What year Volvo 700 Series is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1991 Volvo 700 Series has the highest pass rate at 70.1%, out of 1,753 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Volvo 700 Series MOT failures?

The most common Volvo 700 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 700 Series — Reliability by Year

35,100 vehicles · MOT data 1984–1991 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Volvo 700 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

1991

70.1% pass rate · 1,753 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1985

67.1% pass rate · 643 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1991	70.1%	151,096 mi	1,753
1990	68.9%	131,057 mi	8,608
1989	69.0%	147,209 mi	10,250
1988	68.3%	157,322 mi	7,527
1987	68.0%	157,171 mi	3,838
1986	68.6%	145,950 mi	2,367
1985	67.1%	125,992 mi	643
1984	69.9%	107,531 mi	114

Which year Volvo 700 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 107,531 miles (newest year) to 157,322 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 700 Series.

See the buying guide →

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