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Volvo C30 R-design Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Volvo C30 R-design car check

Is the Volvo C30 R-design reliable? We analysed 1,165 real MOT tests across 151 vehicles to find out.

Got a specific Volvo C30 R-design? Enter the reg for a free check:

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,165 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
83.2%
Typical Mileage
81,804mi
Annual Mileage
5,868mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Volvo C30 R-design is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Volvo C30 R-design.

Volvo C30 R-design Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Volvo C30 R-design. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Volvo C30 R-design Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Volvo C30 R-design fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

position lamp(s) not working 2
Brakes imbalanced across an axle 1

Volvo C30 R-design Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Volvo C30 R-design owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
3,609 mi/yr
Typical
5,868 mi/yr
Average
6,505 mi/yr
Heavy usage
8,609 mi/yr

Volvo C30 R-design Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Volvo C30 R-design MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
81,804 mi
75th Percentile
104,505 mi
95th Percentile
147,519 mi
Max Recorded
589,472 mi

How Does the Volvo C30 R-design Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Volvo C30 R-design THIS CAR 83.2% 1,165 81,804 mi — yrs
Volvo V70 71% 1,930,508 113,181 mi 29 yrs
Volvo V40 73.7% 1,865,374 76,415 mi 30 yrs
Volvo S40 69.9% 1,390,271 84,701 mi 30 yrs
Nissan Qashqai Visia DCI 76% 2,112 108,328 mi — yrs

Compared to the Volvo V70 (71.0% pass rate) and the Volvo V40 (73.7% pass rate), the Volvo C30 R-design outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Volvo C30 R-design?

The Volvo C30 R-design has an overall MOT pass rate of 83.2% across 1,165 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common failure point is position lamp(s) not working with 2 recorded occurrences. Check for this on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection.

A typical Volvo C30 R-design owner drives around 5,868 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Volvo C30 R-design — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Volvo C30 R-design reliable?
Based on 1,165 MOT tests, the Volvo C30 R-design has a 83.2% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Volvo C30 R-design?
The most common failure point is position lamp(s) not working.
How many miles does a Volvo C30 R-design do per year?
The typical Volvo C30 R-design does around 5,868 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Volvo C30 R-design last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Volvo C30 R-design?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.