Volvo 34 vs Volvo V40: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Volvo 34
65%
MOT pass rate · 8 vehicles
Volvo V40
74%
MOT pass rate · 171,790 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Volvo 34 (65%) and Volvo V40 (74%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Head to head
| Measure | Volvo 34 | Volvo V40 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 65% | 74% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 35% | 26% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 1.7 ✓ | 1.9 |
| Dangerous-fault share | 0% ✓ | 2% |
| Average mileage | 82,321 mi | 106,048 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 8 | 171,790 |
Most common faults
Volvo 34
- Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
- Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)
- Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)
- Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)
- Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
- Breather hose at fuel tank badly perished.
Volvo V40
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate the Volvo 34 (65%) and Volvo V40 (74%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Full Volvo 34 report Full Volvo V40 report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.