Volvo V50
Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 9 years from 60,020 real MOT tests.
Avg Pass Rate
71%
Total Tests
60,020
Best Year
2012 (75%)
Years Covered
9
How reliable is the Volvo V50?
Volvo V50 by Year
Checking a specific Volvo V50?
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About the Volvo V50
The Volvo V50 has been tested 60,020 times in 2024 MOT data across 9 model years (2004 to 2012), with an average pass rate of 71%. That's 11 points below the national average of 82%, so check the year-by-year data carefully before buying. Available as diesel and petrol.
Best and Worst Years
The 2012 model is the most reliable with a 75% pass rate from 6,231 tests. The 2006 model has the lowest at 69%. The 6 point spread between years means reliability varies somewhat, but no year is dramatically different.
Reliability Trend
The VOLVO V50 has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 3 percentage points.
Mileage Across Years
The oldest model in our data (2004) averages 133,972 miles, while the newest (2012) averages 118,265 miles. Older models have covered serious mileage, so suspension and drivetrain wear are worth checking.
Compared to the Volvo brand average of 87%, the V50 is 16 points lower, placing it among the less reliable Volvo models.
Click any year in the table above to see detailed running costs, individual reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.