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Volvo S 50 vs Volvo V40: reliability comparison

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

Volvo S 50
65%
MOT pass rate · 1 vehicles
Volvo V40
74%
MOT pass rate · 171,790 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Volvo S 50 (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 S 50 Volvo V40
MOT pass rate 65% 74% ✓
MOT failure rate 35% 26% ✓
Faults & advisories per test 1.3 ✓ 1.9
Dangerous-fault share 3% 2% ✓
Average mileage 61,800 mi 106,048 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 1 171,790

Most common faults

Volvo S 50

  1. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  2. Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)
  3. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)
  5. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
  6. Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Volvo V40

  1. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  2. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  3. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  5. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  6. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Volvo S 50 (65%) and Volvo V40 (74%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Volvo S 50 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.