Volvo
V70
80,376 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where V70s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 6.5 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
71.0%
Pass-after-fix
5.3%
Fail
23.1%
Avg miles
141,721
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
Generations on file · 3
Volvo V70 · UK market
1996–2000
2000–2007
2007–2016
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
V70: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 57,151 MOT tests, the V70 returns 70.8% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. A lamp out and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 138,797, 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 22–32
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 →
22–32
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
3,849 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 02
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
2,530 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
2,377 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
2,364 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 05
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
2,298 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 06
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
1,826 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 07
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,768 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 08
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1,499 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 09
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,489 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 10
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
1,419 occurrences · 1.8% 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 2 failures
£18–£115
If every one of this V70'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.
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.
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.
What's good
The Volvo V70 Mk3 (P3, 2007-2016) is a spacious and comfortable estate car with Volvo's characteristic safety focus. The 2.0-litre D3 and D4 diesels are efficient and reliable for the class.
Buying or keeping a V70?
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 V70 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.