Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 passed on its first attempt in 92.8%, and its overall record sits +12.2 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 in the 2023–2025 data: 681 tests across 2 model years (2022–2023). 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 Ultimate 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 Ultimate T5, 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 Ultimate T5's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5, each with how many of the model's 681 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 17 Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 tests, 2.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 13 Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 9 Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp aim too high" (Rectified) — noted on about 8 Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 7 Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 4 Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 tests, 0.6% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 model year on record is 2022 (93.2% across 622 tests), and the weakest is 2022 (93.2%). 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 Ultimate T5 Owners

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

• 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.

• the lights — “headlamp aim too high”

  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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Volvo XC40 Ultimate T5 MOT & Reliability