Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 passed on its first attempt in 92.5%, and its overall record sits +12.0 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 in the 2023–2025 data: 4,196 tests across 3 model years (2020–2022). 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 T5 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 T5, 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 R-Design T5's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 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 T5, each with how many of the model's 4,196 tests it was noted on.

• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 108 Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 77 Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 50 Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 42 Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 31 Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 tests, 0.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 25 Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 tests, 0.6% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 model year on record is 2022 (96.1% across 279 tests), and the weakest is 2020 (92.5%). The gap between them is 3.6 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.8 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

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

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 Owners

These checks follow this Volvo XC40 R-Design T5's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Volvo XC40 R-Design T5.

• 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 blade defective”

  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.

• the tyre tread — “tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”

  Check all four tyres cold, including the inner shoulder where wear hides — 1.6mm across the central three-quarters is the legal limit, and most testers fail at 1.6mm without argument.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Volvo XC40 R-Design T5. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Volvo XC40 R-Design T5 MOT & Reliability