1,568 tests in 2025
Volvo 800 reliability and MOT pass rate
68.4% passed first time. The 31.6% fail rate is 9.0 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 29 years old with 144,530 miles.
Pass rate
68.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 31.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
144,530 mi
29 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,568 | 31.6% |
What the 800 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Brakes52 dangerous42.9%
- Suspension9 dangerous37.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment14 dangerous30.4%
- Body, chassis, structure4 dangerous30.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks3 dangerous23%
- Visibility19.4%
- Tyres96 dangerous15.5%
- Steering14.3%
Is the 800 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 0.2 points to 31.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-1.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,164 | 26 | 31.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,940 | 27 | 31.5% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,645 | 28 | 32% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,568 | 29 | 31.6% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 800 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 800 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt86 tests
- 2Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements69 tests
- 3Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn61 tests
- 4Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault60 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively58 tests
- 6Position lamp: not working40 tests
- 7Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits35 tests
- 8Parking brake performance: inoperative on one side33 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 800 collects 3.22 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine284 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm188 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure163 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened162 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn132 tests
- 6Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases109 tests
- 7Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened101 tests
- 8Registration plates: inscription illegible97 tests
Questions
What is the Volvo 800 MOT pass rate?
68.4% of the 1,568 Volvo 800 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 31.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Volvo 800 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", recorded on 86 failed tests, followed by "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements" and "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn". By section, brakes appears in 42.9% of failures, suspension appears in 37.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 30.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 31.6%. The median Volvo 800 tested in 2025 was 29 years old with 144,530 miles.
Is the Volvo 800 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 0.2 points to 31.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-1.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 800 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Volvo models
Checking a particular 800?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.