Volvo
57,280 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where V60s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 3.5 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
81.0%
Pass-after-fix
2.9%
Fail
15.6%
Avg miles
92,735
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Could not determine Euro standard — check the V5C or use the government's online ULEZ checker.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 57,212 tests
Pass rate climbs 7.8 points across the cohorts — newer V60 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
79.4%
Fail
17.0%
PRS
3.1%
Avg mileage at test
102,332 mi
Pass
87.2%
Fail
10.2%
PRS
2.1%
Avg mileage at test
55,068 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
Generations on file · 2
Volvo V60 · UK market
2010–2018
2018–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Across 38,637 MOT tests, the V60 returns 80.3% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. A number-plate lamp out and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 86,273, 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
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
1,628 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
1,420 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,290 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,117 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1,079 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
815 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
553 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Wiper blade defective
507 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
431 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
431 occurrences · 0.8% 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
£208–£385
If every one of this V60'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 7.8-point gap between bands means the year you buy Volvo V60 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
87.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 87.2% — a 7.8-point improvement. Tests in this band average 55,068 miles — roughly 47K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — 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
79.4%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 79.4% pass rate against a fleet average of 87.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, less than 1.5 mm thick, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 102,332 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (87.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (79.4% pass). That's a 7.8-point spread across 45,685 older tests and 11,527 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
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
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
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
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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
The Volvo V60 combines Swedish estate car practicality with genuine driving involvement. The 2.0-litre Drive-E diesel is efficient and reasonably reliable. Build quality is good throughout.
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 V60 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.
