Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 passed on its first attempt in 95.3%, and its overall record sits +14.5 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 in the 2023–2025 data: 225 tests across 2 model years (2020–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Volvo XC40 Inscription B5, the Visibility section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Volvo XC40 Inscription B5's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Volvo XC40 Inscription B5, each with how many of the model's 225 tests it was noted on.

• "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 3 Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 3 Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rear fog lamp lens defective which has no effect on emitted light" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 2 Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 tests, 0.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Rectified) — noted on about 2 Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 tests, 0.9% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 model year on record is 2020 (97.3% across 149 tests), and the weakest is 2021 (92.1%). The gap between them is 5.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 Owners

These checks follow this Volvo XC40 Inscription B5's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Volvo XC40 Inscription B5.

• the lights — “rear fog lamp lens defective”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the wipers and washers — “wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively”

  Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Volvo XC40 Inscription B5. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Volvo XC40 Inscription B5 MOT & Reliability