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Volvo S80 vs Volvo Unknown: reliability comparison

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

Volvo S80
73%
MOT pass rate · 31,259 vehicles
Volvo Unknown
86%
MOT pass rate · 319,034 vehicles
More reliable
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Volvo Unknown is the more reliable of the two — 86% pass first time versus 73%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.

Head to head

Measure Volvo S80 Volvo Unknown
MOT pass rate 73% 86% ✓
MOT failure rate 27% 14% ✓
Faults & advisories per test 1.8 0.7 ✓
Dangerous-fault share 1% ✓ 4%
Average mileage 144,162 mi 431,427 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 31,259 319,034

Most common faults

Volvo S80

  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. Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
  6. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Volvo Unknown

  1. Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
  2. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  3. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  4. Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))
  5. Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))
  6. Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate, the Volvo Unknown is the more reliable of the two — 86% pass first time versus 73%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.

Full Volvo S80 report Full Volvo Unknown 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.