2016 Volvo V60 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 22,072 MOT tests, the 2016 Volvo V60 recorded an 85.9% pass rate. Against large family cars of a similar age (15.4% fail rate), the 2016 V60 comes out 1.2pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (7.1%) and lighting & signalling (4.1%) 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 793 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.0% in the 0-30k band and 19.5% in the 150k+ band, a 12.5-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.0pp more often than petrol ones (14.4% vs 10.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.1% | 1,561 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 903 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.1% | 898 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.1% | 470 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 354 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 333 |
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 | 793 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 777 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 500 |
| 4 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 301 |
| 5 | Joints | 299 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 291 |
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 | 26.7% | 5,888 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.9% | 4,402 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.2% | 1,800 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 1,302 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.9% | 1,083 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 695 |
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 | 1,214 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 6,498 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 7,434 | 14.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,274 | 17.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,810 | 18.9% |
| 150k+ | 826 | 19.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 20,744 | 14.4% |
| Petrol | 1,325 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,264 | 10.7% |
| 2022 | 4,382 | 13.1% |
| 2023 | 4,499 | 14.8% |
| 2024 | 4,441 | 15.3% |
| 2025 | 4,486 | 16.6% |
What to check before buying a 2016 V60
On a 2016 V60, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (7.1% 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 (4.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.1% 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
How many 2016 Volvo V60s pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 22,072 2016 Volvo V60 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Volvo V60?
Tyres, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.1%).
Does the 2016 V60 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 19.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 22,072 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.