Volvo XC40: common problems, best years and what to check
Stylish premium small SUV; also sold as a Recharge EV. Covers 2018–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Volvo XC40 a good used buy?
Best buy
2019+ B4 petrol or Recharge
Avoid
high-mile diesels used for short trips
Who it suits: Style-conscious families wanting a premium, safe small SUV.
What's good
- Excellent safety
- Stylish, clever interior
- Comfortable
- EV version available
What's not
- Petrol versions thirsty
- Infotainment can be slow
- Pricier than mainstream rivals
- Recharge range is average
By the numbers
- #55 most common model on UK roads, with about 140k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 29.4k cars still licensed.
- T3/T4/B4 uses a belt (150k / 10 yrs): budget £500–£800 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: DPF on short trips (up to £1,200).
Volvo XC40 common problems by generation and engine
Volvo XC40 XC40 (2017–) · compact SUV; Recharge EV
How to spot it: 18 plate onwards. Boxy small SUV with 'Thor's hammer' LED headlights; EVs have a blanked-off grille.
T3 / T4 / B4 petrol (Drive-E 3-cyl / 4-cyl, petrol, 2018–)
Generally reliable
- Infotainment glitches£0–£300any
D3 / D4 diesel (D4204T, diesel, 2018–2021)
Frugal motorway car
- DPF on short trips£300–£1,200any
Recharge Twin / P6 / P8 (electric, electric, 2020–)
Quick EV; modest range
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Volvo XC40 years
How many Volvo XC40s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Volvo XC40 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2018+ cars)
Volvo XC40s pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (90% vs 86%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 88% | 81% | 53k miles |
| 2019 | 87% | 84% | 46k miles |
| 2020 | 90% | 86% | 38k miles |
| 2021 | 91% | 87% | 33k miles |
| 2022 | 92% | 89% | 26k miles |
| 2023 | 94% | 92% | 24k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Diesel
Electric
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.1 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.52 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.59 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively0.89 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed0.75 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too high0.57 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction0.34 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn0.29 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm20.68 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick13.13 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear8.43 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened6.43 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn6.04 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3.76 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut3.36 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2.95 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Volvo XC40 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| T3/T4/B4 | belt | 150k / 10 yrs | £500–£800 |
| D3/D4 | belt | 150k / 10 yrs | £500–£800 |
Volvo XC40 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Volvo XC40 ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Electric / hybrid
Volvo XC40 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo XC40 | 140k | 20–36 | 452 l | 2019+ B4 petrol or Recharge |
| Audi Q3 | 163k | 20–32 | 530 l | 2015–2018 8U 2.0 TDI or 2019+ F3 |
| BMW X1 | 118k | 20–35 | 505 l | 2016+ F48 18d/20d |
| Mercedes-Benz GLA | 103k | 17–34 | 435 l | 2020+ H247 GLA 200 |
| Land Rover Range Rover Evoque | 212k | 25–42 | 472 l | 2011–2015 2.2 TD4/SD4 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 316k | 16–30 | 520 l | 2016+ Mk2 2.0 TDI 150 |
What to check when buying a used Volvo XC40
- Check software updates
- EV: check battery health report
Volvo XC40 FAQ
›Is the Volvo XC40 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2019+ B4 petrol or Recharge. Avoid: high-mile diesels used for short trips.
›What is the Volvo XC40 MOT pass rate?
90% of Volvo XC40s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (78,553 tests), better than the 86% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick.
›What are the most common Volvo XC40 problems?
The costliest known faults are DPF on short trips; Infotainment glitches. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Volvo XC40 have a timing belt or chain?
T3/T4/B4: belt; D3/D4: belt.
›What is the best year Volvo XC40 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2018, 2019, 2020 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Volvo XC40 cost to run?
Real-world economy: T3/B4 petrol 36–44 mpg; D3 diesel 45–52 mpg; Recharge 2.8–3.3 mi/kWh. Insurance groups 20–36. A minor service is about £220–£300 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Volvo XC40?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Volvo XC40 ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.