Is the Volvo S60 more reliable than the Lexus ES?

No. The Lexus ES leads by a large margin, with an excellent standing against good for the Volvo S60. The Volvo also has more recalls, and its owners report highway vibration that dealers could not cure. The Lexus still has serious complaints, including airbags and fuel pump stalling.

Which has more recalls, the S60 or the ES?

The Volvo S60 has more. Federal recall records show 23 recalls across six model years for the S60. The Lexus ES has 15 across eight model years. Check any specific car by VIN, since recall counts do not show whether a given car was fixed.

Which is cheaper to repair, the S60 or the ES?

This page can only price the Volvo. Independent repair-cost data puts the S60 at about $750 a year, with 0.5 unscheduled shop visits and an 8% chance a repair is major. Repair-cost data for the Lexus ES is missing here, so no cost comparison is possible.

What is wrong with the Volvo S60 at highway speed?

Owners report steering wheel vibration from about 65 to 75 mph. New rotors, tires, balancing, and alignments did not stop it, and some dealers declined further work. Separately, foam separating inside factory Pirelli P Zero 235/40R19 tires caused severe vibration, and dealers advised replacing all four.

Are Lexus ES airbag and stalling complaints a reason to skip it?

They are a reason to check, not to skip. Owners report airbags not deploying in crashes and stalling tied to a low-pressure fuel pump. Confirm that the fuel pump recall remedy was done and that no airbag recall is open. Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Lexus ES vs Volvo S60: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Lexus ES

Excellent

Volvo S60

Good

Lexus ES beats Volvo S60 on reliability by a large margin. The ES rates excellent and the S60 good. The S60 has more federal recalls, 23 across six model years against 15 across eight for the ES, and a highway vibration problem dealers have not fixed.

How Do the Lexus ES and Volvo S60 Generations Compare?

The Volvo is in its third generation, which covers US model years 2019 to 2024. Every year you are likely to shop sits in that one generation, so the year-to-year differences come from build quality, not a redesign. The Lexus has two generations in your range. The seventh generation (XZ10) began in 2019 and got a facelift for 2021. Its strongest years, 2021 and 2022, are the facelifted cars. The weakest, 2019, was the first year of that design, and 2018 belongs to the earlier sixth generation (XV60). If you want a Lexus, the facelifted cars are the safer target.

Verdict

The Lexus ES is more reliable than the Volvo S60, scoring 83/100 vs 72/100.

Reliability favors the Lexus by a large margin. It rates excellent, while the Volvo rates good. The Lexus also has fewer federal recalls, 15 against 23, spread over more model years. The Volvo is a sound used buy, but it has a known highway vibration problem and an electrical fault that can kill the wipers, signals, and steering wheel buttons at once. The Lexus has serious complaints of its own, mainly airbags and fuel pump stalling, so check recall status on any car you consider.

Key Differences

1Lexus ES scores 11 points higher in reliability
2Lexus ES has 8 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

2Lexus ES

—

0Volvo S60

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsSafety Rating

Lexus ES vs Volvo S60: Which Is More Reliable?

Lexus ES vs Volvo S60 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Lexus ES	Volvo S60
Reliability Score	83/100	72/100
Years Tracked	8	6
Total Recalls	15	23
Total ComplaintsRaw count — varies with sales volume	95	65
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2025 NHTSA	2025 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	6	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Lexus ES and Volvo S60?

The Volvo's complaints are mostly nuisance and drivability faults. Highway shake from 65 to 75 mph that dealers cannot fix, separating foam in factory Pirelli tires, and a rearview camera that cuts out in reverse lead the list. Its crash-linked reports sit in the brakes, including false crash detection that stops the car hard on the highway. The Lexus profile is more severe. Airbags failing to deploy account for five crash-linked complaints, and the Volvo has no crash-linked airbag area. Stalling tied to a low-pressure fuel pump, plus automatic braking that fires on its own, round out the Lexus list.

Lexus ES vs Volvo S60 common problem areas comparison
Component	Lexus ES	Volvo S60
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	4	14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	6	4
SERVICE BRAKES	5	5
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	7	2
AIR BAGS	8	—
ENGINE	6	—
TIRES	2	4
STEERING	—	6
POWER TRAIN	3	2
FUEL SYSTEM	3	—
LANE DEPARTURE	2	—
WHEELS	2	—
STRUCTURE	2	—
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	2	—
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—	2
SEATS	—	2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—	2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—	2

Raw complaint counts aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports. Counts vary with sales volume.

How Does Lexus ES vs Volvo S60 Reliability Compare by Year?

Lexus ES vs Volvo S60 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Lexus ES	Volvo S60	Edge
2025	83/1001R / 4C	76/1003R / 0C	Lexus ES
2024	80/1004R / 9C	72/1003R / 16C	Lexus ES
2023	80/1004R / 18C	70/1006R / 3C	Lexus ES
2022	88/1000R / 16C	70/1004R / 14C	Lexus ES
2020	83/1001R / 5C	72/1003R / 9C	Lexus ES
2019	78/1003R / 33C	72/1004R / 23C	Lexus ES

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Lexus ES scored 88/100 and the 2024 Volvo S60 scored 72/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Lexus ES vs the Volvo S60?

Choose the Lexus if you want the stronger overall record and plan to keep the car a long time. Aim for 2021 or 2022, the strongest years. Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest. Before you buy, confirm the fuel pump recall remedy was done, because owners reported long waits for parts and stalling in traffic. Choose the Volvo if you like its feel and accept a lower standing. Target 2020, one of its strongest years, and skip 2022 and 2023, its weakest. Drive any S60 at 65 to 75 mph and watch for steering wheel shake. Check the tires, since foam separation in the 235/40R19 Pirelli P Zero caused severe vibration and dealers advised replacing all four. Test the rearview camera in reverse several times, and confirm the electrical controls work. Budget for early rear brake wear, which one owner found with pads under 2mm.

Lexus ES vs Volvo S60: Common Questions

Is the Volvo S60 more reliable than the Lexus ES?: No. The Lexus ES leads by a large margin, with an excellent standing against good for the Volvo S60. The Volvo also has more recalls, and its owners report highway vibration that dealers could not cure. The Lexus still has serious complaints, including airbags and fuel pump stalling.
Which has more recalls, the S60 or the ES?: The Volvo S60 has more. Federal recall records show 23 recalls across six model years for the S60. The Lexus ES has 15 across eight model years. Check any specific car by VIN, since recall counts do not show whether a given car was fixed.
Which is cheaper to repair, the S60 or the ES?: This page can only price the Volvo. Independent repair-cost data puts the S60 at about $750 a year, with 0.5 unscheduled shop visits and an 8% chance a repair is major. Repair-cost data for the Lexus ES is missing here, so no cost comparison is possible.
What is wrong with the Volvo S60 at highway speed?: Owners report steering wheel vibration from about 65 to 75 mph. New rotors, tires, balancing, and alignments did not stop it, and some dealers declined further work. Separately, foam separating inside factory Pirelli P Zero 235/40R19 tires caused severe vibration, and dealers advised replacing all four.
Are Lexus ES airbag and stalling complaints a reason to skip it?: They are a reason to check, not to skip. Owners report airbags not deploying in crashes and stalling tied to a low-pressure fuel pump. Confirm that the fuel pump recall remedy was done and that no airbag recall is open. Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years.

More Lexus ES comparisons

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More Volvo S60 comparisons

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Decided between Lexus ES and Volvo S60? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Lexus ES and Volvo S60

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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