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What to check: Volvo S60

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Ranked across all years of the Volvo S60, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 5.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.2%

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 4.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 3.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Headlamp lensesRuns high on this modelCheck for condensation inside the headlamps and for cloudy or yellowed lenses. Both attract MOT trouble, and moisture inside a sealed LED unit generally means a whole new lamp.Recorded on 2.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%

LeaksLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

WheelsRuns high on this modelLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 1.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this modelTurn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 1.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 27.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 15.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Ask for service history on a D4 diesel and any note of EGR or inlet manifold work.Nothing on file despite decent mileage is a warning sign for the cooler-clogging fault and a costly repair later.

Push down hard on each front corner and get it up on a ramp if you can.A clonk or knock over bumps points to worn wishbone bushes or tie rods, the same area the MOT suspension checks flag most on this car.

Read the full MOT advisory history, not just the pass or fail.The same suspension advisory coming back year after year backs up the bush and control-arm wear owners report.

Start a diesel stone cold, ideally on a cold morning, and let it idle.A no-start or a limp-mode light suggests fuel filter icing or tired injector seals on the D5.

Blip the throttle at idle and pull away gently a few times.Any random stumble, flat spot or stall points to a tired electronic throttle module on higher-mileage petrol cars.

Cycle through every infotainment screen and check the interior lights and sockets.Blank screens or dead circuits that only come back after a fuse swap mean a deeper electrical fault, not a one-off blown fuse.

Ask the seller if the car has ever thrown a check-engine or limp-mode warning.A yes on a D4 diesel points straight at the EGR cooler; on other engines it's worth asking what actually fixed it.

Full Volvo S60 reliability report