Volvo XC60: common problems, best years and what to check
Comfortable, safe mid-size SUV; strong diesels and later plug-ins. Covers 2009–2024 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 XC60 a good used buy?
Best buy
2017+ Mk2 B4/D4 or T8 if you can charge
Avoid
Mk1 D5 with no swirl/EGR work
Who it suits: Families who want a safe, comfortable premium SUV.
What's good
- Outstanding safety record
- Very comfortable
- Strong diesels
- Classy interior
What's not
- Thirsty petrols
- Expensive repairs
- PHEV complexity
- Not sporty
By the numbers
- #56 most common model on UK roads, with about 139k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2017: 14.8k cars still licensed.
- 2009 cars survive 22% better than comparable cars of that year.
- D5 / D4 (Mk1) uses a belt (100k / 8 yrs): budget £500–£800 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Hybrid system faults (up to £3,000).
Volvo XC60 common problems by generation and engine
Volvo XC60 Mk1 (2008–2017) · SUV
How to spot it: 08 plate to 17 plate. Curvy shoulders with tall tail-lights running up the D-pillars.
D4 / D5 diesel (D5244T / D4204T, diesel, 2008–2017)
Strong and durable
- EGR / swirl flap faults (D5)£300–£1,00080k+
Faults on any Mk1 (2008–2017) engine
- Haldex 4WD pump failure£400–£90080k+
Volvo XC60 Mk2 (2017–) · SUV; T8 PHEV
How to spot it: 17 plate onwards. Thor's hammer headlights and C-shaped tail-lights.
D4 / B4 / B5 (Drive-E, diesel / mild hybrid, 2017–)
Frugal
T6 / T8 Recharge (Drive-E + e, petrol plug-in hybrid, 2018–)
Quick; complex
- Hybrid system faults£0–£3,000any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Volvo XC60 years
How many Volvo XC60s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Volvo XC60 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2009+ cars)
Volvo XC60s pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (80% vs 76%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 66% | 58% | 136k miles |
| 2010 | 66% | 59% | 134k miles |
| 2011 | 68% | 61% | 129k miles |
| 2012 | 70% | 63% | 121k miles |
| 2013 | 73% | 66% | 109k miles |
| 2014 | 72% | 69% | 106k miles |
| 2015 | 74% | 72% | 94k miles |
| 2016 | 77% | 75% | 82k miles |
| 2017 | 80% | 78% | 72k miles |
| 2018 | 88% | 81% | 62k miles |
| 2019 | 88% | 84% | 52k miles |
| 2020 | 90% | 86% | 44k miles |
| 2021 | 90% | 87% | 38k miles |
| 2022 | 91% | 89% | 29k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Hybrid
Petrol
Diesel hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Coil spring: fractured or broken5.02 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.78 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.59 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut2.28 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.48 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.37 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.19 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too low0.91 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm25.75 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick13.26 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear10.02 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened8.03 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5.65 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn4.91 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3.61 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm3.38 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 XC60 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| D5 / D4 (Mk1) | belt | 100k / 8 yrs | £500–£800 |
| Drive-E (Mk2) | belt | 150k / 10 yrs | £500–£800 |
Volvo XC60 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Volvo XC60 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.
- 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
Volvo XC60 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo XC60 | 139k | 25–40 | 505 l | 2017+ Mk2 B4/D4 or T8 if you can charge |
| Audi Q5 | 128k | 26–42 | 550 l | 2017+ FY 40 TDI |
| BMW X3 | 109k | 28–44 | 550 l | 2018+ G01 xDrive20d |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC | 90k | 31–44 | 550 l | 2019+ GLC 220d (OM654) |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Lexus NX | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Volvo XC60
- Haldex service on AWD
- Check PHEV battery
Volvo XC60 FAQ
›Is the Volvo XC60 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2017+ Mk2 B4/D4 or T8 if you can charge. Avoid: Mk1 D5 with no swirl/EGR work.
›What is the Volvo XC60 MOT pass rate?
80% of Volvo XC60s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (106,199 tests), better than the 76% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: coil spring: fractured or broken.
›What are the most common Volvo XC60 problems?
The costliest known faults are Hybrid system faults; EGR / swirl flap faults. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Volvo XC60 have a timing belt or chain?
D5 / D4 (Mk1): belt; Drive-E (Mk2): belt.
›What is the best year Volvo XC60 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2009, 2010, 2011 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Volvo XC60 cost to run?
Real-world economy: D4/B4 diesel 42–50 mpg; T8 35–80 depending on charging. Insurance groups 25–40. A minor service is about £240–£330 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Volvo XC60?
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 XC60 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.