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MOT fail rates

Volvo V40 MOT fail rate by age

How often the Volvo V40 fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 384,615 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.

MOT data updated

At 8 years, the most tested age

MOT fail rate at age 8 (n=61,301)26.6%
All cars at 8 years (n=10,440,457)23.8%
Median mileage at test65,841
All cars, median mileage60,745

218 of 315 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 8 years.

What stands out

  • At 3 years the Volvo V40 fails 12.0% of MOTs (8,437 tests), about the same as the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 13 years it fails 37.9% (2,266 tests), about the same as the 38.3% average.
  • The gap is widest at 7 years: 3.4 points above all cars.
  • Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 8 years: Coil spring broken, at 8.6 per 100 MOTs.

MOT fail rate by age, first used undefined or later

3 years 13 years 42.1%

Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.

Volvo V40 (first used undefined or later): share of MOT tests that failed, by age, against all cars. Ages with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
AgeMOT fail rateTests (n)All carsDifferenceMedian mileage
3 years12.0%8,43712.1%−0.1 pts20,155 miles
4 years14.8%21,53713.4%+1.4 pts27,852 miles
5 years18.5%35,00815.3%+3.1 pts36,002 miles
6 years21.1%50,38617.8%+3.3 pts44,892 miles
7 years24.1%57,93820.6%+3.4 pts54,974 miles
8 years26.6%61,30123.8%+2.8 pts65,841 miles
9 years29.0%59,03827.1%+1.9 pts76,275 miles
10 years31.7%45,58530.3%+1.4 pts85,855 miles
11 years32.6%29,65233.3%−0.7 pts94,209 miles
12 years34.3%13,46736.0%−1.7 pts103,511 miles
13 years37.9%2,26638.3%−0.4 pts109,923 miles

Most common fail items at 8 years

Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

Structural and mechanical

Fail itemPer 100 MOTs
Coil spring broken Major8.6
Driveshaft CV boot split Major1.9
On or after 01/01/2014: emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit Major1

Out of 61,301 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.

Wear and upkeep

Fail itemPer 100 MOTs
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous3.6
Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous3
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous2.7
Side/position light not working Major1.9
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major1.8
Wipers not clearing screen Major1.5
Headlamp aim: too low Major1.4

Out of 61,301 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.

Other models at 8 years

ModelMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Volvo XC6022.0%51,27623.8%
Volvo XC9020.6%15,83023.8%
Volvo V6022.9%14,07123.8%

MOT fail rate by first-use year

Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.

First-use year data updated .

Latest MOT age with at least 1,000 tests for each first-use year.
First usedAge at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
200320 years in 202351.0%1,19942.8%
201213 years in 202537.9%2,26638.3%
201312 years in 202533.9%11,11136.0%
201411 years in 202532.8%15,96533.3%
201510 years in 202532.2%15,46930.3%
20169 years in 202526.7%15,40827.1%
20178 years in 202521.9%13,57623.8%
20187 years in 202521.1%12,99520.6%
20196 years in 202519.3%8,23017.8%

More on the Volvo V40

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Looking at one Volvo V40?

These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.

See an example report Browse the car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources