Reliability report
Volvo XC90 reliability and common faults
Based on 115,544 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
25.1%
fail rate · average 26.9%
better than average
45,227 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
57.9%
with defects · average 52.7%
worse than average
36,576 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
44.8%
first-time pass · average 50.8%
much worse than average
33,741 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Volvo XC90
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Steeringconfirmed in 2 countries
Driving controls
Brakesconfirmed in 2 countries
Exhaust and emissions
Wheels
Plates and identification
Seat belts and airbags
Tyres
Lights and electrics
Visibility
Suspension
Body and structure
Most common test failures
- 1Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 2Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 3Tyre insufficient tread
- 4Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 5Sidelight not working (properly)
- 6Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 7Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 8Parking brake deceleration/braking performance insufficient
- 9Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 10Steering knuckle (ball joint) too much play
- 11Tie rod end has too much play
- 12Steering gear dust cover damaged, not sealing
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 11.6% avg 9.9% | 23.0% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 13.6% avg 15.3% | 47.8% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 19.8% avg 22.9% | 57.3% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 27.2% avg 30.3% | 59.3% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 33.9% avg 34.6% | 68.6% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 36.4% avg 31.4% | 75.9% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | XC90 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 60.3% | 78.6% | 58 |
| 2019 | 43.9% | 83.2% | 114 |
| 2018 | 54.0% | 79.5% | 322 |
| 2017 | 62.9% | 76.6% | 391 |
| 2016 | 56.0% | 72.8% | 753 |
| 2015 | 52.2% | 71.1% | 324 |
| 2014 | 49.5% | 68.0% | 311 |
| 2013 | 47.6% | 65.9% | 764 |
| 2012 | 49.1% | 63.7% | 426 |
| 2011 | 42.8% | 61.2% | 1,027 |
| 2010 | 42.0% | 57.3% | 1,240 |
| 2009 | 41.9% | 54.5% | 1,047 |
| 2008 | 40.5% | 52.4% | 2,569 |
| 2007 | 43.2% | 50.6% | 4,720 |
| 2006 | 46.2% | 48.7% | 4,946 |
Volvo XC90 – FAQs
How reliable is the Volvo XC90?+
In the UK the Volvo XC90 fails 25.1% of MOT tests, against an average of 26.9% for cars of the same age – better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 57.9% of APK inspections (average there 52.7%) – worse than average. In Lithuania 44.8% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 50.8%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Volvo XC90?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: steering, brakes, exhaust and emissions, seat belts and airbags.
What should I check when buying a used Volvo XC90?+
The most common inspection failures: Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre insufficient tread; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Sidelight not working (properly). Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Volvo models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: © M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Wikimedia Commons (licence).