In 2025, 37,976 Volvo V70 cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 64% passed first time, compared with 61% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the V70 about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 96 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 9 years old, 81% of V70s passed first time (all cars that age: 75%). By 20 years, that figure is 58% (all cars: 58%). It beats the average car at every age with enough data, from 9 to 17 years.
Volvo V70 All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | V70 passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 years | 756 | 81% | 75% | 85,468 |
| 10 years | 1,999 | 80% | 72% | 97,016 |
| 11 years | 1,954 | 77% | 69% | 106,750 |
| 12 years | 1,718 | 72% | 66% | 120,309 |
| 13 years | 1,534 | 71% | 63% | 129,756 |
| 14 years | 2,037 | 70% | 61% | 134,821 |
| 15 years | 2,745 | 67% | 59% | 140,997 |
| 16 years | 3,445 | 64% | 58% | 142,926 |
| 17 years | 3,100 | 65% | 57% | 146,658 |
| 18 years | 2,418 | 60% | 57% | 147,829 |
| 19 years | 2,367 | 58% | 57% | 146,419 |
| 20 years | 3,004 | 58% | 58% | 155,712 |
What fails most on a Volvo V70
The area that lets the V70 down most, relative to other cars, is steering: 5.3% of tests failed on it, 2.4 times the rate for the average car.
Share of V70 tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 8.5% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 8.1% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 7.6% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 3.6% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.1% |
| A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Body and structure | 3.0% |
What to check when buying a used V70
Based on where the V70 fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- 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
- 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
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 V70
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a V70Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Volvo V70?
In 2025, 64% of Volvo V70 cars passed their MOT first time, across 37,976 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 61%.
What do Volvo V70 cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (8.5% of tests); a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (8.1% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (7.6% of tests).
Other Volvo models
Volvo V40 (72%), Volvo XC60 (77%), Volvo XC90 (72%), Volvo XC40 (89%), Volvo V60 (75%), Volvo V50 (55%). 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.