Volvo
C30
45,780 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where C30s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.1 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
69.4%
Pass-after-fix
5.3%
Fail
24.7%
Avg miles
104,975
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered before September 2015 are typically pre-Euro 6 — subject to daily charges in London ULEZ (£12.50), Birmingham CAZ (£8), Bristol CAZ (£9), and Glasgow LEZ. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
The picture
Volvo C30: challenging MOT record across 32,393 tests
The Volvo C30 is a diesel-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 32,393 tests puts this car on a 68.5% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 100,188 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by worn suspension pin or bush.
Car insurance prices are currently seeing record increases so we're here to help you find ways to reduced the cost.
The C30's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 16–28
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
16–28
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
4,754 occurrences · 10.4% of tests
- 02
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,715 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 03
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
1,496 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 04
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,492 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 05
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
1,253 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 06
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,158 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 07
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
1,154 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,091 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1,084 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
854 occurrences · 1.9% 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 2 failures
£88–£275
If every one of this C30'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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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.
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Parts & supplies for this fix
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Book a mobile mechanic
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Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Where it falls short
One last point - if your circumstances change, make sure your inform your insurer, too. If your details don't match what an insurer has on record, that could lead to problems with claims and future renewals.
Buying or keeping a C30?
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 C30 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.