1989 Volvo 740 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

63.0%

Latest Pass Rate

11,918

Total Tests (All Years)

132,251 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 1989 Volvo 740 as it ages.

20 yrs50.4%

→ ↑0.3%

21 yrs50.7%

→ ↓0.3%

22 yrs50.4%

→ ↓0.2%

23 yrs50.2%

→ ↑3.5%

24 yrs53.7%

→ ↑0.5%

25 yrs54.2%

→ ↑5.3%

26 yrs59.5%

→ ↓1.5%

27 yrs58.0%

→ ↓3.5%

28 yrs54.5%

→ ↑5.9%

29 yrs60.4%

→ ↑1.4%

30 yrs61.8%

→ ↑1.2%

31 yrs63.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	50.4%	2,809
21 yrs	50.7%	2,109
22 yrs	50.4%	1,658
23 yrs	50.2%	1,250
24 yrs	53.7%	959
25 yrs	54.2%	757
26 yrs	59.5%	608
27 yrs	58.0%	517
28 yrs	54.5%	459
29 yrs	60.4%	298
30 yrs	61.8%	259
31 yrs	63.0%	235

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Volvo 740 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (31 yrs)	63%	235
2019 (30 yrs)	61.8%	259
2018 (29 yrs)	60.4%	298
2017 (28 yrs)	54.5%	459
2016 (27 yrs)	58%	517
2015 (26 yrs)	59.5%	608
2014 (25 yrs)	54.2%	757
2013 (24 yrs)	53.7%	959
2012 (23 yrs)	50.2%	1,250
2011 (22 yrs)	50.4%	1,658
2010 (21 yrs)	50.7%	2,109
2009 (20 yrs)	50.4%	2,809

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 2,809Avg Mileage 140,435Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.6%

2010High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,109Avg Mileage 140,379Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.3%

2011High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,658Avg Mileage 140,257Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.7%

2012High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,250Avg Mileage 139,838Top Failure Brakes — 26.6%

2013High Fail Rate

53.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 959Avg Mileage 137,560Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.9%

2014High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 757Avg Mileage 135,196Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.1%

2015High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 608Avg Mileage 134,921Top Failure Brakes — 47.5%

2016High Fail Rate

58.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 517Avg Mileage 134,402Top Failure Brakes — 43.7%

2017High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 459Avg Mileage 136,016Top Failure Suspension — 56.4%

2018High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 298Avg Mileage 133,635Top Failure Suspension — 49.3%

2019High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 259Avg Mileage 135,358Top Failure Suspension — 46.7%

2020High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 235Avg Mileage 132,251Top Failure Brakes — 44.3%

MOT results for 1989 Volvo 740 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	50.4%	2,809	140,435	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.6%
2010	21	50.7%	2,109	140,379	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.3%
2011	22	50.4%	1,658	140,257	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.7%
2012	23	50.2%	1,250	139,838	Brakes — 26.6%
2013	24	53.7%	959	137,560	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.9%
2014	25	54.2%	757	135,196	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.1%
2015	26	59.5%	608	134,921	Brakes — 47.5%
2016	27	58.0%	517	134,402	Brakes — 43.7%
2017	28	54.5%	459	136,016	Suspension — 56.4%
2018	29	60.4%	298	133,635	Suspension — 49.3%
2019	30	61.8%	259	135,358	Suspension — 46.7%
2020	31	63.0%	235	132,251	Brakes — 44.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Volvo 740, with age trends.

Brakes

39.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

37.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

37.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

31.9%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

23.5%

↑ 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
Brakes	24.8% (20 yrs)	44.3% (31 yrs)	+19.5%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	19.7% (20 yrs)	33.6% (31 yrs)	+13.9%	🔴 ↑

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 11,918 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.