Volvo V90 MOT pass rate & common failures
74,471 MOT tests on the Volvo V90 (1996–2024) give it an 88.3% pass rate. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (12.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst V90 years
Ranked across V90 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 — 91.9% of 2022 examples pass against 84.8% of 2016 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and brakes (3.3%) 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 joints — brake pads alone was recorded 2,756 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.7% versus 7.5%.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 2.1pp more often than hybrid ones (11.8% vs 9.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every V90 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 598 | 75.3% | 24.8% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 287 | 75.6% | 24.4% | Brakes |
| 2016 | 2,547 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 16,399 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 22,196 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 20,016 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 8,356 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 2,797 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 1,178 | 91.9% | 8.1% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 33 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 4,288 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.3% | 2,464 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 1,476 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 964 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 896 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.2% | 868 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 313 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.4% | 299 |
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 | 2,756 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,453 |
| 3 | Joints | 960 |
| 4 | Wipers | 731 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 720 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 532 |
| 7 | Coil spring | 433 |
| 8 | Track rod end | 269 |
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 | 23.2% | 17,308 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.0% | 11,897 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.3% | 4,704 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.3% | 2,433 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 2,109 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 1,238 |
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 | 15,678 | 7.5% |
| 30-60k | 33,684 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 16,436 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 5,500 | 15.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,937 | 17.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,229 | 19.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 53,963 | 11.8% |
| Petrol | 15,248 | 11.8% |
| Hybrid | 5,260 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,320 | 9.3% |
| 2022 | 13,361 | 10.3% |
| 2023 | 16,269 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 17,640 | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 18,881 | 12.8% |
What to check before buying a Volvo V90
- Tyres (5.8% 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 (3.3% 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 (2.0% 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 V90?
88.3% of the 74,471 Volvo V90 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.7% fail rate, across model years 1996–2024.
What does the Volvo V90 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, then brakes (3.3%).
Which V90 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.9% and 2016 the weakest at 84.8%, from 1,178 and 2,547 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect V90 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 19.7% for 150k+, a 12.2-point difference.
Is the hybrid or petrol V90 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 9.8% of the time against 11.8% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 74,471 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.