MOT fail rates
Volvo V50 MOT fail rate by age
How often the Volvo V50 fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 126,765 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 14 years, the most tested age
205 of 280 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 14 years.
What stands out
- At 10 years the Volvo V50 fails 38.5% of MOTs (3,239 tests), 8.2 points above the 30.3% for all cars that age. At 20 years it fails 47.3% (2,351 tests), 4.5 points above the 42.8% average.
- The gap is widest at 11 years: 8.5 points above all cars.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 14 years: Coil spring broken, at 7.1 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | 38.5% | 3,239 | 30.3% | +8.2 pts | 101,533 miles |
| 11 years | 41.7% | 7,810 | 33.3% | +8.5 pts | 111,446 miles |
| 12 years | 42.1% | 13,008 | 36.0% | +6.1 pts | 116,745 miles |
| 13 years | 42.8% | 17,806 | 38.3% | +4.5 pts | 121,075 miles |
| 14 years | 44.6% | 20,275 | 40.3% | +4.4 pts | 125,939 miles |
| 15 years | 44.8% | 18,344 | 41.6% | +3.2 pts | 129,606 miles |
| 16 years | 45.4% | 16,282 | 42.6% | +2.9 pts | 133,513 miles |
| 17 years | 46.6% | 13,575 | 43.1% | +3.5 pts | 137,291 miles |
| 18 years | 46.9% | 8,798 | 43.3% | +3.6 pts | 137,635 miles |
| 19 years | 47.2% | 5,277 | 43.2% | +4.0 pts | 135,933 miles |
| 20 years | 47.3% | 2,351 | 42.8% | +4.5 pts | 132,237 miles |
Most common fail items at 14 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 item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Coil spring broken Major | 7.1 |
| Driveshaft CV boot split Major | 6.3 |
| Suspension arm bush worn Major | 6.3 |
| Suspension ball joint worn Major | 2.9 |
Out of 20,275 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Side/position light not working Major | 9.4 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 5.5 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 4.6 |
| Headlamp aim: too low Major | 3.4 |
| Dipped headlight not working Major | 2.8 |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous | 2.8 |
Out of 20,275 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 14 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo C30 | 42.4% | 17,437 | 40.3% |
| Volvo XC90 | 37.8% | 15,467 | 40.3% |
| Volvo V70 | 32.6% | 12,561 | 40.3% |
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 .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 19 years in 2023 | 46.3% | 1,036 | 43.2% |
| 2005 | 20 years in 2025 | 47.9% | 1,510 | 42.8% |
| 2006 | 19 years in 2025 | 46.8% | 2,296 | 43.2% |
| 2007 | 18 years in 2025 | 45.1% | 2,315 | 43.3% |
| 2008 | 17 years in 2025 | 47.5% | 4,471 | 43.1% |
| 2009 | 16 years in 2025 | 44.4% | 4,037 | 42.6% |
| 2010 | 15 years in 2025 | 42.6% | 4,112 | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 14 years in 2025 | 43.0% | 3,911 | 40.3% |
| 2012 | 13 years in 2025 | 40.8% | 3,021 | 38.3% |
More on the Volvo V50
Looking at one Volvo V50?
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.
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