2013 Volvo C70 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Volvo C70 passed 79.7% of its 1,485 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 14.7% of the time, so this is 5.5pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.8%) and tyres (7.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, position lamp and joints — coil spring alone was recorded 95 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.3% versus 14.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 30.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.8% | 130 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.7% | 115 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 99 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 43 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.8% | 41 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 34 |
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 | 95 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 71 |
| 3 | Joints | 41 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 29 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 26 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 26 |
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 | 30.2% | 449 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.4% | 288 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.5% | 201 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 104 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 5.7% | 84 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.0% | 60 |
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 | 157 | 14.0% |
| 30-60k | 518 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 504 | 21.8% |
| 90-120k | 243 | 26.8% |
| 120-150k | 54 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 291 | 16.8% |
| 2022 | 293 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 297 | 19.2% |
| 2024 | 306 | 24.2% |
| 2025 | 298 | 23.2% |
What to check before buying a 2013 C70
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.8% 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.
- Tyres (7.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2013 Volvo C70s pass their MOT?
79.7% of the 1,485 2013 Volvo C70 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Volvo C70?
Suspension, recorded in 8.8% of tests, followed by tyres (7.7%).
Does the 2013 C70 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.0% in the 0-30k band to 33.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,485 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.