Volvo XC90
Every model year 2016–2027: recalls, owner complaints, NHTSA crash ratings and EPA efficiency side by side, each value traced to the file it came from.
Every Volvo XC90 model year
Source: NHTSA · EPA · one row per year| Year | Powertrains | Safety | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | Best efficiency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Hybrid | A | 0 | 0 | — | 25 mpg | |
| 2026 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | B | 1 | 8 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2025 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | C | 3 | 29 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2024 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | C | 4 | 37 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2023 | Plug-in hybrid Hybrid | D | 7 | 41 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2022 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 5 | 30 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2021 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 7 | 42 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2020 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 9 | 34 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2019 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | D | 6 | 42 | ★★★★★ | 25 mpg | |
| 2018 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | B | 3 | 51 | ★★★★★ | 27 mpg | |
| 2017 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | D | 7 | 81 | ★★★★★ | 25 mpg | |
| 2016 | Plug-in hybrid Gas | F | 8 | 198 | ★★★★★ | 25 mpg |
Which model year the record favours
Source: recalls and complaints per year on the roadOn the filed record so far, the 2018 is the cleanest XC90 year we hold, and the 2020 the one to check hardest.
Both figures are divided by the number of years the car has been on sale, because otherwise the oldest year on the page loses every time simply for having been around longer. The current model year and any year under three on the road are left out: their records are not finished.
What owners filed about the Volvo XC90, by system
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsEvery system, every year →The systems the federal record is deep on for this nameplate: the complaints per model year, the mileage owners reported them at, and every recall, investigation and manufacturer bulletin filed under the heading — each one linked, none a failure rate.
What changed year to year
Source: computed from the filed record- 2027: dropped plug-in hybrid; best combined mpg 27 → 25; 3 → 2 EPA configurations
- 2023: added hybrid; dropped gas; 5 → 3 EPA configurations
- 2022: 4 → 5 EPA configurations
- 2020: best combined mpg 25 → 27
- 2019: best combined mpg 27 → 25
- 2018: best combined mpg 25 → 27
| Head-to-head | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 XC90 vs Chevrolet Traverse · Large SUV | XC90 +13.8 | |
| 2027 XC90 vs Kia Telluride · Large SUV | Telluride +15.6 | |
| 2027 XC90 vs Ford Explorer · Large SUV | Explorer +10 | |
| 2027 XC90 vs Ford Expedition · Large SUV | Expedition +9.1 | |
| 2027 XC90 vs Hyundai Palisade · Large SUV | Palisade +20.4 | |
| 2026 XC90 vs Toyota Highlander · Large SUV | Highlander +33.6 |
Common questions about the Volvo XC90
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich Volvo XC90 year is the best used buy?
On the recall record, the 2018 XC90 comes out top of the years before the current one: Safety Signal grade B (81/100), 3 recalls and 51 owner complaints on file. That ranks paperwork, not condition — a specific car's history and service record still decide it.
What Volvo XC90 years should I avoid?
2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 have the weakest recall records in this range. The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists yet. Every XC90 model year ranked, with the reasons.
How many recalls does the Volvo XC90 have?
Across model years 2016–2027, NHTSA has posted 60 recall campaigns for the Volvo XC90. They are counted per model year in the table above, because a campaign almost never covers the whole run — it covers a build range.