Volvo V50 MOT pass rate: 61.0% (26,122 tests, 2025)

The Volvo V50 passed 61.0% of its 26,122 MOT tests in 2025 — 16.5 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 16 years old with 131,751 miles on the clock.

61.0%Pass rate (2025)

26,122MOT tests analysed

131,751 miMedian mileage at test

16 yrsMedian age at test

How the V50 compares

Volvo V50

61.0%

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 V50

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the V50:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	8,252	27.9%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	5,693	19.2%
3	Brakes	4,169	14.1%
4	Tyres	3,859	13.0%
5	Body, chassis, structure	3,174	10.7%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	1,606	5.4%

Pre-MOT checklist for V50 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

V50 pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2011. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2007, 2010. Full ranking and method: Volvo V50 years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	2,479	58.9%	-5.4 pts	129,464
2005	5,846	57.5%	-6.9 pts	137,445
2006	8,162	59.5%	-4.9 pts	138,022
2007	8,306	60.7%	-4.4 pts	138,582
2008	15,479	59.3%	-5.8 pts	133,202
2009	13,505	61.8%	-4.6 pts	126,158
2010	13,632	62.8%	-4.6 pts	125,042
2011	12,411	61.7%	-7.5 pts	125,025
2012	9,243	64.1%	-7.2 pts	114,190

Check a specific V50 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 C3065.2% pass rate · 20,590 tests S6075.5% pass rate · 16,665 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Volvo V50?

In 2025, 61.0% of 26,122 first MOT tests on the Volvo V50 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the V50 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (27.9% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Volvo V50 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 61.0% it performs below the national average at a median age of 16 years and 131,751 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.