Volvo V60: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volvo V60 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 32,143 individual Volvo V60 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate79%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+2.3 points
Tests analysed32,143
Average mileage at test91,985 miles
Average year of manufacture2015
Reliability rank1,478 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 79% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 Volvo V60s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Volvo V60 tested had covered 91,985 miles and was built around 2015.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Volvo V60 sits 2.3 points above the national average, ranked 1,478 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 V60 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 the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Volvo V60: £725 at UK salvage auction, from 6 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Volvo V60

  1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.2% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this defect)
  2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 4% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.5% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.1% of tests (1.5x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.8% of tests (1.37x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.8% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.4% of tests
  8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.4% of tests
  9. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.3% of tests
  10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.3% of tests

From 32,119 DVSA-tracked Volvo V60 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.45% of these flagged Volvo V60 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Volvo V60

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 V60 before it actually fails on it.

  1. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.8% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 14.9% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.5% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this advisory)
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 36.2% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  5. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 4.2% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this advisory)
  6. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.9% of tests, also fails
  7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 10.7% of tests
  8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 7.2% of tests, also fails
  9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.1% of tests, also fails
  10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 3% of tests

From 32,119 DVSA-tracked Volvo V60 tests, 2024.

Volvo V60 pass rate by model year

From its 2011 to its 2019 model year, the Volvo V60's first-time pass rate has risen 14.2 points, from 73% to 87.2%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Volvo V60 year:

Volvo V60 by fuel type

The Volvo V60's two most-tested fuel types split by 7 points: diesel passes first time 78.6% of the time (27,858 tests) against 85.6% for petrol (3,365 tests).

Other Volvo models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Volvo V60 MOT pass rate badge: 79%

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Volvo V60 most common MOT failure: A tyre cords visible or damaged (3.2% of tests)

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/volvo-v60"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/volvo-v60.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Volvo V60 most common MOT failure: A tyre cords visible or damaged (3.2% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate