Diesel Volvo Xc40: MOT pass rate

89.6% of diesel Volvo Xc40s pass the MOT first time, measured across 11,433 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 48,716.

Diesel against the other Volvo Xc40 versions

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 Xc40 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 91.3%, and this diesel version sits 1.3 points below the 90.9% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Volvo Xc40 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 diesel Volvo Xc40 had covered 48,716 miles at test, against 31,959 for the petrol. That is below average for a car this age, worth a mileage-consistency check since an unusually low reading is sometimes clocking rather than luck.

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 Xc40 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Volvo Xc40

1. A suspension component fractured or likely to fail, 0.3% of tests (2.92x the national rate for this defect)
2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 5% of tests (2.34x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.5% of tests
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.9% of tests
5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.9% of tests
6. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.7% of tests
7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.7% of tests
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.5% of tests
9. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.3% of tests
10. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.2% of tests

From 11,464 DVSA-tracked diesel Volvo Xc40 tests, 2024, split out from the Volvo Xc40's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 9.33% 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 diesel Volvo Xc40

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

1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 6.8% of tests (2.12x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 18.9% of tests (2.02x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 26.6% of tests, also fails
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.7% of tests, also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 7.4% of tests
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.5% of tests
7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.4% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.3% of tests
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.2% of tests
10. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 0.2% of tests

From 11,464 DVSA-tracked diesel Volvo Xc40 tests, 2024.

Other Volvo Xc40 fuel types

• Petrol Volvo Xc40 - 91.3%

All Volvo Xc40 MOT data · Every model