Diesel Volvo S40: MOT pass rate
62.5% of diesel Volvo S40s pass the MOT first time, measured across 8,500 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 121,966.
Diesel against the other Volvo S40 versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 64.6% | 9,606 |
| Diesel | 62.5% | 8,500 |
| All Volvo S40 | 63.6% | 18,113 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.
On the Volvo S40 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 64.6%, and this diesel version sits 1.1 points below the 63.6% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel Volvo S40 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel Volvo S40 had covered 121,966 miles at test, against 99,736 for the petrol. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Volvo S40 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other Volvo S40 fuel types
- Petrol Volvo S40 - 64.6%