1997 Volvo S40 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

62.0%

Latest Pass Rate

24,174

Total Tests (All Years)

93,090 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 1997 Volvo S40 as it ages.

12 yrs40.3%

→ ↓0.7%

13 yrs39.6%

→ ↓1.8%

14 yrs37.8%

→ ↓0.4%

15 yrs37.4%

→ ↑3.3%

16 yrs40.7%

→ ↑0.1%

17 yrs40.8%

→ ↑1.2%

18 yrs42.0%

→ ↓1.1%

19 yrs40.9%

→ ↑2.0%

20 yrs42.9%

→ ↑4.4%

21 yrs47.3%

→ ↑2.9%

22 yrs50.2%

→ ↓3.1%

23 yrs47.1%

→ ↑2.9%

24 yrs50.0%

→ ↑1.1%

25 yrs51.1%

→ ↑1.2%

26 yrs52.3%

→ ↑9.7%

27 yrs62.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	40.3%	5,850
13 yrs	39.6%	4,903
14 yrs	37.8%	3,847
15 yrs	37.4%	2,776
16 yrs	40.7%	1,935
17 yrs	40.8%	1,405
18 yrs	42.0%	1,063
19 yrs	40.9%	741
20 yrs	42.9%	560
21 yrs	47.3%	292
22 yrs	50.2%	217
23 yrs	47.1%	155
24 yrs	50.0%	150
25 yrs	51.1%	92
26 yrs	52.3%	88
27 yrs	62.0%	100

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Volvo S40 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	62%	100
2023 (26 yrs)	52.3%	88
2022 (25 yrs)	51.1%	92
2021 (24 yrs)	50%	150
2020 (23 yrs)	47.1%	155
2019 (22 yrs)	50.2%	217
2018 (21 yrs)	47.3%	292
2017 (20 yrs)	42.9%	560
2016 (19 yrs)	40.9%	741
2015 (18 yrs)	42%	1,063
2014 (17 yrs)	40.8%	1,405
2013 (16 yrs)	40.7%	1,935
2012 (15 yrs)	37.4%	2,776
2011 (14 yrs)	37.8%	3,847
2010 (13 yrs)	39.6%	4,903
2009 (12 yrs)	40.3%	5,850

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

40.3%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 5,850Avg Mileage 105,569Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 47.6%

2010High Fail Rate

39.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 4,903Avg Mileage 108,494Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.3%

2011High Fail Rate

37.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 3,847Avg Mileage 107,955Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.2%

2012High Fail Rate

37.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 2,776Avg Mileage 106,998Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.4%

2013High Fail Rate

40.7%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 1,935Avg Mileage 106,325Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 118.7%

2014High Fail Rate

40.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 1,405Avg Mileage 103,632Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 123.5%

2015High Fail Rate

42.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 1,063Avg Mileage 102,910Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 113.8%

2016High Fail Rate

40.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 741Avg Mileage 101,275Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 108.4%

2017High Fail Rate

42.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 560Avg Mileage 100,254Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 100.4%

2018High Fail Rate

47.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 292Avg Mileage 98,235Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 66.8%

2019High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 217Avg Mileage 91,273Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 103.7%

2020High Fail Rate

47.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 155Avg Mileage 95,721Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 91.6%

2021High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 150Avg Mileage 92,902Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 88.7%

2022High Fail Rate

51.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 92Avg Mileage 91,685Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 92.4%

2023High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 88Avg Mileage 94,429Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 93.2%

2024High Fail Rate

62.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 100Avg Mileage 93,090Top Failure Brakes — 44.0%

MOT results for 1997 Volvo S40 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	40.3%	5,850	105,569	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 47.6%
2010	13	39.6%	4,903	108,494	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.3%
2011	14	37.8%	3,847	107,955	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.2%
2012	15	37.4%	2,776	106,998	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.4%
2013	16	40.7%	1,935	106,325	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 118.7%
2014	17	40.8%	1,405	103,632	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 123.5%
2015	18	42.0%	1,063	102,910	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 113.8%
2016	19	40.9%	741	101,275	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 108.4%
2017	20	42.9%	560	100,254	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 100.4%
2018	21	47.3%	292	98,235	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 66.8%
2019	22	50.2%	217	91,273	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 103.7%
2020	23	47.1%	155	95,721	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 91.6%
2021	24	50.0%	150	92,902	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 88.7%
2022	25	51.1%	92	91,685	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 92.4%
2023	26	52.3%	88	94,429	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 93.2%
2024	27	62.0%	100	93,090	Brakes — 44.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Volvo S40, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

80.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

78.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

59.1%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

49.6%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

28.8%

↑ 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
Suspension	20.9% (12 yrs)	42.0% (27 yrs)	+21.1%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	34.1% (12 yrs)	44.0% (27 yrs)	+9.9%	🔴 ↑

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 24,174 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.