Volvo
Xc70
32,095 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Xc70s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 2.0 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
75.5%
Pass-after-fix
4.4%
Fail
19.6%
Avg miles
127,144
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 .
The picture
Volvo Xc70: mixed MOT record across 22,502 tests
The Volvo Xc70 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 22,502 tests puts this car on a 74.2% first-time pass rate, below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 122,017 miles. The most common fail item is failed number plate light, followed by fractured or weakened suspension spring.
Built on the same same bigger platform as the new S80 and new V70. Significantly enhanced levels of refinement and all road capability. Powered by a 185 PS D5 diesel and a 238 PS 3.2-litre petrol. Prices announced in early June, UK showrooms in September.
Buyers weighing up a used Xc70 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
Group 22–44
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 →
22–44
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
1,208 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
807 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
760 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 04
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
729 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
628 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 06
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
551 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
543 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 08
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
535 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 09
A tyre cords visible or damaged
444 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
438 occurrences · 1.4% 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 3 failures
£98–£355
If every one of this Xc70'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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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.
Where it falls short
XC70 3.2 SE Lux (238PS) Geartronic £36,200
Buying or keeping a Xc70?
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 Xc70 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.