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Volvo 780 vs Volvo S40: reliability comparison

MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.

Volvo 780
67%
MOT pass rate · 4 vehicles
Volvo S40
70%
MOT pass rate · 104,637 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Volvo 780 (67%) and Volvo S40 (70%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Volvo 780 Volvo S40
MOT pass rate 67% 70% ✓
MOT failure rate 33% 30% ✓
Faults & advisories per test 1.9 ✓ 2.1
Dangerous-fault share 0% ✓ 1%
Average mileage 119,036 mi 123,409 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 4 104,637

Most common faults

Volvo 780

  1. Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
  2. Tyres slightly cracked on sidewalls
  3. Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))
  4. Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))
  5. Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
  6. Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Volvo S40

  1. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  2. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  3. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  5. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
  6. Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Volvo 780 (67%) and Volvo S40 (70%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Volvo 780 report Full Volvo S40 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.