Volvo S80: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volvo S80 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 1.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 7,115 individual Volvo S80 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 75.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 25 in every 100 Volvo S80s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Volvo S80 tested had covered 124,021 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Volvo S80 sits 1.6 points below the national average, ranked 1,617 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Volvo S80 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Volvo S80s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volvo S80

1. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1.6% of tests (2.62x the national rate for this defect)
2. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.7% of tests (2.06x the national rate for this defect)
3. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.4% of tests (1.91x the national rate for this defect)
4. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.6% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)
5. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.8% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
6. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.7% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
7. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 1.8% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.3% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
9. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.9% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 6% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)

From 7,114 DVSA-tracked Volvo S80 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.8% of these flagged Volvo S80 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Volvo S80

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Volvo S80 before it actually fails on it.

1. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 14.1% of tests (2.98x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3.6% of tests (2.61x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3% of tests (2.24x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 5.4% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this advisory)
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 24.2% of tests (1.81x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 4.1% of tests (1.56x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 7.4% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this advisory)
8. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 1.8% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28% of tests
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 13.1% of tests

From 7,114 DVSA-tracked Volvo S80 tests, 2024.

Volvo S80 pass rate by model year

From its 2002 to its 2015 model year, the Volvo S80's first-time pass rate has risen 12.2 points, from 71.5% to 83.7%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Volvo S80 year:

• 2001 Volvo S80 - 63.3% first-time pass, 240 tests
• 2002 Volvo S80 - 71.5% first-time pass, 344 tests
• 2003 Volvo S80 - 67.5% first-time pass, 419 tests
• 2004 Volvo S80 - 67.7% first-time pass, 427 tests
• 2005 Volvo S80 - 69.7% first-time pass, 446 tests
• 2006 Volvo S80 - 74% first-time pass, 381 tests
• 2007 Volvo S80 - 72.5% first-time pass, 746 tests
• 2008 Volvo S80 - 76.4% first-time pass, 643 tests
• 2009 Volvo S80 - 75.3% first-time pass, 461 tests
• 2010 Volvo S80 - 81.8% first-time pass, 578 tests
• 2011 Volvo S80 - 79.6% first-time pass, 412 tests
• 2012 Volvo S80 - 78.8% first-time pass, 353 tests
• 2013 Volvo S80 - 79.5% first-time pass, 429 tests
• 2014 Volvo S80 - 82.4% first-time pass, 392 tests
• 2015 Volvo S80 - 83.7% first-time pass, 404 tests

Volvo S80 by fuel type

The Volvo S80's two most-tested fuel types split by 4.4 points: diesel passes first time 76.5% of the time (5,371 tests) against 72.1% for petrol (1,691 tests).

• Diesel Volvo S80 - 76.5% first-time pass, 5,371 tests
• Petrol Volvo S80 - 72.1% first-time pass, 1,691 tests

Other Volvo models

• Volvo V40 - 76.1%
• Volvo Xc60 - 81.2%
• Volvo Xc90 - 75.2%
• Volvo Xc40 - 90.5%
• Volvo V70 - 69%
• Volvo V60 - 79%
• Volvo V50 - 60.4%
• Volvo C30 - 65.2%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Volvo S60 - 75.2%
• Citroen C1 - 75.1%
• London Taxis International Tx4 - 75.1%
• Vauxhall Combo 2300 Sportive Td S/S - 75.1%
• Dacia Sandero - 75%
• Mercedes-Benz Slk - 75%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate