Make overview
Volvo MOT pass rates by model
Data updated
Quick answer
Volvo cars pass 75.3% of MOT tests across 601,414 recorded tests, against a national average of 72.3%. Of the 22 Volvo models with MOT data, the XC60 has the highest age-adjusted pass rate at 79.1% and the V40 the lowest at 67.4%. The item recorded most often on a failed Volvo is spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
- Tests analysed
- 601,414
- Adjusted pass rate
- 75.3%
- Models with data
- 22
Adjusted for age and mileage
Volvo models ranked by pass rate
| Model | Adjusted pass rate | National rank | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo XC60 | 79.1% | 62 of 262 | 119,016 |
| Volvo V60 | 78.3% | 73 of 262 | 39,670 |
| Volvo XC90 | 77.6% | 78 of 262 | 74,787 |
| Volvo S60 | 76.6% | 90 of 262 | 19,070 |
| Volvo V40 | 67.4% | 203 of 262 | 97,266 |
Unadjusted, not ranked
Other Volvo models with MOT data
These models have at least 500 recorded tests, but their tested examples do not span enough ages and mileages to rank fairly. Their failure and advisory patterns are still drawn from real tests.
| Model | Unadjusted pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Volvo XC40 | 90.0% | 88,732 |
| Volvo V70 | 63.8% | 37,984 |
| Volvo V50 | 55.2% | 26,141 |
| Volvo C30 | 58.4% | 20,617 |
| Volvo XC70 | 69.4% | 16,656 |
| Volvo S40 | 57.7% | 15,238 |
| Volvo V90 | 83.7% | 15,079 |
| Volvo S90 | 86.8% | 7,809 |
| Volvo C70 | 60.0% | 6,848 |
| Volvo S80 | 69.0% | 6,207 |
| Volvo 900 Series | 64.7% | 2,898 |
| Volvo C40 | 89.8% | 1,783 |
| Volvo 800 Series | 62.8% | 1,641 |
| Volvo 240 | 65.8% | 1,212 |
| Volvo V60 Cross Country | 88.8% | 1,049 |
| Volvo V90 Cross Country | 89.4% | 894 |
| Volvo 700 Series | 68.8% | 817 |
Across the range
What Volvo cars fail on most
Share of failed Volvo tests recording each item, summed across every model above.
- 1.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened15.7%
- 2.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm12.9%
- 3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements12.5%
- 4.A tyre seriously damaged10.7%
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged10.7%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.0%
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate for Volvo?
- Across 601,414 recorded MOT tests, 75.3% of Volvo tests ended in a pass, against a national average of 72.3%. Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the figure is 75.3%. A make-level figure blends very different cars, so the individual model pages are the more useful comparison.
- Which Volvo is the most reliable on MOT evidence?
- Of the Volvo models with enough data to compare fairly, the XC60 has the highest age-and-mileage-adjusted pass rate at 79.1%, ranking 62 of 262 models nationally. This reflects how often cars meet the MOT standard, not how often they break down.
- What do Volvo cars most often fail their MOT on?
- The most commonly recorded failure item across Volvo tests is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", appearing in 15.7% of failed tests. One failed test can list several items, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
- Why do some Volvo models not have a pass rate ranking?
- A model is only ranked when its tested examples cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages for a fair comparison. 5 of the 22 Volvo models here qualify. For the rest we publish the unadjusted rate and the failure patterns, but not a rank, because comparing unadjusted rates mostly sorts cars by how new they are.
How to read these figures
Why the adjusted rate is the fair one
An unadjusted pass rate is strongly driven by the age and mileage of the cars being tested, not by how well they were built. A model bought mainly as a lightly used second car will look better than an identical car sold to high-mileage drivers. Adjusting for age and mileage compares each model against cars that have lived a similar life.
For a specific car, its own record beats any model average — check that vehicle’s MOT history and read what testers actually recorded against it.
Check any vehicle's MOT history
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