Volvo C70 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Volvo C70 appears in 56,307 MOT tests spanning model years 1997–2021, and 73.6% of them passed. That is 5.6 percentage points worse than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 20.8%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst C70 years
Ranked across C70 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2013 (79.7% pass rate); the weakest is 2006 (71.2%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — suspension (12.1%) and lighting & signalling (11.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, joints and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 3,496 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.1% versus 14.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 26.2% of the time against 26.7% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every C70 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 355 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 659 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 981 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 1,501 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 1,924 | 75.8% | 24.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 3,126 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 3,663 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 2,905 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 7,791 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 8,408 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 7,669 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 5,943 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 4,901 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 3,196 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 1,761 | 79.0% | 20.9% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 1,485 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.1% | 6,821 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.2% | 6,323 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.1% | 4,563 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.6% | 4,299 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.8% | 3,256 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 1,944 |
| 7 | Steering | 3.0% | 1,704 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 1,570 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 3,496 |
| 2 | Joints | 2,863 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,665 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 2,061 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 1,827 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,702 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 1,597 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 1,486 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 29.0% | 16,347 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.7% | 16,156 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.0% | 12,971 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.1% | 6,804 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.9% | 6,146 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.5% | 5,349 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 1,302 | 14.6% |
| 30-60k | 7,821 | 20.3% |
| 60-90k | 17,353 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 16,707 | 28.4% |
| 120-150k | 9,067 | 29.6% |
| 150k+ | 4,041 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 30,134 | 26.2% |
| Diesel | 26,166 | 26.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,445 | 26.3% |
| 2022 | 12,390 | 25.8% |
| 2023 | 11,471 | 26.8% |
| 2024 | 10,128 | 27.0% |
| 2025 | 8,873 | 26.3% |
What to check before buying a Volvo C70
- Suspension (12.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (11.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.1% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volvo C70?
73.6% of the 56,307 Volvo C70 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.4% fail rate, across model years 1997–2021.
What does the Volvo C70 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 12.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (11.2%).
Which C70 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2013 has the best pass rate at 79.7% and 2006 the weakest at 71.2%, from 1,485 and 7,791 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect C70 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.1% for 150k+, a 15.6-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel C70 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 26.2% of the time against 26.7% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 56,307 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.