1996 Volvo S40 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

56.7%

Latest Pass Rate

5,788

Total Tests (All Years)

97,178 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 1996 Volvo S40 as it ages.

13 yrs38.1%

→ ↓0.5%

14 yrs37.6%

→ ↓2.5%

15 yrs35.1%

→ ↓1.2%

16 yrs33.9%

→ ↑1.9%

17 yrs35.8%

→ ↓2.8%

18 yrs33.0%

→ ↑6.1%

19 yrs39.1%

→ ↓2.1%

20 yrs37.0%

→ ↑7.1%

21 yrs44.1%

→ ↑16.9%

22 yrs61.0%

→ ↓5.4%

23 yrs55.6%

→ ↑13.0%

24 yrs68.6%

→ ↓11.9%

25 yrs56.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	38.1%	1,502
14 yrs	37.6%	1,242
15 yrs	35.1%	924
16 yrs	33.9%	631
17 yrs	35.8%	441
18 yrs	33.0%	333
19 yrs	39.1%	235
20 yrs	37.0%	184
21 yrs	44.1%	127
22 yrs	61.0%	59
23 yrs	55.6%	45
24 yrs	68.6%	35
25 yrs	56.7%	30

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Volvo S40 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2021 (25 yrs)	56.7%	30
2020 (24 yrs)	68.6%	35
2019 (23 yrs)	55.6%	45
2018 (22 yrs)	61%	59
2017 (21 yrs)	44.1%	127
2016 (20 yrs)	37%	184
2015 (19 yrs)	39.1%	235
2014 (18 yrs)	33%	333
2013 (17 yrs)	35.8%	441
2012 (16 yrs)	33.9%	631
2011 (15 yrs)	35.1%	924
2010 (14 yrs)	37.6%	1,242
2009 (13 yrs)	38.1%	1,502

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

38.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 1,502Avg Mileage 107,778Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.5%

2010High Fail Rate

37.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 1,242Avg Mileage 111,264Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.4%

2011High Fail Rate

35.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 924Avg Mileage 110,323Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.6%

2012High Fail Rate

33.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 631Avg Mileage 110,417Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.7%

2013High Fail Rate

35.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 441Avg Mileage 109,407Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 118.1%

2014High Fail Rate

33.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 333Avg Mileage 111,493Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 119.2%

2015High Fail Rate

39.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 235Avg Mileage 106,971Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 109.4%

2016High Fail Rate

37.0%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 184Avg Mileage 105,653Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 103.8%

2017High Fail Rate

44.1%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 127Avg Mileage 103,212Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 74.8%

2018High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 59Avg Mileage 99,662Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%

2019High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 45Avg Mileage 103,861Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 91.1%

2020

68.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 35Avg Mileage 105,273Top Failure Suspension — 65.7%

2021High Fail Rate

56.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 30Avg Mileage 97,178Top Failure Brakes — 90.0%

MOT results for 1996 Volvo S40 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	38.1%	1,502	107,778	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.5%
2010	14	37.6%	1,242	111,264	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.4%
2011	15	35.1%	924	110,323	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.6%
2012	16	33.9%	631	110,417	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.7%
2013	17	35.8%	441	109,407	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 118.1%
2014	18	33.0%	333	111,493	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 119.2%
2015	19	39.1%	235	106,971	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 109.4%
2016	20	37.0%	184	105,653	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 103.8%
2017	21	44.1%	127	103,212	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 74.8%
2018	22	61.0%	59	99,662	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%
2019	23	55.6%	45	103,861	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 91.1%
2020	24	68.6%	35	105,273	Suspension — 65.7%
2021	25	56.7%	30	97,178	Brakes — 90.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Volvo S40, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

80.4%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

59.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

56.9%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

45.1%

↑ Increases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

33.8%

↑ 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	34.6% (13 yrs)	90.0% (25 yrs)	+55.4%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	24.5% (13 yrs)	63.3% (25 yrs)	+38.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	20.5% (13 yrs)	40.0% (25 yrs)	+19.5%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

← Back to Volvo S40 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Volvo S40 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Volvo S40 cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2021, covering 5,788 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.