Volvo Xc60 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 604 NHTSA complaints, the Volvo Xc60 years to avoid are 2022 and 2023 — the worst logged up to 3.5× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by body failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2010 | 56 | 19 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2011 | 36 | 10 | 4 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 46 | 8 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 66 | 11 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2014 | 16 | 9 | 2 | BEST |
| 2015 | 45 | 17 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 38 | 23 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2017 | 14 | 9 | 4 | N/A |
| 2018 | 36 | 16 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2019 | 34 | 14 | 8 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 20 | 8 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 31 | 19 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2022 | 67 | 17 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2023 | 49 | 17 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2024 | 22 | 9 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2025 | 28 | 4 | 3 | CAUTION |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Volvo Xc60. Full methodology.
Common Volvo Xc60 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Volvo Xc60 are body, engine, electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Windshield seal failure and water intrusion
· Volvo Xc60 2010–2014Corroborated by 81 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 21 body complaints across 2010–2014. Owner-reported repair cost $420–$1,285.
Excessive oil consumption
· Volvo Xc60 2014–2016Corroborated by 25 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 33 engine complaints across 2014–2016, typically 500–121,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $4,000–$10,000.
Complete electrical power loss while driving
· Volvo Xc60 2013–2016Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 28 electrical complaints across 2013–2016.
Why these years stand out
2022 Volvo Xc60: 67 owner complaints on federal record, 17 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Volvo Xc60.
2023 Volvo Xc60: 49 owner complaints on federal record, 17 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Volvo Xc60.
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FAQ
What years of the Volvo Xc60 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Volvo Xc60 years to avoid are 2022 and 2023 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by body issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Volvo Xc60?
The 2014 Volvo Xc60 shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Volvo Xc60 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Volvo Xc60's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Volvo Xc60 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Volvo Xc60 reliable?
The Volvo Xc60's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 604 NHTSA owner complaints, 2022 and 2023 rate "avoid", while 2014 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Volvo Xc60?
The most-reported problem area for the Volvo Xc60 is body, followed by engine and electrical. Confirmed failures include windshield seal failure and water intrusion, excessive oil consumption, complete electrical power loss while driving. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Volvo Xc60 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Volvo Xc60, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.