How reliable is the Volvo 700 Series compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Volvo 700 Series, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 68.8% across 817 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Volvo 700 Series?

The item recorded most often is "Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake", which appears in 22.2% of failed Volvo 700 Series tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Volvo 700 Series?

The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 23.5% of all Volvo 700 Series tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Volvo 700 Series usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 132,375 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Volvo 700 Series models petrol or diesel?

Of the Volvo 700 Series cars tested, 96% are petrol, 3% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Volvo 700 Series MOT pass rate & common failures

From 817 recorded MOT tests of the Volvo 700 Series, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 817 MOT tests, 68.8% of Volvo 700 Series tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Volvo 700 Series fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, which appears in 22.2% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 132,375 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

68.8%unadjusted, not comparable817 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 700 Series. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 817 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Volvo 700 Series tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake22.2%
48 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
2.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired19.9%
43 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning15.3%
33 occurrencesLamp not working explained
4.Exhaust system leaking or insecure14.4%
31 occurrencesExhaust leaking or insecure explained
5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen13.9%
30 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
6.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced13.4%
29 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
7.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning12.5%
27 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
8.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired9.3%
20 occurrencesSeat belt anchorage corroded or weakened explained
9.Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point7.9%
17 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
10.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen7.4%
16 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Volvo 700 Series tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users23.5%
192 tests
2.A tyre seriously damaged14.6%
119 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements14.3%
117 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.Exhaust system leaking or insecure13.7%
112 testsExhaust leaking or insecure explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.6%
95 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.Play in steering rack inner joint(s)11.5%
94 tests
7.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured11.3%
92 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
8.A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched9.1%
74 testsBrake hose deteriorated, damaged or chafing explained

What gets tested

The 700 Series fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 132,375
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol96.5%
Diesel3.3%

Check a specific Volvo 700 Series

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Volvo models

Volvo XC60 — 79.1% adjusted
Volvo V40 — 67.4% adjusted
Volvo XC40 — 90.0% unadjusted
Volvo XC90 — 77.6% adjusted
Volvo V60 — 78.3% adjusted
Volvo V70 — 63.8% unadjusted
All Volvo models

Common questions

How reliable is the Volvo 700 Series compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Volvo 700 Series, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 68.8% across 817 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Volvo 700 Series?: The item recorded most often is "Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake", which appears in 22.2% of failed Volvo 700 Series tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Volvo 700 Series?: The most common advisory is "Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users", noted on 23.5% of all Volvo 700 Series tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Volvo 700 Series usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 132,375 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Volvo 700 Series models petrol or diesel?: Of the Volvo 700 Series cars tested, 96% are petrol, 3% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.