Reliability report
Volvo XC70 reliability and common faults
Based on 66,927 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
25.6%
fail rate · average 29.8%
much better than average
16,248 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
54.7%
with defects · average 58.0%
better than average
26,148 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
55.6%
first-time pass · average 51.5%
better than average
24,531 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 XC70
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
Steering
Wheels
Exhaust and emissions
Lights and electrics
Suspension
Plates and identification
Brakes
Tyres
Visibility
Body and structure
Seat belts and airbags
Most common test failures
- 1Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 2Sidelight not working (properly)
- 3Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 4Tyre insufficient tread
- 5Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 6Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 7Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 8Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 9Driveshaft boot damaged and not sealing
- 10Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge
- 11Rear light not working (properly)
- 12Low beam light-dark cutoff unclear
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 6–8 years | — | 29.8% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 18.4% avg 22.9% | 37.4% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 24.2% avg 30.3% | 52.3% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 31.3% avg 34.6% | 61.3% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 37.4% avg 31.4% | 72.3% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | XC70 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 76.8% | 72.8% | 237 |
| 2015 | 68.6% | 71.1% | 507 |
| 2014 | 73.8% | 68.0% | 545 |
| 2013 | 69.8% | 65.9% | 642 |
| 2012 | 59.9% | 63.7% | 1,010 |
| 2011 | 59.2% | 61.2% | 1,063 |
| 2010 | 60.2% | 57.3% | 1,207 |
| 2009 | 61.9% | 54.5% | 1,309 |
| 2008 | 61.3% | 52.4% | 3,544 |
| 2007 | 54.8% | 50.6% | 3,041 |
| 2006 | 50.5% | 48.7% | 2,667 |
| 2005 | 50.9% | 46.6% | 2,870 |
| 2004 | 48.7% | 44.5% | 2,995 |
| 2003 | 46.7% | 42.9% | 2,159 |
| 2002 | 47.9% | 42.0% | 558 |
Volvo XC70 – FAQs
How reliable is the Volvo XC70?+
In the UK the Volvo XC70 fails 25.6% of MOT tests, against an average of 29.8% for cars of the same age – much better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 54.7% of APK inspections (average there 58.0%) – better than average. In Lithuania 55.6% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 51.5%) – better than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Volvo XC70?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: steering, wheels, exhaust and emissions.
What should I check when buying a used Volvo XC70?+
The most common inspection failures: Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing; Sidelight not working (properly); Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre insufficient tread; 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: Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).