Volvo
240
4,189 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where 240s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 7.2 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
70.3%
Pass-after-fix
3.2%
Fail
25.8%
Avg miles
147,481
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
240: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 1,730 MOT tests, the 240 returns 69.8% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is the strength or continuity of the load bearing. A number-plate lamp out and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 143,699, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 22–44
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
22–44
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
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
218 occurrences · 5.2% of tests
- 02
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
160 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
151 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
129 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 05
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
129 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 06
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
116 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 07
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
106 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
103 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 09
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
100 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
100 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£78–£295
If every one of this 240's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Volvo Black Stone Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Volvo Ice White Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Autotek
Autotek Volvo Dark Grey 228 300ml
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
Autotek
Autotek Volvo Ice White 300ml
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a 240?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 240 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.