Volvo 400 series
Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 7 years from 1,190 real MOT tests.
Avg Pass Rate
72%
Total Tests
1,190
Best Year
1990 (84%)
Years Covered
7
About the Volvo 400 series
The Volvo 400 series has been tested 1,190 times in 2026 MOT data across 7 model years (1990 to 1996), with an average pass rate of 72%. That's 10 points below the national average of 82%, so check the year-by-year data carefully before buying. Available as petrol.
Best and Worst Years
The 1990 model is the most reliable with a 84% pass rate from 74 tests. The 1996 model has the lowest at 64%. With a 20 point spread, choosing the right year makes a big difference to reliability.
Reliability Trend
Older VOLVO 400 SERIESs tend to have better MOT pass rates than newer ones, with an average decline of 7 percentage points across model years.
Mileage Across Years
The oldest model in our data (1990) averages 63,532 miles, while the newest (1996) averages 73,913 miles.
Compared to the Volvo brand average of 87%, the 400 series is 15 points lower, placing it among the less reliable Volvo models.
Estimated Running Costs
Higher due to low pass rate
Based on 7,400 miles/year, current fuel prices, and MOT pass rate data. Insurance not included.
Full 1996 detailsHow reliable is the Volvo 400 series?
Volvo 400 series by Year
Click any year to see detailed running costs, reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.
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