What year Volvo 300 Series is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1982 Volvo 300 Series has the highest pass rate at 69.0%, out of 128 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volvo 300 Series MOT failures?

The most common Volvo 300 Series MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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Volvo 300 Series — Reliability by Year

13,706 vehicles · MOT data 1982–1991 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volvo 300 Series was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year

1982

69.0% pass rate · 128 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1990

63.5% pass rate · 1,801 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1991	66.0%	80,251 mi	896
1990	63.5%	77,759 mi	1,801
1989	64.9%	83,543 mi	3,752
1988	65.0%	84,330 mi	3,127
1987	63.8%	78,186 mi	1,564
1986	65.2%	77,767 mi	1,143
1985	66.3%	76,032 mi	644
1984	65.9%	72,482 mi	400
1983	68.5%	68,759 mi	251
1982	69.0%	68,480 mi	128

Which year Volvo 300 Series is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 68,480 miles (newest year) to 84,330 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Volvo 300 Series.

See the buying guide →

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