Volvo C30 Se Lux MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,046 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 20.0%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Volvo C30 Se Lux MOT Reliability Overview
The Volvo C30 Se Lux is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,046 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.0% and a failure rate of 20.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Volvo C30 Se Lux earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Volvo C30 Se Lux presents for MOT with approximately 37,752 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2007 models achieve the highest pass rate at 87.5%, while 2006 models have the lowest at 68.9%. This 18.6 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Volvo C30 Se Lux is Tyres, affecting 16.1% of all tests. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. The second most common issue is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment at 8.5%. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment rounds out the top three at 8.4%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Volvo C30 Se Lux. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 8 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Volvo C30 Se Lux ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 12% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 8 (27.1% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 16.9% | 177 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.1% | 168 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.8% | 71 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.8% | 71 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 20 |
| 6 | Driver's View Of The Road | 1.4% | 15 |
| 7 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 1.3% | 14 |
| 8 | Non-component Advisories | 1.2% | 13 |
| 9 | Registration Plates And Vin | 1.0% | 10 |
| 10 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 1.0% | 10 |
| 11 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.6% | 6 |
| 12 | Road Wheels | 0.6% | 6 |
| 13 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.5% | 5 |
| 14 | Steering | 0.4% | 4 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 37,752 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 4.48 | 16.9% | 177 |
| Tyres | 4.25 | 16.1% | 168 |
| Suspension | 1.80 | 6.8% | 71 |
| Brakes | 1.80 | 6.8% | 71 |
| Visibility | 0.89 | 3.3% | 35 |
| Body & Structure | 0.35 | 1.3% | 14 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.33 | 1.2% | 13 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.25 | 1.0% | 10 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.25 | 1.0% | 10 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.15 | 0.6% | 6 |
| Wheels | 0.15 | 0.6% | 6 |
| Seat Belts | 0.13 | 0.5% | 5 |
| Steering | 0.10 | 0.4% | 4 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Volvo C30 Se Lux has 37,752 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Volvo C30 Se Lux has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 5.30% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Volvo C30 Se Lux MOT Data
The Volvo C30 Se Lux is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,046 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.0% and a failure rate of 20.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Volvo C30 Se Lux owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on tyres and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific C30 Se Lux is likely to perform.
Tyres — 16.1% of failures
Tyres issues account for 16.1% of MOT failures on the Volvo C30 Se Lux. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.5% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 8.5% of MOT failures on the Volvo C30 Se Lux. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.4% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 8.4% of MOT failures on the Volvo C30 Se Lux. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volvo C30 Se Lux?
Based on 1,046 MOT tests in our database, the Volvo C30 Se Lux has an overall pass rate of 80.0% (20.0% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Volvo C30 Se Lux?
The top 3 reasons a Volvo C30 Se Lux fails its MOT are: 1. Tyres (16.1%), 2. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (8.5%), 3. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (8.4%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Volvo C30 Se Lux reliable?
With a 20.0% MOT failure rate, the C30 Se Lux is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Volvo C30 Se Lux?
Based on failure data, focus on: Tyres (16.1%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (8.5%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (8.4%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.