In 2025, 26,134 Volvo V50 cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 55% passed first time, compared with 59% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the V50 about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 176 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 13 years old, 59% of V50s passed first time (all cars that age: 63%). By 20 years, that figure is 52% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 20 years (6 points behind).
Volvo V50 All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | V50 passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 years | 2,999 | 59% | 63% | 121,947 |
| 14 years | 3,881 | 57% | 61% | 131,752 |
| 15 years | 4,085 | 57% | 59% | 128,958 |
| 16 years | 4,012 | 55% | 58% | 129,225 |
| 17 years | 4,437 | 52% | 57% | 138,334 |
| 18 years | 2,301 | 55% | 57% | 140,236 |
| 19 years | 2,278 | 53% | 57% | 140,735 |
| 20 years | 1,495 | 52% | 58% | 136,342 |
What fails most on a Volvo V50
The area that lets the V50 down most, relative to other cars, is body and structure: 12.3% of tests failed on it, 3.0 times the rate for the average car.
Share of V50 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 | 11.7% |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Body and structure | 8.2% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 8.0% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 7.5% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 6.4% |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | Tyres | 5.3% |
What to check when buying a used V50
Based on where the V50 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
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. 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 V50
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a V50Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volvo V50?
In 2025, 55% of Volvo V50 cars passed their MOT first time, across 26,134 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 59%.
What do Volvo V50 cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (11.7% of tests); a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (8.2% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (8.0% 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.