Volvo S60
From 28,705 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer S60s fare better: 2019 models pass at 88.3% vs 67.4% for 2001.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 867 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 867 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 803 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 657 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 564 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 526 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 520 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 479 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 456 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 429 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 347 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 56.1% of S60 failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 0% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £98.
Volvo S60 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,589 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 65 newly registered, a net loss of 1,524. At this rate, roughly 14.7 years until none remain. Now at 59.2% of its peak (37,751 in 2013 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 18,302 | 4,034 | +28 | -380 | -352 |
| 2025 Q2 | 18,669 | 4,019 | +11 | -370 | -359 |
| 2025 Q1 | 18,999 | 4,048 | +10 | -351 | -341 |
| 2024 Q4 | 19,312 | 4,076 | +16 | -488 | -472 |
| 2024 Q3 | 19,771 | 4,089 | +13 | -390 | -377 |
| 2024 Q2 | 20,168 | 4,069 | +21 | -369 | -348 |
| 2024 Q1 | 20,544 | 4,041 | +65 | -271 | -206 |
| 2023 Q4 | 20,806 | 3,985 | +134 | -267 | -133 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| S60 R-Design + T5 Auto | Petrol | 912 | 11% |
| S60 S T Auto | Gas | 640 | 8% |
| S60 R-Design Edition T5 Auto | Petrol | 556 | 7% |
| S60 Inscription + T5 Auto | Petrol | 505 | 6% |
| S60 D5 Se | Diesel | 464 | 5% |
| S60 Business Edition D4 | Diesel | 422 | 5% |
| S60 D5 Se Auto | Diesel | 415 | 5% |
| S60 Business Edition D2 | Diesel | 408 | 5% |
| S60 R-Design D3 | Diesel | 379 | 4% |
| S60 Se Lux D3 | Diesel | 371 | 4% |
| S60 R-Design Lux Nav D4 Auto | Diesel | 367 | 4% |
| S60 Se D3 | Diesel | 366 | 4% |
| S60 Se Lux D5 Auto | Diesel | 356 | 4% |
| S60 Se Nav T4 | Petrol | 355 | 4% |
| S60 R-Design D2 | Diesel | 353 | 4% |
| S60 R-Design B5 Mhev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 351 | 4% |
| S60 Se D5 Auto | Diesel | 336 | 4% |
| S60 R-Design Nav D4 | Diesel | 326 | 4% |
| S60 R-Design Drive Start/Stop | Diesel | 321 | 4% |
| S60 Business Edition D3 | Diesel | 294 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 88.3% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2018 | 84.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 83.1% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 81% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
14 earlier years
| 2015 | 79.7% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2014 | 79.1% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 79.5% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 76.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2011 | 78.2% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2010 | 79.5% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2008 | 70% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2007 | 67.5% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2006 | 70.8% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2005 | 71.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 65.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2003 | 64.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2002 | 69.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2001 | 67.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
Typical mileage
Half of all S60s tested had between 82,079 and 139,157 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 111,967 median miles, the S60 has 0.022 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Volvo models
| Volvo Xc60 | 82.7% |
| Volvo V40 | 79% |
| Volvo Xc90 | 78% |
| Volvo Xc40 | 91.2% |
| Volvo V70 | 72% |
Common questions
What is the Volvo S60 MOT pass rate?
The Volvo S60 has a 75.8% MOT pass rate based on 28,705 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Volvo S60?
The most common MOT failure on the Volvo S60 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 867 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
How many Volvo S60s are on UK roads?
There are 18,302 Volvo S60s currently licensed on UK roads, with 4,034 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Volvo S60 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Volvo S60 is 111,967 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 82,079 and 139,157 miles.
Buying a used S60?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 75.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £98 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.