Volvo V90: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volvo V90 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 7.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 10,101 individual Volvo V90 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate84.3%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+7.6 points
Tests analysed10,101
Average mileage at test66,775 miles
Average year of manufacture2018
Reliability rank1,285 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 84.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 16 in every 100 Volvo V90s 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 V90 tested had covered 66,775 miles and was built around 2018.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Volvo V90 sits 7.6 points above the national average, ranked 1,285 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 V90 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 V90s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volvo V90

  1. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 4.1% of tests (1.91x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.4% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.8% of tests (1.37x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.9% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.5% of tests
  6. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.3% of tests
  7. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.1% of tests
  8. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.7% of tests
  9. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 0.6% of tests
  10. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.5% of tests

From 10,094 DVSA-tracked Volvo V90 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 9.08% of these flagged Volvo V90 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Volvo V90

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 V90 before it actually fails on it.

  1. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 19% of tests (2.04x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 30.7% of tests, also fails
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.5% of tests, also fails
  4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 5.5% of tests
  5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.5% of tests
  6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.6% of tests
  7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.7% of tests
  8. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.5% of tests, also fails
  9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 1.4% of tests
  10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.2% of tests

From 10,094 DVSA-tracked Volvo V90 tests, 2024.

Volvo V90 pass rate by model year

From its 2016 to its 2019 model year, the Volvo V90's first-time pass rate has risen 6.2 points, from 79.1% to 85.3%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Volvo V90 year:

Volvo V90 by fuel type

The Volvo V90's two most-tested fuel types split by 1.4 points: diesel passes first time 84.5% of the time (8,359 tests) against 85.9% for petrol (1,466 tests).

Other Volvo models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

Embed this data

Run a site about the Volvo V90? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

Volvo V90 MOT pass rate badge: 84.3%

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/volvo-v90"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/volvo-v90.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Volvo V90 MOT Pass Rate: 84.3% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Volvo V90's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

Volvo V90 most common MOT failure: a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm (4.1% of tests)

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/volvo-v90"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/volvo-v90.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Volvo V90 most common MOT failure: a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm (4.1% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate