How reliable is the Volvo 800 Series compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Volvo 800 Series, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 62.8% across 1,641 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 do testers most often warn about on a Volvo 800 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 18.0% of all Volvo 800 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 800 Series usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 146,205 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 800 Series models petrol or diesel?

Of the Volvo 800 Series cars tested, 94% are petrol, 5% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Volvo 800 Series MOT pass rate & common failures

From 1,641 recorded MOT tests of the Volvo 800 Series, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 1,641 MOT tests, 62.8% of Volvo 800 Series tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Volvo 800 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 transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, which appears in 19.3% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 146,205 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

62.8%unadjusted, not comparable1,641 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 800 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 1,641 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Volvo 800 Series tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc19.3%
99 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
2.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen14.2%
73 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
3.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement14.2%
73 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
4.Warning device shows system malfunction12.1%
62 occurrencesBrake system warning lamp on, or not working explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.1%
57 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.6%
49 occurrencesLamp not working explained
7.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.2%
37 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
8.A tyre seriously damaged7.2%
37 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
9.Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits7.0%
36 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
10.Parking brake inoperative on one side6.6%
34 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Volvo 800 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 users18.0%
295 tests
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements17.1%
281 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged16.0%
262 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured14.8%
243 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.9%
179 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.4%
121 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
7.Number plate inscription missing or illegible7.0%
115 testsRegistration plate missing, insecure or illegible explained
8.Exhaust system leaking or insecure6.9%
113 testsExhaust leaking or insecure explained

What gets tested

The 800 Series fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 146,205
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol94.4%
Diesel5.4%

Check a specific Volvo 800 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 800 Series compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Volvo 800 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 62.8% across 1,641 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 800 Series?: The item recorded most often is "A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc", which appears in 19.3% of failed Volvo 800 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 800 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 18.0% of all Volvo 800 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 800 Series usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 146,205 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 800 Series models petrol or diesel?: Of the Volvo 800 Series cars tested, 94% are petrol, 5% 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.