Petrol Volvo S80: MOT pass rate

72.1% of petrol Volvo S80s pass the MOT first time, measured across 1,691 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 115,201.

Petrol against the other Volvo S80 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the Volvo S80 specifically, diesel is the strongest at 76.5%, and this petrol version sits 3.3 points below the 75.4% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol Volvo S80 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. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol Volvo S80 had covered 115,201 miles at test, against 128,547 for the diesel. 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 S80 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol Volvo S80

1. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 5.1% of tests (3.34x the national rate for this defect)
2. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1.8% of tests (3.06x the national rate for this defect)
3. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 3.3% of tests (2.62x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 3.2% of tests (2.48x the national rate for this defect)
5. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.2% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this defect)
6. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.9% of tests (2.21x the national rate for this defect)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.9% of tests (1.86x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.6% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
9. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.2% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
10. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.9% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,703 DVSA-tracked petrol Volvo S80 tests, 2024, split out from the Volvo S80's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 4.34% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a petrol Volvo S80

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 4.6% of tests (8.17x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 16.9% of tests (3.58x the national rate for this defect)
3. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 4.1% of tests (2.96x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 7.9% of tests (2.79x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 7.2% of tests (2.7x the national rate for this defect)
6. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.4% of tests (2.55x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 32% of tests (2.39x the national rate for this defect), also fails
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 8.9% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 7.2% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this defect)
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 24.7% of tests

From 1,703 DVSA-tracked petrol Volvo S80 tests, 2024.

Other Volvo S80 fuel types

• Diesel Volvo S80 - 76.5%

All Volvo S80 MOT data · Every model