Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 75/100 (GOOD)

2020 Volvo XC60 Reliability Report

The 2020 Volvo XC60 has good reliability, above average for 2020 SUVs. Its main weak spot is electrical faults like screens going dark while driving.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

5.3per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$746

Annual Fuel Cost

$2,900–$3,000

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity73/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs80/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact65/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity80/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

Rates better than 2019 and about the same as 2021, with fewer recalls than 2019 but recurring screen blackouts and early brake rotor wear.

Top Issues to Watch

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (4)
SERVICE BRAKES (2)
ENGINE (2)

Generation & Refresh (US)

Post-Redesign (Year 3)

2020 is year 3 of the Second generation (2017–present).

Redesigned for the 2018 model year.
Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
A refresh arrives in 2021.
2nd generation XC60 (US).

What this means for buyers

Well into the generation cycle — most design and manufacturing issues should be resolved by now.

2018: Second generation (2017–present) Launch

Generation start — new platform.

2020: This Model Year

2020 is year 3 of the Second generation (2017–present).

2021: Mid-Cycle Refresh

Updated features and styling tweaks.

2025: Mid-Cycle Refresh

Updated features and styling tweaks.

Should You Buy the 2020 Volvo XC60?

Good, and among the stronger of the eight scored XC60 years. It sits above average among 2020 SUVs, rates better than 2019 and rates about the same as 2021. It earned 5 of 5 federal crash-test stars. Independent repair-cost data puts model-wide repairs at $746 a year, against $859 for the class.

Electrical faults lead the 17 owner complaints. Reports describe the center screen and backup camera going dark while reversing and the instrument panel blacking out while driving. One car shut down when stopping and would not restart for 5 minutes. Dealers often could not reproduce the faults. Brake rotors also warp early and the surging comes back, with trouble showing up between 13,058 and 34,000 miles. Federal recall records list six recalls across steering, brakes, fuel system, electrical system, visibility and forward collision avoidance.

Ask for proof that every recall was completed, plus brake and rotor service records. Test the screens and backup camera on the drive. The 2021 is a fair comparison, with similar standing.

Compared to the 2021 Volvo XC60, which scored the same. See also the 2019 Volvo XC60 for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Acceptable reliability score
+$113 cheaper to maintain than avg luxury compact SUVs
+Low major repair risk (7%)
+Below-average complaint rate for SUV

Cons

−Above-average recall count
−ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Screens and power cut out without warning (4 complaints)
−SERVICE BRAKES: Rotors warp early and the problem keeps coming back (2 complaints)

Compare 2020 Volvo XC60 With

2020 Audi Q3

Reliability: 69/100

Good

2020 BMW X1

Reliability: 74/100

Good

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

6 manufacturer recalls issued

Other

HIGH RISK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (4)
SERVICE BRAKES (2)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

recalls on record

The 2020 Volvo XC60 has 6 recalls on record, which is above average. A high count can flag multiple component concerns, though it also shows the manufacturer is actively addressing known issues.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

5.3

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 20.2

LowAvgHigh

Low

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2020 Volvo XC60 Recall Details

6 recalls have been issued for the 2020 Volvo XC60. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

23V0010002023-01-05

STEERING

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2022 V60CC, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. During steering gear assembly, double screws may have been assembled on top of each other, which can cause a screw to fall into the gearbox housing.

Consequence

A screw inside the gearbox housing can cause the steering wheel to lock up and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 1, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Car's customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10213.

21V7160002021-09-15

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 S90L, 2020-2021 XC60, and XC90 vehicles. An improperly welded rotor and shaft may separate within the integrated brake system.

Consequence

Separation of the rotor and shaft may cause a reduction in braking assistance and a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the hydraulic unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10120.

21V4140002021-06-02

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2020 V90, XC60, S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90CC, S90L, and XC90 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump can blow a fuse and fail.

Consequence

Failure of the low-pressure fuel pump can cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10100.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2020 Volvo XC60? Check its history first

Electrical system problems lead owner complaints about the 2020 Volvo XC60, and 6 recalls were issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2020 Volvo XC60 NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 5/5Passenger: 5/5

Rollover risk: 15.5%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Head Restraint (Driver)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (Not Available)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Volvo XC60Repair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$746

vs $859 avg for luxury compact SUVs

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.5

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

XC60

$746

Category Avg

$859

All Vehicles

$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

23–24 MPG

Running cost: $3,650–$3,750/yr

Fuel + repair

20–22 city / 27–29 hwy MPG

Plug-in Hybrid

27 MPG

Running cost: $3,300/yr

Fuel + repair

26 city / 28 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2020 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
XC60 FWD 2.0L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	22	29	24	$2,900
XC60 AWD 2.0L 4-cyl	All-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	20	27	23	$3,000
XC60 AWD 2.0L 4-cyl	All-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	20	27	23	$3,000

Plug-in Hybrid trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
XC60 AWD PHEV 2.0L 4-cyl	All-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	26	28	27	$2,550

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2020 Volvo XC60.

