Used car guide
1996 Volvo 800 Series: petrol or diesel?
Petrol, diesel and hybrid versions go wrong in different ways, so each has its own figures from the MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Pick the one you’re looking at: the fuel is on the logbook and in the car’s MOT history.
Petrol
62% pass first time (all 1996 cars: 66%)
Stands out: drive shaft (cv) joints 2.9×, anti-lock braking system 7.4×, ball joint 2×
2,240 MOTsSee the petrol guide ›
Diesel
61% pass first time (all 1996 cars: 66%)
Stands out: tread depth 2.4×, ball joint 3.7×, drive shaft (cv) joints 3.3×
264 MOTsSee the diesel guide ›
Hybrid versions had too few MOTs for figures of their own, or weren’t sold.
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Other years
Every year of the Volvo 800 Series compared
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 436 | Suspension 42% |
| 1995 | 1,622 | Suspension 37% |
| 1994 | 560 | Suspension 38% |
| 1993 | 174 | Suspension 43% |