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Volvo S90 reliability

A · Excellent

MOT pass rates and common problems from 38,636 MOT tests of cars first registered 2016–2020.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
87.6%pass first time
+6.2 ptsvs typical car
Beats 94%of cars
38,636MOT tests

Verdict

The Volvo S90 passes its MOT first time on 87.6% of tests, 6.2 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (81.4%). That puts it ahead of 94% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2018 S90 does best (beats 96% of cars) and the 2020 worst (beats 85%).

Better than average on suspension, lights & electrics, visibility.

Watch these weak spots

Brake pads1.5×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

70%75%80%85%90%95%345678990%89%88%87%87%84%81%
Volvo S90Typical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

2016
Beats 89%
2017
Beats 94%
2018
Beats 96%
2019
Beats 92%
2020
Beats 85%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel2016–202032,44387.3%Beats 95%A
2.0 Petrol2019–20206,19388.8%Beats 84%A

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Exhaust: 0.5% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Suspension: 1.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 1.1% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 5.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 3.8% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 1.1% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+4.1 ptsTyres: 5.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+0.5 ptsBrakes: 3.8% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−0.1 ptsSuspension: 1.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+1.5 ptsExhaust: 0.5% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+1.0 ptsSuspension: 1.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 3.8% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 5.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 1.1% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: 0.5% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Lights: 1.1% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 5.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+4.1 ptsTyres: 5.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+0.5 ptsBrakes: 3.8% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−0.1 ptsSuspension: 1.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 2.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+1.5 ptsExhaust: 0.5% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 1.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+1.0 pts
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Brakes: 3.8% of tests fail on brakes, against 3.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Tyres
5.4% vs 5.9%
Brakes
3.8% vs 3.6%
Suspension
1.2% vs 2.8%
Lights & electrics
1.1% vs 5.2%
Visibility
1.1% vs 3.6%
Steering
0.7% vs 0.6%
Body & structure
0.6% vs 0.9%
Emissions & leaks
0.5% vs 1.5%
Wheels
0.2% vs 0.3%
Seat belts & airbags
0.1% vs 0.4%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Brake pads 1.5× typical
    Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash.
  • Tyre damage & cracking
    Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
  • Tyre tread depth
    Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems.
  • Headlight aim
    Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
  • Windscreen wipers
    Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
  • Coil springs
    Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

70%75%80%85%90%95%10k20k30k40k50k60k70k80k90k100k93%89%87%85%86%
Volvo S90Typical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Tyre damage & cracking3.7%3.5%1.1×
Brake pads3.3%2.2%1.5×
Tyre tread depth1.9%2.2%0.8×
Headlight aim0.7%1.9%0.4×
Windscreen wipers0.7%2.0%0.3×
Coil springs0.6%0.8%0.8×
Track rod ends0.6%0.5%1.2×
Drive shaft (CV) joints0.4%0.4%0.9×
Windscreen washers0.4%1.4%0.3×
Engine warning light0.3%0.9%0.4×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm31.8
A tyre seriously damaged21.9
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements19.0
A tyre cords visible or damaged13.6
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements6.8
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.7
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened6.3
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play4.5
Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2020 Volvo S902 engines88.7% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol2,56088.9%Beats 80%A
2.0 Diesel1,03688.1%Beats 92%A
2019 Volvo S902 engines88.0% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel6,23887.6%Beats 93%A
2.0 Petrol3,63388.7%Beats 87%A
2018 Volvo S901 engine88.1% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel13,77288.1%Beats 96%A
2017 Volvo S901 engine86.5% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel9,18886.5%Beats 94%A
2016 Volvo S901 engine84.7% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Diesel2,20984.7%Beats 89%A

FAQ

What is the Volvo S90 MOT pass rate?

87.6% of MOT tests on the Volvo S90 were passed first time, based on 38,636 tests between 2019 and 2026 of cars first registered 2016–2020. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 81.4% of the time.

Is the Volvo S90 reliable?

On MOT results it rates A (excellent): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 94% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Volvo S90 year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2018 S90 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 96% of cars on UK roads. The 2020 does worst: it beats 85%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Volvo S90?

The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, brake pads, tyre tread depth. Compared with similar cars, brake pads comes up 1.5× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.