MOT performance
Volvo XC90 petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 10,576 MOT tests on petrol Volvo XC90s in 2023–2024 (on average 8.4 years old at test, median 49,117 miles), 76.7% passed first time, against 69.7% of 104,387 diesel Volvo XC90 tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Volvo XC90s failed 10% less often than comparable cars — 0.90× against 0.91× for the Volvo XC90 as a whole.
10,576 MOT tests on 5,412 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 76.7% | ±0.8 pts (95%), n = 10,576 |
| All Volvo XC90s | 73.1% | n = 140,093 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 0.90× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Volvo XC90 overall 0.91× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 8.9% | n = 10,576 |
| Average age at test | 8.4 years | n = 10,576 |
| Registration years covered | 2003–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Volvo XC90 fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The petrol cars were tested 2.3 years younger on average than the diesel ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 104,387 | 10.7 yrs | 69.7% | -10% | 10.5% |
| Hybrid | 24,252 | 3.8 yrs | 85.4% | +9% | 6.8% |
| Petrol | 10,576 | 8.4 yrs | 76.7% | -10% | 8.9% |
Where petrol Volvo XC90s differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: petrol Volvo XC90s failed 100% more often than the Volvo XC90 overall, relative to comparable cars (0.69× vs 0.34×).
- Body, chassis and structure: petrol Volvo XC90s failed 41% more often than the Volvo XC90 overall, relative to comparable cars (0.70× vs 0.50×).
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Volvo XC90s (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 9.0% (-13%) | 11.1% (-6%) |
| Brakes | 8.4% (+31%) | 10.6% (+38%) |
| Tyres | 6.3% (Same) | 6.8% (-4%) |
| Suspension | 3.8% (-47%) | 5.2% (-48%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 2.6% (-46%) | 3.0% (-37%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.5% (-31%) | 1.0% (-65%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 2.3% (-30%) | 2.0% (-50%) |
| Steering | 1.6% (+4%) | 2.5% (+8%) |
Most common petrol Volvo XC90 failure items
1 of these 5 items is not among the Volvo XC90's ten most common failures overall.
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 3.48% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.91% |
| Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.99% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 1.76% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.69% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) | hybrid pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 86.5% (4,221) | 86.3% (10,766) | 86.9% (8,402) |
| 5-6 | 83.7% (1,835) | 83.7% (15,612) | 83.3% (5,005) |
| 7-8 | 78.7% (657) | 78.7% (12,016) | 78.9% (2,680) |
| 9-10 | — | 71.5% (9,605) | — |
| 11-12 | — | 66.0% (14,648) | — |
| 13-15 | 63.0% (619) | 61.2% (21,015) | — |
| 16+ | 57.5% (2,618) | 54.9% (20,201) | — |
Volvo XC90 by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2004 Volvo XC90 · 54.5%
- 2005 Volvo XC90 · 54.6%
- 2006 Volvo XC90 · 56.7%
- 2007 Volvo XC90 · 56.3%
- 2008 Volvo XC90 · 60.0%
- 2009 Volvo XC90 · 61.6%
- 2010 Volvo XC90 · 62.2%
- 2011 Volvo XC90 · 63.8%
- 2012 Volvo XC90 · 69.4%
- 2013 Volvo XC90 · 70.2%
- 2014 Volvo XC90 · 71.9%
- 2015 Volvo XC90 · 78.3%
- 2016 Volvo XC90 · 79.3%
- 2017 Volvo XC90 · 83.1%
- 2018 Volvo XC90 · 85.2%
- 2019 Volvo XC90 · 86.2%
- 2020 Volvo XC90 · 87.4%
- 2021 Volvo XC90 · 86.8%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific petrol Volvo XC90
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.