Volvo
33,198 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where S60s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 2.2 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
75.3%
Pass-after-fix
5.0%
Fail
19.2%
Avg miles
111,001
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 33,197 tests
Pass rate climbs 12.7 points across the cohorts — newer S60 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
74.8%
Fail
19.6%
PRS
5.1%
Avg mileage at test
114,132 mi
Pass
87.5%
Fail
10.1%
PRS
2.1%
Avg mileage at test
41,967 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
Generations on file · 2
Volvo S60 · UK market
1995–2012
–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
The Volvo S60 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 24,311 tests puts this car on a 74.8% first-time pass rate, below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 108,102 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by tyre tread below the legal limit.
The Volvo S60 is a slightly leftfield alternative to the default German premium saloons. It combines handsome styling with a high-quality and calming interior, but the driving experience is less dynamic than its rivals.
Buyers weighing up a used S60 should treat the failure breakdown as a pre-purchase checklist. The pass rate is reasonable, but the gap between first attempt and a clean sheet narrows with age and mileage.
ABI Insurance Group
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 →
28–40
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A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,442 occurrences · 4.3% of tests
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
757 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
702 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
687 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
654 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
605 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
592 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
537 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
467 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
402 occurrences · 1.2% 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 4 failures
£88–£290
If every one of this S60'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 12.7-point gap between bands means the year you buy Volvo S60 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
87.5%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 87.5% — a 12.7-point improvement. Tests in this band average 41,967 miles — roughly 72K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
74.8%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 74.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 87.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, lens slightly defective, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 114,132 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (87.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (74.8% pass). That's a 12.7-point spread across 31,763 older tests and 1,434 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
Excellent range and performance from the plug-in hybrid model. Comfortable and spacious interior feels truly plush. Plenty of high-end technology included as standard.
Where it falls short
Driving experience feels a bit remote. No diesel engines available. Can get expensive.
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 an S60 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.
