What year Volvo 400 Series is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1997 Volvo 400 Series has the highest pass rate at 66.6%, out of 485 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volvo 400 Series MOT failures?

The most common Volvo 400 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 400 Series — Reliability by Year

64,179 vehicles · MOT data 1988–1997 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volvo 400 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

1997

66.6% pass rate · 485 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1988

61.1% pass rate · 197 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1997	66.6%	84,975 mi	485
1996	65.5%	90,234 mi	7,644
1995	66.2%	94,505 mi	13,599
1994	64.6%	94,896 mi	14,013
1993	64.3%	93,435 mi	11,829
1992	63.8%	97,894 mi	7,972
1991	64.4%	98,112 mi	4,550
1990	62.3%	94,809 mi	2,750
1989	61.6%	94,219 mi	1,140
1988	61.1%	90,722 mi	197

Which year Volvo 400 Series is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests.

Tests range from an average of 84,975 miles (newest year) to 98,112 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 400 Series.

See the buying guide →

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Check any UK registration — free MOT history and risk insights.