MOT data by first-use year
2008 Volvo C70: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 3,471 MOT tests · Updated
41.4% of 2008 Volvo C70 cars failed their MOT at 16 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2007 cars (2,212 MOT tests) [1].
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- +2.6 to −1.3 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 14 to 16 years, 3,471 MOT tests
- Driveshaft CV boot split: fails 2.6–3.2× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age at 16 years, 4,385 MOT tests of Volvo C70 cars first used 2006–2009
- 90,000 to 120,000 miles: 45.7% of Volvo C70 cars first used 2006–2009 failed at 16 years, against 41.0% at 60,000 to 90,000 miles, 2,565 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2008 Volvo C70 cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 16 years (2024)
- 41.4%
- vs 42.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16 years in 2024
- 1,016 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- +1.2 pts
- over ages 14–16: −1.3 to +2.6 pts
- 3,471 MOT tests
- Against the 2007 cars
- +1.6 pts
- 95% range −2.4 to +5.5 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 2,212 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2008 cars
- 3,471
- tested 2022–2024, 3 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 3,471 MOT tests
About the same as the 2007 cars: +1.6 points at the same ages (15–16), each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −2.4 to +5.5, from 2,212 MOT tests of 2008 cars and 2,726 of the 2007 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Volvo C70 year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2008 Volvo C70 fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2024, as these cars went from 14 to 16 years old, the fail rate went from 44.4% to 41.4%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from +2.6 to −1.3 points. The widest gap was at 14 years (+2.6 points, 1,259 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 14 years | 44.4% | 41.7%–47.2% | 1,259 | 41.8% | +2.6 pts |
| 2023 | 15 years | 44.0% | 41.2%–46.8% | 1,196 | 42.2% | +1.8 pts |
| 2024 | 16 years | 41.4% | 38.4%–44.5% | 1,016 | 42.7% | −1.3 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2008 against the 2007 cars, age by age
| Age | 2008 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 15 years | 44.0% 1,196 MOT tests, tested 2023 | 2007: 40.3% (1,408, tested 2022) |
| 16 years | 41.4% 1,016 MOT tests, tested 2024 | 2007: 42.5% (1,318, tested 2023) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Volvo C70 at 16 years
All Volvo C70 MOTs at 16 years, cars first used 2006–2009 (4,385 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: driveshaft CV boot split (8.4 per 100 MOT tests), coil spring broken (8.2 per 100 MOT tests) and handbrake too weak (4.7 per 100 MOT tests).
Driveshaft CV boot split: fails 2.6–3.2× as often as all class 4 vehicles the same age, across at least 3 ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 16 years
Volvo C70 cars first used 2006–2009 at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed 45.7% of MOTs at 16 years (1,313 MOT tests), against 41.0% at 60,000 to 90,000 miles (1,252 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 45.9% and 41.4%.
Road tax for a 2008 Volvo C70
The Vehicle Certification Agency lists 12 petrol and diesel versions of the Volvo C70 in its data from May 2007 to May 2009, from 161 to 234 g/km CO2 [3]. A car first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 is taxed by CO2 band, so that is 5 bands from G to L: from £275 to £760 a year at the 2026/27 rates [2].
| Band | 12 months | CO2 g/km | Petrol versions | Diesel versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | £275 | 161 | 0 | 1 |
| H | £325 | 167–174 | 1 | 2 |
| J | £410 | 193–196 | 0 | 2 |
| K | £445 | 215–217 | 3 | 0 |
| L | £760 | 229–234 | 3 | 0 |
Versions listed, not cars sold: this does not say how common each band is. The CO2 figure on the car's V5C log book decides its band. Car tax calculator for a 2008 car
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2008 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2008 was issued a 57 (January–February), 08 (March–August) or 58 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 08 plates
A 2008 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2]
For the London ULEZ, a 2008 petrol usually meets Euro 4, and a 2008 diesel usually does not meet Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [4] ULEZ checker
Buying a Volvo C70? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2008 Volvo C70?
41.4% at 16 years (tested 2024), from 1,016 MOT tests, against 42.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16 years in 2024.
Does the 2008 Volvo C70 fail more MOTs than the 2007?
1.6 percentage points apart at the same ages (15–16), each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 2,212 MOT tests (95% range −2.4 to +5.5), so about the same.
At what ages were 2008 Volvo C70 cars MOT tested in the data?
3 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 14–16 years, tested 2022–2024, 3,471 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Volvo C70 at 16 years?
8.4 in 100 MOT tests failed on driveshaft CV boot split, the most common fail item. From 4,385 MOT tests of Volvo C70 cars first used 2006–2009, not only 2008.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 3,471 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Vehicle Certification Agency, Car fuel and emissions data. VCA data, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 16 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 16 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare