Car statistics by year
2011 Volvo V50
Volvo V50 cars first registered in 2011: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2011, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 56.7% All 2011 cars 61.5%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 130,200 miles; all 2011 cars 96,500
- Left at the end of 2025 3,883 80.7% of the 4,810 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 16.0% All 2011 cars 9.8%
- Tests with an advisory 65.7% All 2011 cars 64.7%
- MOT tests in 2025 3,882 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2011 Volvo V50s do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 14 years old, 56.7% of 2011 Volvo V50 MOT tests were passed first time, against 61.5% for all cars first registered in 2011. 2011 Volvo V50s did worse than average for their age, by 4.8 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 55.7% of the time (all 2011 cars 62.1%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Volvo V50 vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Volvo V50 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Volvo V50 | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’04 | 54.5% | 57.9% |
| ’05 | 51.6% | 57.7% |
| ’06 | 52.8% | 56.9% |
| ’07 | 54.6% | 57.3% |
| ’08 | 52.2% | 57.0% |
| ’09 | 55.4% | 58.2% |
| ’10 | 57.1% | 59.3% |
| ’11 | 56.7% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 59.0% | 63.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2011 Volvo V50
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt was the most common single reason a 2011 Volvo V50 failed, on 21.0% of about 1,700 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (48.9% of failed tests; all 2011 cars 40.5%). 16.0% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 9.8% for all cars first registered in 2011. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 21.0% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 16.6% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.3% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 10.3% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 9.7% |
| Linkage: fractured Suspension | 7.4% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.3% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 7.3% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 6.5% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 4.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Volvo V50 vs all 2011 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 48.9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 39.1% |
| Tyres | 25.5% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 25.2% |
| Brakes | 17.4% |
| Visibility | 11.3% |
| Steering | 7.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2011 Volvo V50
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 65.7% of 2011 Volvo V50 tests had at least one (all 2011 cars 64.7%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 28.1% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 13.4% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 10.0% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 9.8% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 7.0% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.9% |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories | 6.2% |
| Individual direction indicators: slightly discoloured Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.7% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 4.7% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 4.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2011 Volvo V50?
Half of the 2011 Volvo V50s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 130,200 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 102,400 and a quarter more than 159,700. For all cars first registered in 2011, the middle figure was 96,500 miles, so 2011 Volvo V50s have been driven 34.9% further than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Volvo V50 | 75,300 | 102,400 | 130,200 | 159,700 | 186,800 | 3,758 |
| All 2011 cars | 50,600 | 71,400 | 96,500 | 124,000 | 152,200 | 1,271,944 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2011 Volvo V50s are left?
At the end of 2014, 4,810 2011 Volvo V50s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 3,883 were: 3,669 licensed and 214 declared off the road (SORN). That is 80.7% still on the record, against 78.7% for all cars first registered in 2011.
Share still on the record since 2014
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2011 Volvo V50 | All 2011 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 99.7% | 100.6% |
| 2016 | 101.1% | 100.1% |
| 2017 | 100.4% | 99.0% |
| 2018 | 99.4% | 97.6% |
| 2019 | 97.4% | 96.1% |
| 2020 | 96.0% | 94.5% |
| 2021 | 95.0% | 92.9% |
| 2022 | 92.7% | 90.6% |
| 2023 | 90.0% | 87.4% |
| 2024 | 86.0% | 83.4% |
| 2025 | 80.7% | 78.7% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2011
2 of the Volvo V50’s 24 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2011. 21 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2011 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2011 may have been built in 2010, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Dec 2013 | Exhaust sleeve may detach | 18 May 2010 to 7 May 2012 | 3,311 (all models) |
| 8 Apr 2013 | Loss of drive | 26 Apr 2011 to 28 May 2012 | 826 (all models) |
Every Volvo V50 recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the Volvo V50
9 years of the Volvo V50, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2010 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (57.1% passed first time) and the 2005 cars worst (51.6%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | – | 842 | 54.5% |
| 2005 | – | 2,033 | 51.6% |
| 2006 | – | 2,472 | 52.8% |
| 2007 | – | 2,391 | 54.6% |
| 2008 | – | 4,506 | 52.2% |
| 2009 | – | 4,097 | 55.4% |
| 2010 | – | 4,163 | 57.1% |
| 2011 | – | 3,883 | 56.7% |
| 2012 | – | 2,928 | 59.0% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 3,882 MOT tests of 2011 Volvo V50 cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 3,883 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Volvo V50 cars first registered in 2011; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2011.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.