Volvo XC60 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Volvo XC60 appears in 598,432 MOT tests spanning model years 2006–2025, and 86.1% of them passed. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 15.1% of the time, so this is 1.2pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
Best and worst XC60 years
Ranked across XC60 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 — 93.1% of 2022 examples pass against 79.1% of 2008 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.7%) and tyres (4.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, brake pads and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 21,875 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.4% versus 6.4%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 7.3pp more often than hybrid ones (15.0% vs 7.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every XC60 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,736 | 79.1% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 19,074 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 26,688 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 28,022 | 79.9% | 20.1% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 30,318 | 80.4% | 19.6% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 31,415 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 53,395 | 82.3% | 17.7% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 74,342 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 85,304 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 83,512 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 59,133 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 49,683 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 25,969 | 92.3% | 7.7% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 21,267 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 7,937 | 93.1% | 6.9% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 611 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 28,086 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.7% | 27,823 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.3% | 25,650 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.3% | 19,983 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.0% | 12,007 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.3% | 7,727 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 5,514 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 3,874 |
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 | 21,875 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 17,483 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 15,324 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 12,091 |
| 5 | Wipers | 8,691 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 7,608 |
| 7 | Side repeaters | 5,156 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 4,845 |
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 | 24.5% | 146,743 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.5% | 104,940 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.4% | 50,037 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.3% | 43,838 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 25,380 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 19,932 |
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 | 72,538 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 187,765 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 155,717 | 15.0% |
| 90-120k | 100,743 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 52,251 | 20.9% |
| 150k+ | 29,267 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 501,955 | 15.0% |
| Petrol | 53,460 | 9.3% |
| Hybrid | 43,006 | 7.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 98,064 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 111,140 | 13.4% |
| 2023 | 120,822 | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 130,343 | 14.2% |
| 2025 | 138,063 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a Volvo XC60
- Lighting & signalling (4.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.7% 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.
- Suspension (4.3% 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.
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 XC60?
86.1% of the 598,432 Volvo XC60 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.9% fail rate, across model years 2006–2025.
What does the Volvo XC60 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.7% of tests, then tyres (4.7%).
Which XC60 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 93.1% and 2008 the weakest at 79.1%, from 7,937 and 1,736 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect XC60 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.4% for 150k+, a 16.0-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel XC60 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 7.6% of the time against 15.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 598,432 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.