Volvo V70 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Volvo V70 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 80,332 MOT tests across 20 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: premium | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
76%
Volvo V70 pass rate
87%
Volvo average
82%
All-model average
The Volvo V70 has an average MOT pass rate of 76%, which is 11 points below the Volvo average and 6 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Volvo V70s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 10 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Volvo V70 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 13,757 MOT tests on the Volvo V70 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
49%Cars and vans the same age: 47% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
29%Cars and vans the same age: 39% (the V70 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
28%Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
21%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the V70 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £50-£300
Body, chassis and structure
16%Cars and vans the same age: 19% · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (17% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (9.3% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements (7.1% of failed tests, brakes)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Volvo V70 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each V70 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Volvo V70 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.0L | 88% | 11% | 86% (+2) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 14% | 84% (+1) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 14% | 82% (+3) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.0L | 82% | 18% | 80% (+2) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.4L | 81% | 18% | 79% (+2) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.6L | 82% | 17% | 77% (+5) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.4L | 80% | 19% | 75% (+5) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 77% | 22% | 75% (+2) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.4L | 79% | 20% | 74% (+5) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.4L | 76% | 23% | 73% (+3) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.4L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.4L | 73% | 26% | 73% (0) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.4L | 71% | 28% | 72% (-1) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.4L | 71% | 28% | 72% (-1) |
| 2002 | Diesel | 2.4L | 70% | 29% | 73% (-3) |
| 2001 | Diesel | 2.4L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 2.4L | 71% | 28% | 74% (-3) |
| 1999 | Diesel | 2.5L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 1998 | Diesel | 2.5L | 71% | 28% | 76% (-5) |
| 1997 | Petrol | 2.4L | 71% | 28% | 76% (-5) |
Volvo V70 Running Costs
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Volvo V70 FAQ
What are the most common Volvo V70 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Volvo V70 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (49% of the 13,757 failed tests), suspension (29%) and brakes (28%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (17%). Across 80,332 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 76% ended in a pass.
Is the Volvo V70 reliable?
The Volvo V70 has an average MOT pass rate of 76%, from 80,332 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Volvo V70 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 1998 (71% of 2,545 tests passed, against 76% for all 1998 cars), the 1997 (71% of 1,772 tests passed, against 76% for all 1997 cars) and the 2002 (70% of 4,400 tests passed, against 73% for all 2002 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2008 (79% of 6,242 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars), the 2010 (80% of 5,168 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars) and the 2011 (82% of 3,696 tests passed, against 77% for all 2011 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Volvo V70 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Volvo V70 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Volvo Models
Common problems pages for other Volvo models