Stand near the rear and test the foot-activated tailgate; confirm it never opens or closes on its own.
Drive in traffic at 20 to 45 mph and watch for the car slowing on its own.
On a long drive, watch the center screen and instrument panel for blackouts or a garbled display.
Shift into reverse several times and confirm the backup camera stays on until you shift out of reverse.
Brake firmly from highway speed and feel for pulsing; ask for records of any rotor replacements.
Have a mechanic compare front and rear brake pad wear; heavy rear wear is a warning sign.
Check under the engine and the parking spot for fresh oil after a test drive.
Ask a mechanic to inspect the upper engine torque mount for separation from its bracket.

2020 Volvo XC60 Common Problems by Component

17 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (4)SERVICE BRAKES (2)ENGINE (2)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2)POWER TRAIN (1)VISIBILITY (1)VISIBILITY/WIPER (1)TIRES (1)Other (3)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

4 complaints

Screens and power cut out without warning. Reports describe the center screen and backup camera going dark while reversing, the instrument panel blacking out while driving, and the dashboard display turning into a bright barcode pattern. One car shut down fully when stopping, flashed all its lights, and would not restart for 5 minutes. Other complaints cover the car slowing on its own at 45 mph with no warning light, repeated stop/start repairs, and lane assist that does not work properly. One injury is reported. Dealers often cannot reproduce the faults.

4 complaints total1 injury

SERVICE BRAKES

2 complaints

Rotors warp early and the problem keeps coming back. One report describes brake disc and rotor replacements at 13,058 and 22,996 miles, with surging under braking returning by 33,000 miles. A second pattern is uneven wear: one inspection near 20k miles found the rear brakes nearly worn out while the fronts were close to new. Neither report describes a crash, but both describe recurring brake trouble on a fairly new vehicle.

2 complaints total

ENGINE

2 complaints

A separated upper torque mount and a heavy oil leak are the two problems reported. In one case a service warning light led to the discovery that the upper engine torque mount had separated from its bracket at 52,000 miles, and the manufacturer offered no help with the repair. Another complaint describes a severe oil leak that the dealer blamed on a loose oil filter, but fresh oil was dripping again right after the visit. Neither report mentions a fire or loss of power.

2 complaints total

UNKNOWN OR OTHER (2 complaints)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

The hands-free power tailgate opens and closes on its own. The foot-wave sensor triggers by accident, and in one case the hatch pinned a person holding a child against a garage wall, causing an injury. The owner could not find a way to turn the feature off. A separate complaint describes the passenger side window shattering at highway speed with nothing hitting it. No one was hurt in that incident.

2 complaints total1 injury

POWER TRAIN (1 complaints)

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

2023-05-01

- Back left axle went loose with the back left wheel while driving, causing the car to rotate 45 degrees, scratching the ground. Once the car drifted back horizontally, I used the brakes to stop the car. Multiple pictures show the defect. Back left lights where the axle went off and the wheel is not broken, showing no collision. Liquid escaped from the bottom. Available for inspection and photos as well. -Had I not been able to use the brakes after the car rotated sideways, we would have crashed. This could have caused major injuries to us and/or others. -The police inspected the car and didn't qualify it as an accident since they said no damages, other objects, or vehicles were involved. The manufacturer's local shop made a 4 lines and inaccurate report to qualify it as an accident falsely. If there were an accident, lights would brake before the axle and there was no pothole -There were no warnings. It happened suddenly

VISIBILITY (1 complaints)

VISIBILITY

1 complaint

2020-06-11

WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY (70 DEGREES EXTERNAL TEMP), MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED WITH NO CONTACT. THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE ENTIRE WINDOW SHATTERED INTO TINY BITS. *TR

VISIBILITY/WIPER (1 complaints)

VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

2020-12-28

VEHICLE: 2020 VOLVO XC60 - DRIVER OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILS TO AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND FROM A VEHICLE LOCKED ROTATED INWARD POSITION WHEN OUTSIDE IN FREEZING WEATHER. THE MIRROR REMAINS ROTATED INWARD FACING THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. A CALL TO VOLVO USA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR ADVICE GAVE THE RESPONSE - "WAIT TILL IT UNFREEZES". THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A METHOD TO ROTATE IT MANUALLY OTHER THAT FORCE WHICH APPEARS TO CAUSE BREAKAGE. IF YOU CAN'T WAIT, IT LEAVES THE DRIVER WITHOUT A MEANS OF EASILY SEEING APPROACHING TRAFFIC. FULLY ROTATING THE HEAD CREATES OTHER POTENTIAL FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON TRAFFIC AHEAD. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, AND OUTSIDE WITH TEMPERATURE IN ABOUT 31 F DEGREES IN A DRIVEWAY. PASSENGER MIRROR PERFORMED AS INTENDED. THIS HAS APPEND 2 TIMES. TODAY 12/28/2020 IN ZIP CODE 98077 & 12/26/2020 IN ZIP CODE 99338. BOTH IN THE SAME WEATHER CONDITIONS.

TIRES (1 complaints)

TIRES

1 complaint

2021-12-01

Without incident, the rear driver side tire on our 2020 Volvo XC60 blew out on the sidewall on December 1, 2021. The tire, original to our purchase of the new vehicle, had approximately 10,600 miles on it. There was no other damage to any other part of the tire or wheel. Unfortunately, even though we requested Discount Tire (who replaced the tire) to keep the tire for us, they did not so we don't have it for inspection. Regardless, I have several pictures and a couple of videos of the tire (while on the vehicle). No accident occurred and the other three tires on the vehicle are still undamaged.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (1 complaints)

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

2022-07-28

Driving on Rte 211 in Oak Island, NC, slowing to turn with no one in front or behind me, emergency breaking engaged, bring the car to a full stop.

AIR BAGS (1 complaints)

AIR BAGS

1 complaint

2022-10-28

The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC60. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, an SRS service air bag message was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and was awaiting an appointment with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

When Do 2020 Volvo XC60 Problems Start?

Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.

13,058–34,000 milesWarped rotors, uneven brake wear

Best & Worst Volvo XC60 Years

Best Volvo XC60 Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Good

2021

5Recalls

31Complaints

Good

2020

(Current Model)

6Recalls

17Complaints

Good

2023

5Recalls

40Complaints

Volvo XC60 Years to Avoid

No Volvo XC60 years are statistical outliers in our data.

Scores stay between 72 and 76 across 8 scored model years.

See full Volvo XC60 years-to-avoid analysis

Volvo XC60 Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Volvo XC60 reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2018	74/100	Good
2019	72/100	Good
2020	75/100	Good
2021	75/100	Good
2022	72/100	Good
2023	74/100	Good
2025	76/100	Good
2026	74/100	Good

Volvo XC60 Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026	74/100	-2	Good	3	4
2025	76/100	+2	Good	4	22
2023	74/100	+2	Good	5	40
2022	72/100	-3	Good	6	60
2021	75/100	0	Good	5	31
2020(selected)	75/100	+3	Good	6	17
2019	72/100	-2	Good	8	33
2018	74/100	—	Good	5	35

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2020 Volvo XC60 reliable?

Yes, it has good reliability. It ranks above average among 2020 SUVs and among the stronger of the eight scored XC60 model years. Owners filed 17 complaints, a low rate for the number sold. Electrical glitches and early brake rotor wear are the main concerns to check before buying.

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Volvo XC60?

Electrical faults are the most reported, with four complaints. Screens, the backup camera or the instrument panel go dark without warning. Brakes and engine each have two complaints: warped rotors and uneven wear, plus a separated upper torque mount and a heavy oil leak.

Does the 2020 Volvo XC60 have brake problems?

Some owners report them. One described rotor and disc replacements at 13,058 and 22,996 miles, with surging under braking back by 33,000 miles. Another found the rear brakes nearly worn out near 20k miles while the fronts looked close to new. Neither report describes a crash.

How many recalls does the 2020 Volvo XC60 have?

Federal records list six recalls. They cover steering, hydraulic service brakes, the fuel system, the electrical system, visibility and wipers, and forward collision avoidance. Ask the seller for proof that each one was completed. The 2019 model has eight recalls and the 2021 has five.

Is the 2020 Volvo XC60 better than the 2019 or 2021?

It rates better than the 2019, which has 33 complaints and eight recalls. It rates about the same as the 2021, which has 31 complaints and five recalls. All three years carry good reliability, so condition and service history should decide between them.

Don’t buy a 2020 Volvo XC60 without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2020 Volvo XC60

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2020 Volvo XC60 does best on repair costs (80/100) and worst on recall impact (65/100). 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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