1988 Volvo 740 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

61.3%

Latest Pass Rate

8,461

Total Tests (All Years)

141,246 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1988 Volvo 740 as it ages.

21 yrs52.4%

→ ↓3.1%

22 yrs49.3%

→ ↑2.3%

23 yrs51.6%

→ ↑2.9%

24 yrs54.5%

→ ↓3.6%

25 yrs50.9%

→ ↑4.2%

26 yrs55.1%

→ ↑3.2%

27 yrs58.3%

→ ↑0.8%

28 yrs59.1%

→ ↓4.0%

29 yrs55.1%

→ ↑6.8%

30 yrs61.9%

→ ↓0.3%

31 yrs61.6%

→ ↓0.3%

32 yrs61.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	52.4%	1,900
22 yrs	49.3%	1,450
23 yrs	51.6%	1,124
24 yrs	54.5%	870
25 yrs	50.9%	694
26 yrs	55.1%	566
27 yrs	58.3%	484
28 yrs	59.1%	421
29 yrs	55.1%	361
30 yrs	61.9%	215
31 yrs	61.6%	203
32 yrs	61.3%	173

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 Volvo 740 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (32 yrs)	61.3%	173
2019 (31 yrs)	61.6%	203
2018 (30 yrs)	61.9%	215
2017 (29 yrs)	55.1%	361
2016 (28 yrs)	59.1%	421
2015 (27 yrs)	58.3%	484
2014 (26 yrs)	55.1%	566
2013 (25 yrs)	50.9%	694
2012 (24 yrs)	54.5%	870
2011 (23 yrs)	51.6%	1,124
2010 (22 yrs)	49.3%	1,450
2009 (21 yrs)	52.4%	1,900

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.4%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,900Avg Mileage 149,134Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%

2010High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,450Avg Mileage 148,983Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.0%

2011High Fail Rate

51.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,124Avg Mileage 146,078Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.2%

2012High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 870Avg Mileage 147,119Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%

2013High Fail Rate

50.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 694Avg Mileage 146,679Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 54.6%

2014High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 566Avg Mileage 145,643Top Failure Brakes — 53.0%

2015High Fail Rate

58.3%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 484Avg Mileage 144,899Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.5%

2016High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 421Avg Mileage 142,172Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.5%

2017High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 361Avg Mileage 140,776Top Failure Brakes — 54.0%

2018High Fail Rate

61.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 215Avg Mileage 143,799Top Failure Suspension — 40.9%

2019High Fail Rate

61.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 203Avg Mileage 143,922Top Failure Suspension — 42.4%

2020High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 173Avg Mileage 141,246Top Failure Suspension — 51.4%

MOT results for 1988 Volvo 740 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	52.4%	1,900	149,134	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%
2010	22	49.3%	1,450	148,983	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.0%
2011	23	51.6%	1,124	146,078	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.2%
2012	24	54.5%	870	147,119	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%
2013	25	50.9%	694	146,679	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 54.6%
2014	26	55.1%	566	145,643	Brakes — 53.0%
2015	27	58.3%	484	144,899	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.5%
2016	28	59.1%	421	142,172	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.5%
2017	29	55.1%	361	140,776	Brakes — 54.0%
2018	30	61.9%	215	143,799	Suspension — 40.9%
2019	31	61.6%	203	143,922	Suspension — 42.4%
2020	32	61.3%	173	141,246	Suspension — 51.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 Volvo 740, with age trends.

Brakes

37.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

36.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

34.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

31.6%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

25.0%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	19.0% (21 yrs)	51.4% (32 yrs)	+32.4%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	23.5% (21 yrs)	50.9% (32 yrs)	+27.4%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

← Back to Volvo 740 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volvo 740 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volvo 740 cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 8,461 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.