Volvo V50 2011: MOT failure rate for its age
41.5% of 27,200 MOT tests of the Volvo V50 first registered in 2011 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 101.8 (95% CI 99.9–103.7; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2011 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 41.5 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 27200 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 99.9–103.7) | 101.8 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 27200 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 6 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 27200 |
| Tested in 2024 | 4185 | tests | median 125,401 miles | 2024 | 4185 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2011 Volvo V50 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2011 were tested at ages 8 to 13 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 4,819 | 39.2 | 37.9–40.6 | 41.2 | 95.2 |
| 9 | 4,579 | 39.4 | 38–40.9 | 38.3 | 103.1 |
| 10 | 4,626 | 39.8 | 38.4–41.2 | 39.9 | 99.6 |
| 11 | 4,552 | 43.1 | 41.7–44.6 | 40.6 | 106.3 |
| 12 | 4,439 | 43.4 | 41.9–44.8 | 42.1 | 103 |
| 13 | 4,185 | 44.3 | 42.8–45.8 | 42.6 | 104.1 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 27,200 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2011 Volvo V50?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2011 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 30.4 items per 100 first tests, against 33.2 across all build years of the Volvo V50. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2011 were tested at ages 8 to 13.
| Failure group | Built 2011, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 30.4 | 33.2 | 8,276 |
| Suspension | 23.3 | 28.5 | 6,351 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 15.9 | 14.8 | 4,317 |
| Tyres | 14.7 | 15.3 | 4,006 |
| Brakes | 10.6 | 14.6 | 2,892 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 27,200 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2011 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Volvo V50, 2011 ranks 6 (1 = fails least for its age). 2010: index 99.0. 2012: index 96.1.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 103.0 | 99.8–106.1 | no different | 8,543 |
| 2005 | 102.7 | 100.6–104.8 | worse | 19,717 |
| 2006 | 95.8 | 94.0–97.7 | better | 23,064 |
| 2007 | 98.3 | 96.4–100.2 | no different | 22,663 |
| 2008 | 102.3 | 100.8–103.8 | worse | 39,994 |
| 2009 | 98.2 | 96.6–99.8 | better | 32,847 |
| 2010 | 99.0 | 97.3–100.7 | no different | 32,168 |
| 2011 | 101.8 | 99.9–103.7 | no different | 27,200 |
| 2012 | 96.1 | 93.9–98.3 | better | 19,402 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 225,598 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Volvo V50 2011 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/volvo-v50/2011/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Volvo V50 2004 · Volvo V50 2005 · Volvo V50 2006 · Volvo V50 2007 · Volvo V50 2008 · Volvo V50 2009 · Volvo V50 2010 · Volvo V50 2012 · Volvo V50 in Norway · Volvo V50 in Finland · Volvo V50 in the Netherlands · Volvo V50 by postcode area · Volvo V50 body, chassis and structure failures · Volvo V50 brakes failures · Volvo V50 vehicle identification failures · Volvo V50 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volvo V50 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volvo V50 road wheels failures · Volvo V50 seat belts and airbags failures · Volvo V50 steering failures · Volvo V50 suspension failures · Volvo V50 tyres failures · Volvo V50 visibility failures