Volvo

Which year Volvo Xc90 is most reliable?

Based on 80,254 vehicles (2003–2020) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Xc90 at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Xc90 at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2017–2018
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Xc90s
Below model average
2003–2010
Lower pass rate than other Xc90s — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 2003 →
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Dataset
80,254
vehicles · 2003–2020 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2011–2017
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 76.6–88.9% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2020
82.1%
725
2019
85.7%
5,368
2018
87.0%
6,606 Recommended
2017
88.9%
5,955 Recommended
2016
84.9%
5,623
2015
85.6%
2,874
2014
82.2%
2,356
2013
81.7%
2,526
2012
80.9%
3,132
2011
76.6%
4,613
2010
75.9%
6,867 Below avg
2009
74.9%
4,016 Below avg
2008
74.5%
2,285 Below avg
2007
72.5%
4,195 Below avg
2006
72.0%
5,197 Below avg
2005
71.5%
6,830 Below avg
2004
70.9%
7,167 Below avg
2003
69.1%
3,919 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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