Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 passed on its first attempt in 94.6%, and its overall record sits +13.8 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 in the 2023–2025 data: 291 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 R-Design 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 R-Design B5, the Tyres 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 R-Design B5's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Volvo XC40 R-Design B5, each with how many of the model's 291 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 5 Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 tests, 1.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 4 Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (Major) — noted on about 2 Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Rectified) — noted on about 2 Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick" (Major) — noted on about 2 Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 model year on record is 2020 (94.9% across 177 tests), and the weakest is 2021 (94.7%). The gap between them is 0.2 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 R-Design B5 Owners

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

• 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 shock absorbers — “shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak”

  Press down hard on each corner of the car and let go. It should settle in one bounce; if it keeps rocking, or you can see oil weeping down a shock absorber, that is the fault a tester will find.

• 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 R-Design B5. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Volvo XC40 R-Design B5 MOT & Reliability