Volvo S90 MOT pass rate & common failures
37,440 MOT tests on the Volvo S90 (1996–2023) give it a 90.2% pass rate. That is 1.2 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.0%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst S90 years
Ranked across S90 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
Not every year is equal — 91.0% of 2020 examples pass against 87.0% of 2016 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.0%) and brakes (3.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 1,505 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.7% in the 0-30k band and 16.7% in the 150k+ band, a 10.0-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 8.1% fail against 9.9% for diesel, a 1.8-point gap across 31,021 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every S90 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 373 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 69 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Brakes |
| 2016 | 1,637 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 7,754 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 13,785 | 90.8% | 9.2% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 9,515 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 3,422 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 526 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 313 | 93.0% | 7.0% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 1,855 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.4% | 1,273 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 424 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.0% | 391 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.0% | 382 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.6% | 209 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 206 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 142 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 1,505 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 936 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 283 |
| 4 | Wipers | 273 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 203 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 181 |
| 7 | Joints | 135 |
| 8 | Washers | 125 |
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 | 22.0% | 8,249 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.8% | 5,925 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.9% | 2,190 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.4% | 1,257 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 1,070 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.5% | 564 |
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 | 8,491 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 16,367 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 8,059 | 11.9% |
| 90-120k | 2,841 | 12.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,017 | 12.0% |
| 150k+ | 664 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 28,920 | 9.9% |
| Petrol | 6,419 | 9.6% |
| Hybrid | 2,101 | 8.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,844 | 7.7% |
| 2022 | 7,273 | 9.0% |
| 2023 | 8,265 | 9.7% |
| 2024 | 8,418 | 10.7% |
| 2025 | 8,640 | 10.7% |
What to check before buying a Volvo S90
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Brakes (3.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volvo S90?
90.2% of the 37,440 Volvo S90 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.8% fail rate, across model years 1996–2023.
What does the Volvo S90 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, then brakes (3.4%).
Which S90 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2020 has the best pass rate at 91.0% and 2016 the weakest at 87.0%, from 3,422 and 1,637 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect S90 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 16.7% for 150k+, a 10.0-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel S90 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 8.1% of the time against 9.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,440 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.