Volvo XC90 + B5 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Volvo XC90 + B5 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Volvo XC90 + B5 passed on its first attempt in 89.0%, and its overall record sits +9.1 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Volvo XC90 + B5 in the 2023–2025 data: 1,769 tests across 4 model years (2020–2023). 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 XC90 + B5 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Volvo XC90 + 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 XC90 + B5's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Volvo XC90 + B5 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Volvo XC90 + B5, each with how many of the model's 1,769 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 65 Volvo XC90 + B5 tests, 3.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Has ply or cords exposed" (Major) — noted on about 46 Volvo XC90 + B5 tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 39 Volvo XC90 + B5 tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick" (Major) — noted on about 22 Volvo XC90 + B5 tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Rectified) — noted on about 22 Volvo XC90 + B5 tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 18 Volvo XC90 + B5 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Volvo XC90 + B5 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Volvo XC90 + B5 model year on record is 2023 (93.9% across 82 tests), and the weakest is 2020 (87.8%). The gap between them is 6.1 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Volvo XC90 + B5 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.6 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 XC90 + B5 Owners

These checks follow this Volvo XC90 + B5's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Volvo XC90 + 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 brakes — “brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick”

  Look through the spokes of each wheel at the pad — less than 3mm of friction material, or a lip on the disc edge, is the usual failure. Check the handbrake holds on a slope with a few clicks, not at the top of its travel.

• 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 XC90 + B5. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Volvo XC90 + B5 MOT & Reliability