17,969 tests in 2025
Volvo S60 reliability and MOT pass rate
77.1% passed first time. The 22.9% fail rate is 0.3 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 100,696 miles.
Pass rate
77.1%
22.6% of all cars failed; 22.9% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
100,696 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1,705 | 9.6% |
| 6-9 years | 4,016 | 17% |
| 10-13 years | 5,216 | 23.1% |
| 14+ years | 7,027 | 29.3% |
What the S60 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.
- Brakes768 dangerous34.3%
- Suspension79 dangerous30.8%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment4 dangerous30.2%
- Tyres1,356 dangerous29.6%
- Body, chassis, structure14 dangerous12.9%
- Steering18 dangerous11.2%
- Visibility1 dangerous9.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks6 dangerous8.8%
Is the S60 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1 point to 24.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 21,415 | 11 | 23.6% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 19,812 | 12 | 24.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 16,329 | 12 | 24.8% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 15,721 | 13 | 24.6% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical S60 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 S60 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick469 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm408 tests
- 3Condition: has ply or cords exposed369 tests
- 4Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect319 tests
- 5Position lamp: not working309 tests
- 6Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements293 tests
- 7Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt280 tests
- 8Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak275 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical S60 collects 2.68 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.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3,227 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,772 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,603 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,519 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,361 tests
- 6Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened1,259 tests
- 7Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine850 tests
- 8Registration plates: inscription illegible637 tests
Questions
What is the Volvo S60 MOT pass rate?
77.1% of the 17,969 Volvo S60 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 22.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Volvo S60 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick", recorded on 469 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Condition: has ply or cords exposed". By section, brakes appears in 34.3% of failures, suspension appears in 30.8% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 30.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 9.6%; at 14+ years it was 29.3%. The median Volvo S60 tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 100,696 miles.
Is the Volvo S60 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1 point to 24.6% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.1 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
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 S60 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 42 safety recalls naming the Volvo S60: Volvo S60 recalls.
Other Volvo models
Checking a particular S60?
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.