Your vehicleHome›Volvo›XC90› 2016

Volvo · Large SUV

2016 Volvo XC90

Plug-in hybrid Gas

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

55 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.

Recalls1 critical 8

Complaints5 crash · 11 fire · 8 injured reported 198

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2016 Volvo XC90 is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and gas large SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the XC90 AWD PHEV, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 198 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Volvo XC90 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Volvo XC90 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Range	kWh/100mi	Charge (240V)	Annual fuel*
XC90 AWD PHEV	Plug-in hybrid	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo + 34 and 65 kW DCPM	24	27	25 (30 MPGe blended)	14 mi electric	58	3 h	$3,300
XC90 FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	26	24	—	—	—	$3,400
XC90 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	25	23	—	—	—	$3,550
XC90 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	25	22	—	—	—	$3,750

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37224, 36994, 36995, 36149.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
XC90 AWD PHEV	7–9 / 10	Bin 3 / California LEV-III SULEV30/PZEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
XC90 AWD, XC90 FWD	5–6 / 10	Bin 5 / LEV-III ULEV125	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 vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

240 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seating capacity

5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain

FWD/Front-Wheel Drive

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: SV34 Premier Plus/SV43 Inscription, SV42 Momentum, SV52 Momentum, SVFE First Edition/SVR0 R Design Base). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	194.9 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	79.1 in
Height	70.1 in
Wheelbase	117.3 in
Track, front	65.7 in
Track, rear	65.7 in
Curb weight	6,063 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	53/47

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV AWD T6. 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.

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 (8)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Seat Belts

R10259

2,911 vehicles 78% reported repaired

Problem Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2015-2024 XC90 vehicles. The second-row seat belt buckle and lower belt anchor bolts may not be tightened properly. Risk An improperly tightened seat belt buckle may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing their risk of injury during a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and tighten the second-row seat belt buckle anchorage bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10259.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V827000 reported Dec 7, 2023 Volvo Car USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Electrical System

R10093

162 vehicles 92% reported repaired

Problem Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2016-2020 XC90 Excellence vehicles. Liquid or condensation on the rear seat control display may cause the front passenger seat to move back as far as possible. Risk The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will update the rear seat control display software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10093.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V273000 reported Apr 21, 2021 Volvo Car USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

!critical

Engine And Engine Cooling

R29936

34,006 vehicles 91% reported repaired built Aug 27, 2014 – Apr 24, 2016

Problem Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2016 XC90 vehicles. Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak. Risk If the coolant leak goes unnoticed, coolant may accumulate in the catalytic converter heat shield insulation and catch fire when the vehicle is stationary, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Volvo Cars will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine side coolant bleeder hose, free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29936.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V308000 reported Apr 17, 2019 Volvo Car USA LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Seat Belts

R89708

74,027 vehicles 96% reported repaired built Feb 16, 2015 – Aug 22, 2016

Problem Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles manufactured February 16, 2015, to August 22, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages" and number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." Risk If the seat belt buckle separates from the bracket, the front seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud, replacing the seat belt buckle as needed, free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89708.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V798000 reported Nov 2, 2016 Volvo Car USA LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

R89707

43,766 vehicles 97% reported repaired

Problem Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing. Risk Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R89707.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V690000 reported Sep 26, 2016 Volvo Car USA LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Visibility

R89702

30,214 vehicles 97% reported repaired built Jan 27, 2015 – Apr 23, 2016

Problem Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to April 23, 2016. The sunroofs on the affected vehicles have a switch on the overhead console that may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from being unintentionally pressed. When pressed, the sunroof may fully close. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems." Risk If the switch is unintentionally pressed and the sunroof panel closes, there is an increased risk of occupant injury. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software upgrade that disables the auto-close function, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552 or by visiting http://Volvo.custhelp.com. Volvo's number for this recall is R89702.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V268000 reported May 4, 2016 Volvo Car USA LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

3,911 vehicles 97% reported repaired built Jan 27, 2015 – Jul 10, 2015

Problem Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to July 10, 2015. The third row seating side curtain air bags may not fully inflate. Risk Underinflated air bags may not fully protect third row occupants, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will modify the D-pillar interior panels to allow full inflation of the third row airbags, free of charge. The recall began on September 21, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo Customer Care at 1-800-458-1552.

NHTSA campaign 15V497000 reported Aug 6, 2015 Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

R89571

584 vehicles 93% reported repaired built Jan 27, 2015 – May 19, 2015

Problem Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to May 19, 2015. The affected vehicles have front seats whose wiring harness for the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) may have been routed incorrectly. Risk If the wiring harness is routed incorrectly, the wiring may be damaged, disabling the front seat side impact air bag, and increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front seat side impact air bag. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the routing of the SIPS wiring, correcting the routing and installing a protective sleeve as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89571.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 15V342000 reported Jun 3, 2015 Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These 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 XC90

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 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.

