Volvo XC90 MOT Pass Rate
The Volvo XC90 has an MOT pass rate of 76.7%, compared with a UK average of 79.1%, based on 11,906 DVSA MOT tests from 2004 to March 2026. It ranks 290th of 386 cars we track by pass rate.
The most common MOT problem area on the Volvo XC90 is brakes, at 24.1% of all defects and advisories recorded.
Allowing for age, the weakest Volvo XC90 years are 2011 and 2010, 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 XC90 MOT pass rate
- 76.7%
- UK average pass rate
- 79.1%
- MOT tests analysed
- 11,906
Ranked 290 of 386 models by MOT pass rate (1 is the highest).
What the Volvo XC90 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 24.1% | 51.4 | 6,115 |
| Tyres | 22.2% | 47.3 | 5,633 |
| Suspension | 16.1% | 34.2 | 4,075 |
| Lights and signalling | 14.6% | 31.1 | 3,704 |
| Other items | 6.5% | 13.7 | 1,637 |
| Bodywork | 3.8% | 8.2 | 973 |
| Windscreen and wipers | 3.7% | 7.8 | 931 |
| Steering | 3% | 6.5 | 772 |
| Corrosion | 2.3% | 4.9 | 586 |
| Fuel system | 1.6% | 3.3 | 395 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 1.2% | 2.6 | 305 |
| Electrical | 0.6% | 1.4 | 162 |
| Structure | 0.3% | 0.6 | 68 |
| Drivetrain | 0% | 0.1 | 9 |
Fail rate by mileage
How the Volvo XC90 holds up as the miles build, using the odometer reading at each test.
| Mileage at test | XC90 fail rate | UK fail rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 miles | 13.8% | 13.1% | 1,924 |
| 40,000 to 79,999 miles | 19.8% | 21.7% | 4,185 |
| 80,000 to 119,999 miles | 27.2% | 28.3% | 3,293 |
| 120,000 miles or more | 31.5% | 31.4% | 2,478 |
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 | XC90 fail rate | UK fail rate, same year | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 36.2% | 25.3% | 257 |
| 2004 | 29.7% | 25.3% | 512 |
| 2005 | 27.9% | 25.4% | 563 |
| 2006 | 27.5% | 25.3% | 763 |
| 2007 | 28.4% | 25.2% | 749 |
| 2008 | 27.3% | 25.3% | 487 |
| 2009 | 29.5% | 24.9% | 701 |
| 2010 | 25.6% | 24.5% | 1,638 |
| 2011 | 27% | 23.4% | 1,379 |
| 2012 | 22.8% | 22.6% | 720 |
| 2013 | 19.8% | 21.6% | 459 |
| 2014 | 23.4% | 20.2% | 501 |
| 2015 | 17.7% | 18.7% | 293 |
| 2016 | 16% | 17.3% | 663 |
| 2017 | 14.2% | 15.6% | 913 |
| 2018 | 10.6% | 14.7% | 679 |
| 2019 | 13.7% | 13.8% | 605 |
Years with fewer than 50 tests, and cars too new to have reached their first MOT, are left out.
Volvo XC90 MOT questions
Is the Volvo XC90 reliable?
On MOT results the Volvo XC90 is worse than average: it passes 76.7% of tests against a UK average of 79.1%, ranking 290th of 386 cars we track. Allowing for the age of the cars tested, its fail rate of 23.3% is 1.4 percentage points higher than the 21.9% 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 XC90 usually fail its MOT on?
Across 11,906 MOT tests, the areas most often flagged on the Volvo XC90 were brakes (24.1%), tyres (22.2%) and suspension (16.1%), 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 XC90 years should I avoid?
Comparing each year with the average car of the same age, the weakest years of the Volvo XC90 were 2011 (27% fail rate against 23.4% for all cars first registered that year, 1,379 tests) and 2010 (25.6% fail rate against 24.5% for all cars first registered that year, 1,638 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 XC90 get worse with mileage?
Yes. The Volvo XC90 fails 13.8% of MOT tests taken at under 40,000 miles and 31.5% at 120,000 miles or more, based on 1,924 and 2,478 tests respectively. Across all models the equivalent figures are 13.1% and 31.4%.
How does the Volvo XC90 compare with the national average?
The Volvo XC90 passes 76.7% of MOT tests, 2.4 percentage points below the UK average of 79.1% across all 6,681,613 tests in the data. That places it 290th of 386 cars with at least 1,000 tests, where 1st has the highest pass rate.
Check a specific Volvo XC90
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Related reading
2017 Volvo XC90: Can You Afford to Run a Luxury SUV
Volvo XC90 at 80,000 Miles: Luxury SUV Worth the Risk
2008 Volvo XC90 Mk1: Seven Seat Safety on a Shoestring
What Does 'Brake Disc Worn' Mean on an MOT? Serious or Not?
Brake Disc Worn: Repair Cost and How Urgent Is It
Repeated Brake Disc Worn Advisory: Should You Walk Away?
What Does 'Suspension Arm Bush Worn' Mean on an MOT? Serious or Not?
Suspension Arm Bush Worn: Repair Cost and How Urgent Is It
Data: DVSA MOT test results for Great Britain, 2004 to March 2026, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures cover 11,906 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/xc90