Pass rate, every year
2,245 tests across 3 model years, 2020–2022.
+10.3 pts vs the national average
Pass rate, every year
2,245 tests across 3 model years, 2020–2022.
+10.3 pts vs the national average
Best year to buy
2021 92.0%
The strongest of the 3 years on record. See the 2021 page →
Worst year to buy
2022 89.8%
2.2 points below the 2021 peak. See the 2022 page →
The Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 MOT pass rate is 91.3%, +10.3 percentage points above the UK average. That is 2,245 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2020 and 2022. This page lists the most common Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
The Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 passed on its first attempt in 90.6%, and its overall record sits +10.3 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 in the 2023–2025 data: 2,245 tests across 3 model years (2020–2022). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 2,245 |
| Overall pass rate | 91.3% |
| Passed on first attempt | 90.6% |
| Average mileage at test | 39,265 mi |
| Model years covered | 2020–2022 (3 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +10.3 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8, the Tyres section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 58% |
| Visibility | 36% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5% |
| Suspension | 1% |
| Brakes | 0% |
Shares are over the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Around 58% of the recorded Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 failures fall in the Tyres section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (2.9%), "Has ply or cords exposed" (1.7%), "Has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (1.2%) among the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8's tyres faults.
Around 36% of the recorded Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (1.9%), "Wipers blade defective" (1.5%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (0.8%) among the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8's visibility faults.
Around 5% of the recorded Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp aim too low" (0.3%), "Rear reflectors defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface" (0.2%), "Front fog lamps not working" (0.1%) among the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Volvo XC90 R-Design T8, each with how many of the model's 2,245 tests it was noted on.
The strongest Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 model year on record is 2021 (92.0% across 1,405 tests), and the weakest is 2022 (89.8%). The gap between them is 2.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 XC90 R-Design T8 | 402 | 89.8% |
| 2021 XC90 R-Design T8 | 1,405 | 92.0% |
| 2020 XC90 R-Design T8 | 438 | 90.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
These checks follow this Volvo XC90 R-Design T8's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Volvo XC90 R-Design T8.
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 XC90 R-Design T8. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
91.3% of the 2,245 recorded Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 MOT tests ended in a pass, +10.3 percentage points above the national average. 90.6% of those passed on the first attempt.
2021 is the strongest Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 year on record at 92.0%, while 2022 is the weakest at 89.8%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
The most recorded Volvo XC90 R-Design T8 failures are "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" — together around 5% of tests, mostly in the Tyres section.