Volvo XC90 MOT pass rate: 76.7% (55,130 tests, 2025)

The Volvo XC90 passed 76.7% of its 55,130 MOT tests in 2025 — right on the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 12 years old with 104,952 miles on the clock.

76.7%Pass rate (2025)

55,130MOT tests analysed

104,952 miMedian mileage at test

12 yrsMedian age at test

How the XC90 compares

Volvo XC90

76.7%

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 XC90

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the XC90:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	8,891	27.6%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	7,898	24.5%
3	Suspension	5,465	17.0%
4	Tyres	4,721	14.7%
5	Steering	1,858	5.8%
6	Visibility	1,379	4.3%

Pre-MOT checklist for XC90 owners

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

Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
With the engine running, turn lock to lock: knocks or stiff spots are testable defects

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

XC90 pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2003, 2005, 2020. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2010, 2012. Full ranking and method: Volvo XC90 years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2003	2,022	62.5%	-2.5 pts	150,468
2004	6,310	62.9%	-1.4 pts	159,556
2005	8,853	62.8%	-1.7 pts	155,967
2006	7,074	64.6%	+0.2 pts	149,435
2007	7,298	64.6%	-0.5 pts	147,587
2008	4,681	66.7%	+1.6 pts	141,350
2009	9,694	69.6%	+3.2 pts	133,830
2010	17,426	70.9%	+3.6 pts	128,606
2011	12,528	72.2%	+3.1 pts	121,881
2012	8,660	75.6%	+4.4 pts	111,336
2013	7,181	75.9%	+2.6 pts	104,089
2014	6,806	76.7%	+0.8 pts	96,146
2015	8,040	80.7%	+1.9 pts	86,782
2016	15,514	81.5%	+0.1 pts	79,310
2017	16,314	85.0%	+1.0 pts	68,627
2018	18,492	86.8%	+0.4 pts	57,578
2019	14,886	87.4%	-1.0 pts	46,166
2020	1,928	88.3%	-1.7 pts	37,743

Check a specific XC90 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 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 S6075.5% pass rate · 16,665 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Volvo XC90?

In 2025, 76.7% of 55,130 first MOT tests on the Volvo XC90 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the XC90 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is brakes (27.6% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Volvo XC90 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 76.7% it performs below the national average at a median age of 12 years and 104,952 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.