In 2025, 20,615 Volvo C30 cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 58% passed first time, compared with 60% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the C30 about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 151 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 12 years old, 64% of C30s passed first time (all cars that age: 66%). By 18 years, that figure is 56% (all cars: 57%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 17 years (3 points behind).
Volvo C30 All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | C30 passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 years | 961 | 64% | 66% | 87,599 |
| 13 years | 2,797 | 62% | 63% | 94,382 |
| 14 years | 2,985 | 60% | 61% | 106,223 |
| 15 years | 4,574 | 59% | 59% | 108,535 |
| 16 years | 4,637 | 57% | 58% | 106,035 |
| 17 years | 2,632 | 54% | 57% | 112,994 |
| 18 years | 1,932 | 56% | 57% | 108,502 |
What fails most on a Volvo C30
The area that lets the C30 down most, relative to other cars, is body and structure: 8.2% of tests failed on it, 2.0 times the rate for the average car.
Share of C30 tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 10.0% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 8.3% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 5.8% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 5.4% |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Body and structure | 5.1% |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights and electrics | 4.4% |
What to check when buying a used C30
Based on where the C30 fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- Lights and electrics: Walk round with the lights on: headlights (dipped and main), indicators, brake lights, number-plate and fog lights. Bulbs are cheap, but a seller who hasn’t noticed one out may have missed more. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific C30
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a C30Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volvo C30?
In 2025, 58% of Volvo C30 cars passed their MOT first time, across 20,615 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 60%.
What do Volvo C30 cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (10.0% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (8.3% of tests); a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened (5.8% of tests).
Other Volvo models
Volvo V40 (72%), Volvo XC60 (77%), Volvo XC90 (72%), Volvo XC40 (89%), Volvo V70 (64%), Volvo V60 (75%). All Volvo models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.