Volvo V60 years to avoid— and the best years
8 V60 model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
Every V60 model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 #1 | B | 8 | 2 · 0.2/yr | 2 · 0/yr | not rated | |
| 2016 #2 | C | 10 | 4 · 0.4/yr | 23 · 2/yr | not rated | |
| 2017 #3 | D | 9 | 6 · 0.7/yr | 6 · 1/yr | not rated | |
| 2023 #4 | C | 3 | 5 · 1.7/yr | 5 · 2/yr | ★★★★★ | |
| 2019 #5 | D | 7 | 4 · 0.6/yr | 2 · 0/yr | not rated | 1 critical |
| 2021 #6 | D | 5 | 4 · 0.8/yr | 3 · 1/yr | ★★★★★ | 2 critical |
| 2020 #7 | F | 6 | 5 · 0.8/yr | 12 · 2/yr | ★★★★★ | 2 critical |
| 2022 #8 | D | 4 | 4 · 1/yr | 1 · 0/yr | ★★★★★ | 2 critical |
The V60 years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2022 Volvo V60
The 2022 V60: 4 recalls in 4 years on the road (1 a year, 2 critical: electrical system, steering) — also engine; 1 owner complaint to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often latch and lock (2) and electrical (1)); NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
2020 Volvo V60
The 2020 V60: 5 recalls in 6 years on the road (0.8 a year, 2 critical: electrical system, steering) — also service brakes; 12 owner complaints to NHTSA, 2 a year (most often electrical (4) and brake (4)); NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars.
The V60 years the record favours
first 2 of 82018 Volvo V60
The 2018 V60: 2 recalls in 8 years on the road (0.2 a year) — seat belts, electrical system; 2 owner complaints to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often brake (1) and cruise control (1)).
2016 Volvo V60
The 2016 V60: 4 recalls in 10 years on the road (0.4 a year) — seat belts ×2, latches/locks/linkages, electrical system; 23 owner complaints to NHTSA, 2 a year (most often engine (12) and electrical (4)).
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about V60 years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Volvo V60 years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2020, 2022 rank lowest of the 8 V60 model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2022 — 4 recalls in 4 years (1 a year), 2 critical, 1 complaint (0 a year); the 2020 — 5 recalls in 6 years (0.8 a year), 2 critical, 12 complaints (2 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Volvo V60 year to buy used?
The 2018 Volvo V60 has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal B, 0.2 recalls a year on the road and 0 complaints a year. The 2018 V60: 2 recalls in 8 years on the road (0.2 a year) — seat belts, electrical system; 2 owner complaints to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often brake (1) and cruise control (1)). That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2022 Volvo V60 reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2022 V60: 4 recalls in 4 years on the road (1 a year, 2 critical: electrical system, steering) — also engine; 1 owner complaint to NHTSA, 0 a year (most often latch and lock (2) and electrical (1)); NHTSA investigation DP22005 (became recall 22V063000, electrical system); NHTSA overall crash rating 5 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Volvo V60 have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 34 recall campaigns against the Volvo V60, and owners filed 54 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.