2018 Volvo XC60
The 2018 Volvo XC60 is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the XC60 AWD PHEV, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 36 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XC60 AWD PHEV | Plug-in hybrid | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo + 34 and 65 kW 3-phase Sync. | 26 | 28 | 26 (34 MPGe blended) | 18 mi electric | 53 | 3 h | $3,150 |
| XC60 AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 28 | 24 | — | — | — | $3,400 |
| XC60 AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 27 | 23 | — | — | — | $3,550 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39382, 38806, 38807.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XC60 AWD PHEV | 7 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay Elite |
| XC60 AWD | 5 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2 L |
| Engine configuration | In-Line |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 250 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | AWD/All-Wheel Drive |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Transmission speeds | 8 |
Driver assistance
Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking
Optional: Adaptive cruise control
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Inscription, Momentum, R-Design). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 184.6 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 74.8 in |
| Height | 65.4 in |
| Wheelbase | 113.0 in |
| Track, front | 65.7 in |
| Track, rear | 65.7 in |
| Curb weight | 4,114–4,647 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 55/45 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 4-door SUV T5 AWD, 4-door SUV T6 AWD, 4-door SUV T8 AWD PHEV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2018 Volvo XC60 is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (5)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseVisibility
R10044Seats
R19931Structure
R89910Electrical System
R39917These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
NHTSA defect investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific XC60
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volvo publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Volvo XC60, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2018 Volvo XC60
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this XC60 →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported
12 per 10,000 built · Volvo reported 29,837 XC60 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2018: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 1
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
While driving, the engine will shut off while stopped and fail to restart when the gas pedal is engaged. The car will not turn on, the steering column and brake pedal lock rendering it completely unresponsive to any attempt to restart the vehicle.
Tires are Continental Cross Contact 255/45R20 105H. Miles - 39,000. Severe vibration started coming from rear of car at speeds starting at 45 mph. Alignment was done which did not resolve the issue. Tires removed from rim and two found to be failing inside.
Rainwater leaked into front of vehicle and settled in undercarriage causing a short in the passenger side airbag and error message for gear selector. The warning light for the airbag lit up. The vehicle has been inspected by a dealership and the cause of the problem was a clog in the drainage system under the windshied.
June 4, 2022, 2018 Volvo XC60 - Right rear door lock engaged and would not release from either inside or outside door handle with all doors electronically unlocked. No other doors were affected. The door remained locked until Volvo technician removed inside door panel and made temporary repair on June 6.
When Pilot Assist's steering assistance is unable to keep the car in the lane, it will disengage without any audible warning nor visual warning (screen flash, popup message,...). The only indication is the 3/4" steering wheel icon at the bottom left of the instrument cluster, changes color from green to grey.
Brakes continue to malfunction & I am having to replace brakes & rotors each time at approximately 25k mile intervals. Local dealership in Baton Rouge Louisiana & Lafayette Louisiana continue diminish my concerns and state this in normal wear for this vehicle. i am certain this not the case
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Volvo itself: 4 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 4 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 13 per 100,000 built. Every XC60 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 15 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 4,000 and 22,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsMost often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.
- 33031.6.0 Service bulletin2026-05-23 · Unknown Or Other
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 .jpg attachment - If remote control key is not detected by the car and shows message in DIM "Car key not found" or if functions such as lock/unlock are not working, please follow advice for detecting key
- 36496.10.0 Service bulletin2026-05-07 · Power Train
- This is a Technical Journal: Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration. If the sound corresponds to attached sound file, change front drive shafts to the below part numbers.
- 36376.6.0 Service bulletin2026-05-07 · Unknown Or Other
- This is a Technical Journal: Text only no attachments - Before replacing a cell module, make sure the latest BECM software is downloaded. This is important for utilizing the VIDA method described here and receiving the correct cell balancing diagnostics after the replacement.
- 34521.11.1 Service bulletin2026-05-07 · Exterior Lighting
- This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
- 35503.4.0 Service bulletin2026-05-06 · Structure — Body
- This is a Technical Journal: Panoramic sunroof, sealing strip has a gap
- 35526.1.8 Service bulletin2026-04-23 · Engine
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.
- 37809.1.1 Service bulletin2026-04-07 · Unknown Or Other
- This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval. Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" section
- 34521.10.0 Service bulletin2026-03-21 · Exterior Lighting
- This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Volvo XC60 failed the emissions check on 2.6% of first inspections — close to the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.97% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%).
failed emissions
1,234 initial inspections of 1,213 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2018 XC60 | Every 2018 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 2.6% | 3.0% | 1,232 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 0.97% | 1.9% | 1,234 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.08% | 0.22% | 1,234 |
| Miles driven a year | 9,649 | 10,002 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 80,038 | 82,833 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
XC60 by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2018 XC60
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2018 Volvo XC60 have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 5 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volvo XC60. The most serious on file is 25V818000, covering Seats. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2018 Volvo XC60?
NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2018 Volvo XC60 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it C (71/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Volvo XC60?
Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Volvo XC60, the best EPA combined figure is 26 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2018 Volvo XC60?
Transport Canada measured it at 184.6 in long, 74.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.4 in tall, on a 113.0 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,114–4,647 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2018 Volvo XC60?
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo XC60, most often about electrical system, service brakes, air bags. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 4 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2018 Volvo XC60?
The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Volvo XC60 runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Volvo XC60?
The manufacturer has filed 711 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Volvo XC60, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-05-23. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2018 Volvo XC60 do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Volvo XC60 failed the emissions check on 2.6% of first inspections — close to the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.97% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 3 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 3 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 5 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 36 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | none | NHTSA NCAP | NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe. |
| Service bulletins | 711 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 1 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 13 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.