Reliability report
Volvo V50 reliability and common faults
Based on 118,120 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
39.0%
fail rate · average 32.7%
much worse than average
25,884 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
62.7%
with defects · average 62.0%
about average
54,878 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
44.2%
first-time pass · average 49.7%
much worse than average
37,358 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Volvo V50
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Driving controls
Wheelsconfirmed in 2 countries
Suspensionconfirmed in 2 countries
Tyres
Body and structure
Steering
Plates and identification
Exhaust and emissions
Lights and electrics
Brakes
Visibility
Seat belts and airbags
Most common test failures
- 1Tyre insufficient tread
- 2Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 3Spring broken or cracked
- 4Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 5Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 6Driveshaft boot damaged and not sealing
- 7Sidelight not working (properly)
- 8Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 9Rear light not working (properly)
- 10Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 11Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 12Wheel bearing wear/damage audible or noticeable
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 9–11 years | — | 58.0% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 37.5% avg 30.3% | 58.4% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 40.1% avg 34.6% | 63.9% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 40.8% avg 31.4% | 70.4% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | V50 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 56.4% | 63.7% | 523 |
| 2011 | 55.0% | 61.2% | 967 |
| 2010 | 49.1% | 57.3% | 1,895 |
| 2009 | 46.4% | 54.5% | 2,542 |
| 2008 | 44.8% | 52.4% | 4,340 |
| 2007 | 44.8% | 50.6% | 5,596 |
| 2006 | 45.5% | 48.7% | 7,355 |
| 2005 | 40.8% | 46.6% | 8,620 |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 44.5% | 5,509 |
Volvo V50 – FAQs
How reliable is the Volvo V50?+
In the UK the Volvo V50 fails 39.0% of MOT tests, against an average of 32.7% for cars of the same age – much worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 62.7% of APK inspections (average there 62.0%) – about average. In Lithuania 44.2% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 49.7%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Volvo V50?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: wheels, suspension, tyres, body and structure.
What should I check when buying a used Volvo V50?+
The most common inspection failures: Tyre insufficient tread; Low beam incorrectly adjusted; Spring broken or cracked; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre pressure not at correct value. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Volvo models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).