Volvo
19,129 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where V90s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
86.1%
Pass-after-fix
1.6%
Fail
11.8%
Avg miles
68,450
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 19,111 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.2 points across the cohorts — newer V90 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
85.5%
Fail
12.4%
PRS
1.7%
Avg mileage at test
78,421 mi
Pass
86.7%
Fail
11.3%
PRS
1.6%
Avg mileage at test
58,846 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
The Volvo V90 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 11,390 tests puts this car on an 86.2% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 57,305 miles. The most common fail item is brake pads worn below 1.5mm, followed by damaged tyre sidewall or structure.
The Volvo V90 is the big Swedish estate car redefined for the 21st Century, and is a big step in the brand repositioning itself as a genuine contender to the established premium German brands.
For used buyers, the V90's pass rate suggests it clears the MOT with fewer surprises than most — but the top failure items above are still worth a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on higher-mileage examples.
ABI Insurance Group
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. 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 →
36–46
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a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
478 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
A lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
340 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
301 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
296 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
291 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
242 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
222 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Wiper blade defective
146 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
146 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
128 occurrences · 0.7% 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
£140–£255
If every one of this V90'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 1.2-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Volvo V90 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
86.7%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 86.7% — a 1.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 58,846 miles — roughly 20K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, with a multiple light source up to… — 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
85.5%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 85.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 86.7% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.5 mm thick, constant velocity boot split or insecure, no…, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 78,421 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (86.7% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (85.5% pass). That's a 1.2-point spread across 9,398 older tests and 9,713 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
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 02 · 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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Autotek
Autotek Volvo Dark Grey 228 300ml
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Autotek Volvo Ice White 300ml
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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.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
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
Beautifully finished cabin, high level of standard equipment, extremely impressive safety technology.
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 V90 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.
