1% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Volvo Xc70?
Model-level statistics 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.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6–9 years | 2,437 | 77.3% |
| 10–14 years | 6,975 | 72.9% |
| 15–30 years | 5,775 | 62.1% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Volvo Xc70 to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.6% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Condition — 4.3% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Position Lamps — 4.1% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Steering Linkage Components — 3.7% of tests. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Springs — 3.7% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
- Brake Performance — 3.4% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Volvo Xc70 are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 15,143 licensed and 1,595 SORN vehicles in the Volvo Xc70 generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Volvo Xc70
Before you buy
- Headlamp Aim — 4.6% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Condition — 4.3% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Position Lamps — 4.1% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Steering Linkage Components — 3.7% of tests in 2024. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 26% from the 2016 Q2 peak of 20,488. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
- Check the actual Xc70 — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Volvo models
- Volvo Xc60 — 77.6% pass
- Volvo V40 — 73% pass
- Volvo Xc90 — 70.8% pass
- Volvo Xc40 — 89.4% pass
- Volvo V70 — 63.3% pass
- Volvo V50 — 54.8% pass
See every Volvo model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Volvo Xc70 MOT pass rate?
69.5% of 15,188 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Volvo Xc70 passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Xc70 fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are headlamp aim (4.6% of tests), condition (4.3% of tests), position lamps (4.1% of tests), steering linkage components (3.7% of tests).
How many Volvo Xc70 are left in the UK?
15,143 were licensed and 1,595 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Xc70 is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
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 car'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.