Volvo V70 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 37,996 initial MOT tests on the Volvo V70 in Great Britain, and 63.8% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volvo V70 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 37,996
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 63.8%
Failed at firstIncluding 6.6% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 36.2%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 10.0%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 9,847 off the road (SORN): 33,616

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the V70 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
17.6%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
10.5%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
10.2%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
7.8%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Body, chassis and structure
5.7%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
6Visibility
4.8%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Steering
4.5%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
8Noise, emissions and leaks
3.7%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.3%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Headlamp aimLamps and electrics6.7%
Position lampsLamps and electrics6.4%
Brake performanceBrakes5.9%
ConditionTyres5.7%
Suspension armsSuspension4.5%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics4.0%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.9%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.5%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2016	756	81.2%	7.7%
2015	2,000	79.5%	7.1%
2014	1,955	77.1%	7.5%
2013	1,719	71.7%	10.1%
2012	1,535	70.9%	8.7%
2011	2,037	70.1%	8.8%
2010	2,745	67.4%	9.3%
2009	3,447	63.7%	10.5%
2008	3,101	65.3%	10.7%
2007	2,418	60.0%	11.0%
2006	2,368	58.3%	10.8%
2005	3,008	58.0%	11.8%
2004	2,509	54.6%	11.2%
2003	2,147	54.5%	11.4%
2002	1,905	54.0%	11.2%
2001	1,287	54.6%	10.9%
2000	1,074	60.1%	8.3%

Mileage

V70 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
8 years	78,200 miles	414
9 years	85,200 miles	1,610
10 years	98,400 miles	1,884
11 years	110,600 miles	1,799
12 years	119,700 miles	1,530
13 years	129,400 miles	1,807
14 years	137,100 miles	2,428
15 years	140,400 miles	3,282
16 years	144,100 miles	3,017
17 years	145,400 miles	2,903
18 years	146,000 miles	2,239
19 years	150,600 miles	2,707
20 years	153,000 miles	2,895
21 years	154,800 miles	2,244
22 years	155,400 miles	1,982
23 years	149,300 miles	1,456
24 years	149,400 miles	1,097
25 years	159,200 miles	1,108

Checking a particular V70?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Volvo V70: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volvo V70?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volvo V70 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 17.6% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (10.5%) and brakes (10.2%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volvo V70?

63.8% of 37,996 initial MOT tests on the Volvo V70 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 6.6% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Volvo V70 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 10.0% of initial tests on the Volvo V70 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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