MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Does the Volvo V50 fail the MOT on vehicle identification more than it should?

The Volvo V50 records 0.43 vehicle identification failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 0.51 expected for a car of the same age mix: about as expected for its class and age (the difference is within its interval or under 0.5 items per 100 tests) (−0.08, 95% interval −0.11 to −0.05). It ranks 432 of 636 models on vehicle identification (1 = most failures above expected).

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on vehicle identification · check a Volvo V50 by registration

What exactly fails on vehicle identification?

The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volvo V50 is “Number plate inscription missing or illegible”, recorded 419 times in 2019–2024.

Volvo V50: most frequent vehicle identification defect wordings, 2019–2024 (30+ items each)
DVSA defect wordingItemsPer 100 tests
Number plate inscription missing or illegible4190.19
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements3650.16
Number plate missing or so insecure that it is likely to fall off1550.07

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 225,806 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

If a Volvo V50 gets a vehicle identification advisory, how often does it fail next time?

3.4% of Volvo V50 MOTs with a vehicle identification advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 7,102 miles later (5,594 advisories followed).

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,594 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

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 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 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