90,501 tests in 2025
Volvo V40 reliability and MOT pass rate
75% passed first time. The 25% fail rate is 2.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 9 years old with 74,049 miles.
Pass rate
75%
22.6% of all cars failed; 25% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.5%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
74,049 mi
9 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 3 | — |
| 6-9 years | 46,255 | 20.4% |
| 10-13 years | 41,670 | 29% |
| 14+ years | 2,569 | 42.1% |
What the V40 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.
- Suspension449 dangerous39.2%
- Tyres7,407 dangerous31.3%
- Brakes3,146 dangerous26%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment10 dangerous18%
- Body, chassis, structure55 dangerous12.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks11 dangerous11.2%
- Visibility8 dangerous7.4%
- Steering17 dangerous2.3%
Is the V40 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 4.1 points to 25% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (5.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 102,481 | 7 | 20.9% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 100,475 | 7 | 23.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 85,687 | 9 | 23.8% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 90,470 | 9 | 25% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical V40 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 V40 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken5,943 tests
- 2Condition: has ply or cords exposed2,246 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2,204 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,134 tests
- 5Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2,067 tests
- 6Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault1,528 tests
- 7Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1,524 tests
- 8Position lamp: not working1,237 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical V40 collects 2.39 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 1.6mm16,688 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick9,510 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure7,803 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened7,019 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5,617 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine2,892 tests
- 7Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn2,409 tests
- 8Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened2,229 tests
Questions
What is the Volvo V40 MOT pass rate?
75% of the 90,501 Volvo V40 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 25% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.5% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Volvo V40 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 5,943 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has ply or cords exposed" and "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick". By section, suspension appears in 39.2% of failures, tyres appears in 31.3% of failures, brakes appears in 26% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 42.1%. The median Volvo V40 tested in 2025 was 9 years old with 74,049 miles.
Is the Volvo V40 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 4.1 points to 25% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (5.2 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 V40 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 16 safety recalls naming the Volvo V40: Volvo V40 recalls.
Other Volvo models
Checking a particular V40?
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.