Volvo V40 MOT Pass Rate
The Volvo V40 has an MOT pass rate of 79.9%, compared with a UK average of 79.1%, based on 16,136 DVSA MOT tests from 2004 to March 2026. It ranks 186th of 386 cars we track by pass rate.
The most common MOT problem area on the Volvo V40 is tyres, at 36% of all defects and advisories recorded.
Allowing for age, the weakest Volvo V40 years are 2015 and 2017, which fail more often than the average car registered in the same year.
Data: DVSA MOT test results, 2004 to March 2026. Last updated 3 October 2026.
- Volvo V40 MOT pass rate
- 79.9%
- UK average pass rate
- 79.1%
- MOT tests analysed
- 16,136
Ranked 186 of 386 models by MOT pass rate (1 is the highest).
What the Volvo V40 fails on
Every defect and advisory recorded at MOT, grouped by area. Includes advisories as well as failure items.
| Area | Share of all items | Items per 100 tests | Items recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 36% | 54.4 | 8,779 |
| Brakes | 24.4% | 37 | 5,963 |
| Suspension | 12.2% | 18.4 | 2,977 |
| Lights and signalling | 8.9% | 13.5 | 2,177 |
| Other items | 5.6% | 8.5 | 1,364 |
| Bodywork | 4% | 6.1 | 978 |
| Windscreen and wipers | 3.5% | 5.3 | 855 |
| Fuel system | 1.6% | 2.4 | 381 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 1.3% | 2 | 318 |
| Steering | 1% | 1.5 | 235 |
| Corrosion | 0.9% | 1.3 | 213 |
| Electrical | 0.4% | 0.6 | 90 |
| Structure | 0.2% | 0.2 | 37 |
| Drivetrain | 0.1% | 0.1 | 23 |
Fail rate by mileage
How the Volvo V40 holds up as the miles build, using the odometer reading at each test.
| Mileage at test | V40 fail rate | UK fail rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 miles | 13.2% | 13.1% | 5,267 |
| 40,000 to 79,999 miles | 20.6% | 21.7% | 6,632 |
| 80,000 to 119,999 miles | 26.4% | 28.3% | 2,984 |
| 120,000 miles or more | 31.8% | 31.4% | 1,206 |
Which years to avoid
Fail rate by year first registered, next to the UK fail rate for all cars registered that year. Older cars fail more often whatever the model, so compare each year with its own UK figure.
| Year | V40 fail rate | UK fail rate, same year | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 39.7% | 25.5% | 68 |
| 1999 | 31.5% | 25.3% | 54 |
| 2001 | 29.5% | 25% | 261 |
| 2002 | 28.3% | 25% | 244 |
| 2003 | 27.2% | 25.3% | 320 |
| 2004 | 30.2% | 25.3% | 255 |
| 2012 | 20.7% | 22.6% | 271 |
| 2013 | 22% | 21.6% | 2,152 |
| 2014 | 21.1% | 20.2% | 3,122 |
| 2015 | 21.7% | 18.7% | 2,522 |
| 2016 | 18.2% | 17.3% | 2,286 |
| 2017 | 17.1% | 15.6% | 1,973 |
| 2018 | 14.7% | 14.7% | 1,643 |
| 2019 | 16% | 13.8% | 945 |
Years with fewer than 50 tests, and cars too new to have reached their first MOT, are left out.
Volvo V40 MOT questions
Is the Volvo V40 reliable?
On MOT results the Volvo V40 is close to the average: it passes 79.9% of tests against a UK average of 79.1%, ranking 186th of 386 cars we track. Allowing for the age of the cars tested, its fail rate of 20.1% is 1.4 percentage points higher than the 18.7% you would expect from the average car of the same registration years. A pass rate is one useful signal of how well a model holds up, but it does not capture breakdowns between tests, repair costs or how an individual car has been looked after, so always check the history of the specific car.
What does the Volvo V40 usually fail its MOT on?
Across 16,136 MOT tests, the areas most often flagged on the Volvo V40 were tyres (36%), brakes (24.4%) and suspension (12.2%), shown as a share of all defects and advisories recorded. These counts include advisories as well as failure items, so they show where problems tend to appear rather than only what caused a fail.
Which Volvo V40 years should I avoid?
Comparing each year with the average car of the same age, the weakest years of the Volvo V40 were 2015 (21.7% fail rate against 18.7% for all cars first registered that year, 2,522 tests) and 2017 (17.1% fail rate against 15.6% for all cars first registered that year, 1,973 tests). Older cars fail more often whatever the model, which is why each year is compared with its own age group. Only years with at least 1,000 tests are included.
Does the Volvo V40 get worse with mileage?
Yes. The Volvo V40 fails 13.2% of MOT tests taken at under 40,000 miles and 31.8% at 120,000 miles or more, based on 5,267 and 1,206 tests respectively. Across all models the equivalent figures are 13.1% and 31.4%.
How does the Volvo V40 compare with the national average?
The Volvo V40 passes 79.9% of MOT tests, 0.8 percentage points above the UK average of 79.1% across all 6,681,613 tests in the data. That places it 186th of 386 cars with at least 1,000 tests, where 1st has the highest pass rate.
Check a specific Volvo V40
See the full MOT history of the exact car you're looking at, free.
Related reading
2017 Volvo V40: Premium Hatch Nobody Considers
Negotiating a Used 2017 Volvo V40: Fair Price
2013 Volvo V40 Mk2: Scandinavian Style on a Budget
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Brake Disc Worn: Repair Cost and How Urgent Is It
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What Does 'Suspension Arm Bush Worn' Mean on an MOT? Serious or Not?
Suspension Arm Bush Worn: Repair Cost and How Urgent Is It
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Data: DVSA MOT test results for Great Britain, 2004 to March 2026, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures cover 16,136 tests. Last updated 3 October 2026. How these figures are calculated.
How to cite this data: Source: CarBuyerIQ analysis of DVSA MOT test data, https://www.carbuyeriq.com/mot-pass-rates/volvo/v40