Volvo S40 MOT pass rate: 64.4% (15,221 tests, 2025)

The Volvo S40 passed 64.4% of its 15,221 MOT tests in 2025 — 13.1 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 17 years old with 107,866 miles on the clock.

64.4%Pass rate (2025)

15,221MOT tests analysed

107,866 miMedian mileage at test

17 yrsMedian age at test

How the S40 compares

Volvo S40

64.4%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Volvo average (all models)

79.0%

What fails most on the Volvo S40

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the S40:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	4,340	26.9%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	3,546	22.0%
3	Brakes	2,569	15.9%
4	Tyres	1,758	10.9%
5	Body, chassis, structure	1,425	8.8%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	862	5.3%

Pre-MOT checklist for S40 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

S40 pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2003	1,963	58.8%	-6.2 pts	98,735
2004	3,454	60.9%	-3.5 pts	101,138
2005	4,307	62.5%	-1.9 pts	113,623
2006	4,994	66.0%	+1.6 pts	113,842
2007	5,442	65.1%	+0.0 pts	115,700
2008	8,646	64.4%	-0.7 pts	109,852
2009	7,098	64.3%	-2.1 pts	104,242
2010	5,794	64.4%	-3.0 pts	105,400
2011	4,320	62.9%	-6.3 pts	104,275
2012	3,807	66.4%	-4.8 pts	97,632

Check a specific S40 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Volvo models

V4075.1% pass rate · 96,936 tests XC6080.4% pass rate · 89,014 tests XC9076.7% pass rate · 55,130 tests XC4090.1% pass rate · 51,844 tests V7070.3% pass rate · 37,950 tests V6078.6% pass rate · 31,553 tests V5061.0% pass rate · 26,122 tests C3065.2% pass rate · 20,590 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Volvo S40?

In 2025, 64.4% of 15,221 first MOT tests on the Volvo S40 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the S40 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (26.9% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Volvo S40 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 64.4% it performs below the national average at a median age of 17 years and 107,866 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.