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MOT fail rates

Volvo XC90 MOT fail rate by age

How often the Volvo XC90 fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 282,309 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.

MOT data updated

At 3 years, the most tested age

MOT fail rate at age 3 (n=25,668)12.9%
All cars at 3 years (n=8,016,463)12.1%
Median mileage at test29,728
All cars, median mileage22,806

214 of 343 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 3 years.

What stands out

  • At 3 years the Volvo XC90 fails 12.9% of MOTs (25,668 tests), about the same as the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 21 years it fails 44.5% (2,237 tests), 2.5 points above the 42.1% average.
  • The gap is widest at 9 years: 4.4 points below all cars.
  • At 3 years its listed fail items are all wear items, led by Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords at 4.8 per 100 MOTs.

MOT fail rate by age

3 years 21 years 49.0%

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

Volvo XC90: 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 years12.9%25,66812.1%+0.8 pts29,728 miles
4 years13.2%25,47413.4%−0.1 pts38,406 miles
5 years14.1%24,00415.3%−1.2 pts47,836 miles
6 years16.1%24,23817.8%−1.8 pts58,426 miles
7 years17.8%19,81020.6%−2.9 pts68,900 miles
8 years20.6%15,83023.8%−3.2 pts78,832 miles
9 years22.7%12,71927.1%−4.4 pts88,063 miles
10 years26.8%10,48030.3%−3.5 pts96,111 miles
11 years32.8%12,13033.3%−0.5 pts105,458 miles
12 years34.0%16,02436.0%−2.0 pts114,079 miles
13 years36.3%16,89038.3%−1.9 pts121,463 miles
14 years37.8%15,46740.3%−2.4 pts129,012 miles
15 years38.6%13,75341.6%−3.0 pts135,743 miles
16 years41.1%10,84642.6%−1.4 pts142,169 miles
17 years43.5%10,97943.1%+0.4 pts148,769 miles
18 years44.4%11,47343.3%+1.1 pts152,922 miles
19 years44.2%8,91743.2%+1.0 pts155,133 miles
20 years44.5%5,37042.8%+1.8 pts157,459 miles
21 years44.5%2,23742.1%+2.5 pts157,434 miles

Most common fail items at 3 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

None among the ten most common fail items.

Wear and upkeep

Fail itemPer 100 MOTs
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major4.8
Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous3
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous2.4
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous1.3
Wipers not clearing screen Major1.3
Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Dangerous1.3
Headlamp aim: too low Major0.6
Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements Major0.3
Headlight aimed too high Major0.3
Tyre condition: has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Dangerous0.3

Out of 25,668 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.

Other models at 3 years

ModelMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Volvo XC409.2%82,66412.1%
Volvo XC609.5%36,88712.1%
Volvo V6012.2%13,18112.1%

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
200421 years in 202543.5%1,56642.1%
200520 years in 202543.6%2,38342.8%
200619 years in 202542.1%1,95043.2%
200718 years in 202541.7%2,10343.3%
200817 years in 202541.2%1,39643.1%
200916 years in 202538.3%3,03842.6%
201015 years in 202536.4%5,58141.6%
201114 years in 202535.6%4,11640.3%
201213 years in 202530.2%2,87138.3%
201312 years in 202529.2%2,40136.0%
201411 years in 202530.5%2,27433.3%
201510 years in 202519.8%2,72630.3%
20169 years in 202520.0%5,24727.1%
20178 years in 202517.3%5,51723.8%
20187 years in 202515.4%6,25420.6%
20196 years in 202513.7%7,12617.8%
20205 years in 202513.6%4,84915.3%
20214 years in 202512.7%6,80613.4%
20223 years in 202512.5%6,29012.1%

More on the Volvo XC90

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 XC90?

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