Executive car · 1996–2021 cars

Volvo V70 reliability

The Volvo V70 fails 36.2% of first MOT tests, 12% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 145,334 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.

About averageReliability score 61/100#36 of 40 executive cars

Checking a Volvo V70 before you buy?

first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%): 36.2%; first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
fails than cars of the same age and mileage: 12% fewer; fails than cars of the same age and mileage
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024: 145,334; MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
typical miles a year, from MOT readings: 10,500; typical miles a year, from MOT readings

MOT fail rate by age

How the Volvo V70 ages

Each point is the share of Volvo V70s of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.

Volvo V70All cars

Volvo V70 first-time MOT fail rate by age
Age at MOT (years)	Volvo V70	All cars
5	14.4%	16.4%
6	15.5%	19.1%
7	19%	22.1%
8	20.4%	25.5%
9	22.3%	28.8%
10	25%	31.8%
11	28%	34.6%
12	29.5%	37.3%
13	32.3%	39.5%
14	34.5%	41.1%
15	37.1%	42.3%
16	37.6%	42.9%
17	42.3%	43.4%
18	43.7%	43.5%
19	45.8%	43.4%
20	45.9%	42.8%
21	47.5%	41.4%
22	45%	40.6%
23	42.9%	38.9%
24	42.2%	37.1%
25	40.5%	35.8%

By year

The best and worst Volvo V70 years

2016 cars come out best and 2001 cars worst, once age and mileage are taken into account.

Volvo V70 MOT results by year of first registration
First registered	Tests	Fail rate	Against same-age cars	Typical mileage
2016 V70	2,535	15.7%	30% fewer fails	65,289
2015 V70	6,750	18.5%	28% fewer fails	74,101
2014 V70	6,548	21.5%	27% fewer fails	86,483
2013 V70	5,614	24.5%	26% fewer fails	102,051
2012 V70	5,211	27.6%	24% fewer fails	112,912
2011 V70	6,912	27.6%	29% fewer fails	119,424
2010 V70	9,437	30.1%	26% fewer fails	127,682
2009 V70	12,962	35.3%	17% fewer fails	132,022
2008 V70	11,764	32.4%	26% fewer fails	136,255
2007 V70	9,328	37.9%	15% fewer fails	140,043
2006 V70	8,991	40.7%	10% fewer fails	142,406
2005 V70	11,648	41.6%	9% fewer fails	148,349
2004 V70	10,255	45.7%	0% fewer fails	152,494
2003 V70	9,202	46.3%	2% more fails	153,232
2002 V70	8,565	47.7%	6% more fails	153,409
2001 V70	6,175	46.7%	6% more fails	145,876
2000 V70	4,914	44.1%	2% more fails	151,490
1999 V70	4,228	40.4%	4% fewer fails	158,539
1998 V70	3,130	42.6%	5% more fails	157,768
1997 V70	1,101	40.2%	0% fewer fails	163,835

Common problems

What fails most on a Volvo V70

Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.

Fail rate by area

Lights and electrics17.8%10% below avg
Brakes11%12% below avg
Suspension9.6%42% below avg
Tyres7.9%7% above avg
Body, chassis and structure5.7%29% below avg
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors4.8%27% below avg
Steering4.2%1% above avg
Exhaust, emissions and leaks3.6%43% below avg
Seat belts and airbags1.3%52% below avg

Average for cars of the same age and mileage

Top MOT failures

1
Position lamp not working 5.53% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
Headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect 3.1% of tests
A wrongly shaped beam can dazzle other drivers and reduce your own view of the road, so the lamps need correcting.
3
Parking brake efficiency below minimum 2.5% of tests
The parking brake holds the car less well than required, so it may roll on a slope and needs repair.
4
Tyre ply or cords exposed 2.3% of tests
Exposed ply or cords can let the tyre fail suddenly, so the tyre must be replaced before the car is driven.
5
CV joint boot split or insecure 2.16% of tests
A split CV boot lets dirt in and grease out, so the joint wears and may need full replacement.
6
Suspension arm pin/bush excessively worn 2.07% of tests
Worn suspension arm bushes allow the wheel to move unpredictably, affecting steering, handling and tyre wear.
7
Tyre tread below 1.6mm 2.06% of tests
Tread below 1.6mm is illegal and reduces grip in wet conditions, so the tyre must be replaced.
8
Brake pads worn below 1.5mm 1.93% of tests
Pads worn below 1.5mm lose stopping power and can damage discs, so replacement is needed before the car is driven.

Most common advisories

Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Volvo V70's MOT certificate most often.

Tyre worn close to legal limit16.69%
Suspension arm pin/bush showing wear10.04%
Brake disc pitted or scored8.79%
Coil spring showing some corrosion8.11%
Brake pads wearing thin7.24%
Tyre slightly damaged or cracking6.28%

Before you buy

What to check on a used Volvo V70

1
Position lamp not working
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
Headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect
A wrongly shaped beam can dazzle other drivers and reduce your own view of the road, so the lamps need correcting.
3
Parking brake efficiency below minimum
The parking brake holds the car less well than required, so it may roll on a slope and needs repair.
4
Tyre ply or cords exposed
Exposed ply or cords can let the tyre fail suddenly, so the tyre must be replaced before the car is driven.
5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
6
The mileage record
A typical Volvo V70 covers about 10,500 miles a year. A big gap or a drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.

Fuel types tested

Diesel67.8%
Petrol32.1%
LPG0.1%
Other0%
Electric0%

Most common colours

Silver, Blue, Grey, Black, Red

Average engine size: 2.3 litres.

Compare

How the Volvo V70 compares with its rivals

Volvo V70 against similar models
Model	Fail rate	Against same-age cars
BMW 6 Series	18.6%	40% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Lexus IS	22.6%	36% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Volvo V60	21.6%	17% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Mercedes-Benz CLK	36.7%	13% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Volvo V70	36.2%	12% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Jaguar XE	17.4%	12% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Jaguar X-Type	41.8%	about average for its age

Every executive car ranked in the executive car reliability index, or all Volvo models.

Questions

Volvo V70 questions, answered

Is the Volvo V70 reliable?

On MOT results, the Volvo V70 is about average: it fails 36.2% of first MOT tests, 12% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 36 of 40 executive car models in our index.

What fails most on a Volvo V70 MOT?

The most common MOT failures on the Volvo V70 are position lamp not working (5.53% of tests), headlamp beam pattern obviously incorrect (3.1% of tests), parking brake efficiency below minimum (2.5% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 17.8% of its tests.

Which Volvo V70 year is the most reliable?

Among years with 1,000+ tests, 2016 cars do best (30% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age) and 2001 cars do worst (6% more MOT fails than the average car its age).

How many miles does a Volvo V70 do a year?

A typical Volvo V70 covers about 10,500 miles a year, from the mileage recorded at its MOTs. Check the car you're looking at against that with a free mileage check.

How do I check a Volvo V70 before I buy it?

Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.

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