2012 Volvo V70 MOT pass rate: 77.2% (4,662 tests)
Is the 2012 V70 getting worse?
Pass rate of 2012-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 79.0% +6.7 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 75.5% +4.5 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 77.0% +6.7 vs same-age |
The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.
What fails on a 2012 V70
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 532 | 22.7% |
| 2 | Tyres | 472 | 20.2% |
| 3 | Suspension | 465 | 19.9% |
| 4 | Brakes | 368 | 15.7% |
| 5 | Steering | 216 | 9.2% |
| 6 | Visibility | 109 | 4.7% |
All V70 years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4,676 | 62.7% | -3.9 pts | 146,136 |
| 2002 | 6,852 | 62.2% | -3.5 pts | 153,505 |
| 2003 | 7,487 | 62.4% | -2.7 pts | 154,056 |
| 2004 | 8,685 | 62.7% | -1.6 pts | 154,436 |
| 2005 | 10,087 | 64.8% | +0.3 pts | 150,616 |
| 2006 | 7,842 | 65.6% | +1.1 pts | 144,692 |
| 2007 | 7,988 | 67.9% | +2.8 pts | 143,500 |
| 2008 | 9,949 | 72.9% | +7.7 pts | 140,673 |
| 2009 | 10,941 | 70.5% | +4.1 pts | 136,688 |
| 2010 | 8,450 | 75.5% | +8.2 pts | 134,337 |
| 2011 | 6,198 | 77.6% | +8.4 pts | 126,333 |
| 2012 (this page) | 4,662 | 77.2% | +6.0 pts | 119,126 |
| 2013 | 5,106 | 77.1% | +3.8 pts | 109,151 |
| 2014 | 5,823 | 81.4% | +5.5 pts | 94,245 |
| 2015 | 5,977 | 84.0% | +5.3 pts | 82,498 |
| 2016 | 2,233 | 85.3% | +3.9 pts | 72,393 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Volvo V70 years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2012 Volvo V70 reliable?
2012-registered examples passed 77.2% of their MOT tests (4,662 tests, 2023–2025), +6.0 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 14 years old with a median 119,126 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2012 V70?
The median tested example shows 119,126 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.