Volvo V50 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
38.1% of 19,402 MOT tests of the Volvo V50 first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 96.1 (95% CI 93.9–98.3; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 38.1 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 19402 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 93.9–98.3) | 96.1 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 19402 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 2 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 19402 |
| Tested in 2024 | 3117 | tests | median 114,636 miles | 2024 | 3117 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 Volvo V50 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 3,374 | 37 | 35.4–38.7 | 40.3 | 92 |
| 8 | 3,206 | 35.8 | 34.2–37.5 | 38.2 | 93.8 |
| 9 | 3,268 | 36 | 34.4–37.7 | 37.9 | 95 |
| 10 | 3,217 | 38.7 | 37–40.4 | 38.6 | 100.1 |
| 11 | 3,220 | 40.2 | 38.5–41.9 | 40.8 | 98.6 |
| 12 | 3,117 | 40.8 | 39.1–42.5 | 41.8 | 97.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 19,402 (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 2012 Volvo V50?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is suspension: 21.3 items per 100 first tests, against 28.5 across all build years of the Volvo V50. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 21.3 | 28.5 | 4,140 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 20.2 | 33.2 | 3,912 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 16.5 | 14.8 | 3,195 |
| Tyres | 13.4 | 15.3 | 2,595 |
| Brakes | 9 | 14.6 | 1,740 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 19,402 (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 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Volvo V50, 2012 ranks 2 (1 = fails least for its age). 2011: index 101.8.
| 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 2012 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-v50/2012/
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 2011 · 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