How reliable is the Volvo C40 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Volvo C40, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 89.8% across 1,783 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 C40?

The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 39.1% of failed Volvo C40 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 C40?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 22.7% of all Volvo C40 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Volvo C40 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 29,170 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.

Model reliability file

Volvo C40 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 1,783 recorded MOT tests of the Volvo C40, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 1,783 MOT tests, 89.8% of Volvo C40 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Volvo C40 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 tyre seriously damaged, which appears in 39.1% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 29,170 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

89.8%unadjusted, not comparable1,783 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the C40. 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 1,783 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Volvo C40 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A tyre seriously damaged39.1%
63 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
2.A tyre seriously damaged27.3%
44 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
3.A tyre cords visible or damaged19.9%
32 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
4.Tyres on the same axle or on twin wheels are different sizes9.9%
16 occurrencesTyres of different sizes or construction on the same axle explained
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.3%
15 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.2%
10 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
7.A tyre seriously damaged5.6%
9 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
8.A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber3.7%
6 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
9.A tyre cords visible or damaged2.5%
4 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
10.A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative1.2%
2 occurrencesTyre pressure monitoring system inoperative explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Volvo C40 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements22.7%
404 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A tyre seriously damaged6.8%
121 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
3.A tyre seriously damaged4.9%
88 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
4.Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.5%
80 tests
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.9%
70 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured3.4%
61 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
7.Nail in tyre3.4%
60 tests
8.A tyre seriously damaged3.1%
55 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained

What gets tested

The C40 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 29,170
Fuel mix of tested cars: Electric100.0%

Trim names grouped into this model (5)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

C40 + RECHARGE EV
C40 + RECHARGE TWIN EV AWD
C40 CORE RECHARGE EV
C40 PRO RECHARGE TWIN EV AWD
C40 ULTIMATE RECHARGE EV

Check a specific Volvo C40

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 C40 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Volvo C40, 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 89.8% across 1,783 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 C40?: The item recorded most often is "A tyre seriously damaged", which appears in 39.1% of failed Volvo C40 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 C40?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 22.7% of all Volvo C40 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Volvo C40 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 29,170 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.

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.