90%
Volvo XC40
Volvo XC40 MOT pass rate and common problems
The Volvo XC40 passed 90% of its initial MOT tests in 2025, 17.7 percentage points above the 72.3% UK average. The item testers recorded most often was brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick.
Checking a specific car? Its own results, advisories and recorded mileages are in a free MOT history check.
How the XC40 compares
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded. A car that failed and was repaired at the test station counts as a fail.
75.3%
Volvo average
72.3%
UK average, all cars
The XC40 runs 14.8 points ahead of the Volvo average. It is 1st of the 18 Volvo models in the data. The average XC40 arrived at its test 4.6 years old with 39,360 miles recorded.
A pass rate records whether cars met the roadworthiness standard on test day. It is not a reliability score, and part of any gap reflects how old the tested cars were.
XC40 MOT pass rate by age
The same 2025 tests split by the car's age at test.
Volvo XC40 cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 90.2% of MOT tests. For cars aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 87%, a drop of 3.2 percentage points.
| Age at test | Tests | Pass rate | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years | 63,849 | 90.2% | 17.9 pts above |
| 6 to 10 years | 11,040 | 87% | 14.7 pts above |
| 11 years and over (small sample) | 1 | 100% | 27.7 pts above |
That is a smaller decline than most cars show. The UK average of 72.3% covers cars of every age, so compare like with like.
Where XC40 failures cluster
Every failure item recorded on Volvo XC40 cars in 2025, grouped into the DVSA's test areas.
Tyres and brakes together account for 67% of recorded failure items. These are recorded failures across the model, not faults every car has.
The 10 most common XC40 MOT failures
Specific items recorded on Volvo XC40 cars that failed their 2025 MOT, as a share of all recorded failure items.
Together these 10 items make up 72.7% of everything testers recorded against failed Volvo XC40 cars. The rest is spread across many smaller items, and one failed test often records several at once.
What to look at on a XC40
The recorded failures above, grouped by area, biggest first.
1
Tyres
Recorded most often: condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, condition has ply or cords exposed and condition has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. 35.4% of failure items.
2
Brakes
Recorded most often: brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick and brake discs significantly and obviously worn. 23.2% of failure items.
3
Visibility
Recorded most often: wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively. 6% of failure items.
4
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Recorded most often: headlamp aim too high. 4.1% of failure items.
The car's own MOT history matters more than any model average. A free MOT history check shows whether a specific XC40 has failed on these items before, or had them noted as advisories. Buying one? See the used Volvo XC40 buying guide.
Already found one?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Volvo XC40 MOT FAQs
What is the Volvo XC40 MOT pass rate?
90% of Volvo XC40 cars passed their initial MOT first time in 2025, from 88,848 tests. That is 17.7 percentage points above the 72.3% average for all cars, and ranks 40th of 575 models.
What does a Volvo XC40 most commonly fail its MOT on?
The item testers recorded most often on Volvo XC40 cars failing their 2025 MOT was brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick, on 21.2% of failure items. Next were condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (17.7%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (10.7%).
Which area causes the most Volvo XC40 MOT failures?
Across every recorded failure item, the largest area was tyres at 39.3%, followed by brakes at 27.7%.
Do older Volvo XC40 cars fail their MOT more often?
Volvo XC40 cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 90.2% of MOT tests in 2025, against 87% for cars aged 6 to 10 years.
Does this mean every Volvo XC40 has these problems?
No. These are the items testers recorded across every Volvo XC40 that failed in 2025. They show where the model most often needs attention, not the condition of any individual car.
How do I see a specific Volvo XC40's MOT history?
Enter its registration on the free Carpeep MOT history check to see that car's own test results, failures, advisories and recorded mileages.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025: class 4 initial tests, retests excluded, with failure items from failed tests (advisories and minor defects excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.