Volvo XC60: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Volvo XC60: 11 model years scored from 265 NHTSA owner complaints and 44 recall campaigns. Worst year 2013, best year 2011.
Volvo XC60: which years to avoid
Across 11 scored model years the Volvo XC60 ranges from 72/100 in 2013 to 89/100 in 2014 — a 17-point spread, so which year you buy matters. The weakest year’s complaints concentrate in Visibility/Wiper (27 of them).
Safest years: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 — scored 70 or better.
Scored from NHTSA complaints per year of exposure and recall campaigns. How the score works · every car’s years to avoid.
Read the guide
Used Volvo S60, XC60 and XC90: the years to avoid — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2011 (score 85). Worst: 2013 (score 72, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 78 | BUY | $4,240 | 0 | 5 |
| 2020 | 79 | BUY | $4,530 | 0 | 6 |
| 2019 | 77 | BUY | $4,670 | 0 | 8 |
| 2018 | 86 | BUY | $4,660 | 0 | 5 |
| 2017 | 82 | BUY | $5,134 | 16 | 4 |
| 2016 | 78 | BUY | $4,962 | 38 | 3 |
| 2015 | 81 | BUY | $5,111 | 47 | 1 |
| 2014 | 89 | BUY | $5,195 | 16 | 2 |
| 2013 | 72 | BUY | $5,406 | 66 | 3 |
| 2012 | 82 | BUY | $5,512 | 46 | 3 |
| 2011 | 85 | BUY | $5,785 | 36 | 4 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the XC60, through the years →
XC60 sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the XC60 on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Volvo XC60
Across every XC60 model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Visibility/Wiper54 complaints across all XC60 years · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement$490–$1,200
- Unknown Or Other52 complaints across all XC60 years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Electrical System43 complaints across all XC60 years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Engine39 complaints across all XC60 years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
- Seat Belts16 complaints across all XC60 years · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement$360–$800
- Structure12 complaints across all XC60 years · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair$1,070–$2,920
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What are the best Volvo XC60 years to buy?
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018… all score 70 or better. The strongest is the 2014 at 89/100, on 16 complaints and 2 recall campaigns.
Which Volvo XC60 years should I avoid?
The 2013 is the weakest year we score, at 72/100 (BUY), on 66 complaints and 3 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Volvo XC60 problem?
54 of the complaints filed against the XC60 across all its model years sit in the Visibility/Wiper group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04