Volvo XC90 MOT failure rate and common faults
72,495 Volvo XC90 cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 23.5% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 26.0% of the time, which makes the Volvo XC90 10% less likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
23.5%
failed first time
72,495 MOT tests in 2025
-10%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 26.0%
90 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
112.2
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 98.3
What fails on a Volvo XC90 MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Volvo XC90 MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 43.7 |
| Tyres: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 29.5 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 27.1 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 22.2 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 21.6 |
| Tyres: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 20.5 |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 16.2 |
| Decelerometer: efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 15.1 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 12.8 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 12.4 |
Volvo XC90 MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6,260 | 12.6% | 11.4% | 36,600 |
| 2021 | 6,771 | 12.7% | 12.8% | 44,200 |
| 2020 | 4,824 | 13.7% | 14.1% | 50,500 |
| 2019 | 7,096 | 13.8% | 16.5% | 59,500 |
| 2018 | 6,228 | 15.4% | 19.1% | 70,700 |
| 2017 | 5,488 | 17.4% | 21.8% | 81,400 |
| 2016 | 5,214 | 20.1% | 25.1% | 91,400 |
| 2015 | 2,708 | 20.0% | 28.1% | 97,800 |
| 2014 | 2,262 | 30.6% | 31.4% | 107,900 |
| 2013 | 2,392 | 29.3% | 34.3% | 113,600 |
| 2012 | 2,850 | 30.4% | 36.6% | 122,000 |
| 2011 | 4,090 | 35.8% | 38.8% | 130,600 |
| 2010 | 5,540 | 36.7% | 40.7% | 135,700 |
| 2009 | 3,014 | 38.5% | 41.8% | 140,100 |
| 2008 | 1,384 | 41.5% | 42.9% | 145,700 |
| 2007 | 2,082 | 42.0% | 42.7% | 150,500 |
| 2006 | 1,931 | 42.5% | 43.0% | 151,000 |
| 2005 | 2,361 | 44.0% | 42.4% | 159,400 |
Advisories to look for in a Volvo XC90's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Volvo XC90, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge292.6
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement128.9
- Brake pads: wearing thin111.9
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened108.8
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing70.1
- Ball joint has slight play65.5
Checking a used Volvo XC90 before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Volvo XC90 fails more often than average on brakes and steering. Start there.
Brakes
Look through the wheel spokes at the discs for a deep lip or scoring, check the handbrake holds the car on a slope, and feel for a pull to one side when braking hard.
Steering
With the engine running, rock the wheel gently: there should be almost no free play. Listen for knocks on full lock and look for power steering fluid leaks.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Volvo XC90 cars tested: Diesel 63%, Hybrid 21%, Diesel hybrid 9%, Petrol 7%. Average age at test 9.6 years, average recorded mileage 90,700.
Volvo XC90 MOT questions
What is the Volvo XC90 MOT failure rate?
23.5% of Volvo XC90 cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 72,495 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 26.0% of the time, so the Volvo XC90 was 10% less likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Volvo XC90 MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 138 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Position lamp: not working", recorded 43.7 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Volvo XC90 year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2015 registrations did best: 20.0% failed against an average of 28.1% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Volvo XC90 will pass?
No. These are averages across every Volvo XC90 tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Volvo models
- Volvo XC6019.9% failed
- Volvo V4027.8% failed
- Volvo XC4010.0% failed
- Volvo V6022.5% failed
- Volvo V7033.1% failed
- Volvo V5044.8% failed
Ranked close to the Volvo XC90
- Ford Kugarank 87
- Skoda Octaviarank 88
- Toyota Yarisrank 89
- BMW X2rank 91
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Volvo XC90 cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.