NHTSA VIN check →Volvo’s own VIN lookup →

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 2016 Volvo XC90, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

198complaints filed

5 involved a crash · 11 a fire · 8 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2015: 5 · 2016: 24 · 2017: 14 · 2018: 8 · 2019: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2022: 26 · 2023: 25 · 2024: 33 · 2025: 13 · 2026: 13

Most-cited components

Engine → 89

Electrical System → 57

Unspecified 37

Structure 23

Service Brakes 14

Fuel/Propulsion System 13

In depth: engine problems → · electrical problems →

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.

At least three times now the automatic braking system has applied without any object or vehicle in front. Once was on the i95 at 65mph going under a bridge the brake suddenly applied causing the car to dip and passengers to be shaken, then it continued as normal.

Service Brakes at 13,000 miles Oct 31, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10920412

When parked in a school car park in nj in a rainstorm the tailgate opened on its own when an electrical storm was on. I was sitting in the car at the tie sheltering from the rain. I closed the door from the inside and locked the car. The tailgate opened again.

Structure at 12,000 miles Oct 31, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10920415

Owned this new 2016 xc 90 t8 for about 30 days. Charged car overnight as usual. Drove it about 3 miles the next morning and suddenly car speed slowed dramatically to about 10 MPH and a "car will not restart, drive to nearest dealership" unfortunately, I was not in the position to do so, so I pulled into a strip mall to safely park the…

Engine at 4,000 miles Oct 25, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10918891

The touch screen, which controls both basic and complex functions of the car, is so distracting to use that until saturday it was an accident waiting to happen. On saturday that accident did happen. The problem is that the touch screen is needed to control basic and frequent functions such as climate control and the radio.

Electrical System at 6,000 miles Oct 24, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10918676

I updated the maps in the car's navigation system on 8/3/2016. At that time, volvo's server in sweden were down. They had been down for days. Next morning, when I started driving to work, I noticed that the sensus system started rebooting every couple of minutes.

Exterior Lighting at 4,000 miles Aug 8, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10894039

2016 Volvo Xc90 windshield crack I found my windshield cracked right around the rear lip-end of the hood above the wiper resting position, then cutting up at about the center of the windshield, thereby making an "l" shaped crack measuring apprx 22 inches by 8 inches.

Visibility/Wiper at 7,200 miles May 12, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10864698

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: 10 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 10 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every XC90 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 24k

miles, typically

Half the 87 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 6,000 and 62,000 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.

under 10k 28

10k–20k 13

20k–30k 8

30k–40k 5

40k–50k 5

50k–60k 4

60k–70k 4

70k–80k 3

80k–90k 6

90k–100k 2

100k–150k 7

150k + 2

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Electrical System	37	11,000	0.24×
Engine	34	24,000	0.39×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: electrical system (0.24×), engine (0.39×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

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 NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	18%
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	18%
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	not rated	★★★★★	★★★★★	not rated	—
SUV FWD	not rated	★★★★★	★★★★★	not rated	—

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,350

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-06-10

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1340 service bulletins, 6 others, 4 service campaigns

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility, Service Brakes.

32010.3.0 Service bulletin
2026-06-10 · Unknown Or Other
This is a Technical Journal: Plus 2 attachments 1- TJI-497587-1 and 1 MP4 Speaker Grill -It may be possible for the rear door lock switch to get stuck in the speaker grille. This can lead to a drained battery. Applies only for cars with Premium or High Performance stereo. Service: Check for/remove edges in the hole for the button in the speaker grille. Follow attached method "TJ 32010.pdf" or the
33031.6.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-23 · 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
37545.4.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-20 · Unknown Or Other
This is a TJ no attachments - If customer complains of creaking or squeaking noise coming from the door stop when opening/closing the door, follow advice under "Service". Before replacing any parts, follow the instruction below.
37545.4.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-07 · Unknown Or Other
This is a TJ no attachments - If customer complains of creaking or squeaking noise coming from the door stop when opening/closing the door, follow advice under "Service". Before replacing any parts, follow the instruction below.
36496.10.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-07 · 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 bulletin
2026-05-07 · 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 bulletin
2026-05-07 · 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 bulletin
2026-05-06 · Structure — Body
This is a Technical Journal: Panoramic sunroof, sealing strip has a gap

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.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P05EB	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 3.7%

failed emissions

1,061 initial inspections of 1,026 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 XC90	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	3.7%	4.2%	1,058
Failed the safety inspection	1.2%	2.2%	1,061
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.19%	0.27%	1,061
Miles driven a year	10,742	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	110,304	103,109	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 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 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).

XC90 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 0 25 mpg 2026 B 1 8 27 mpg 2025 C 3 29 27 mpg 2024 C 4 37 27 mpg 2023 D 7 41 27 mpg 2022 F 5 30 27 mpg 2021 F 7 42 27 mpg 2020 F 9 34 27 mpg 2019 D 6 42 25 mpg 2018 B 3 51 27 mpg 2017 D 7 81 25 mpg 2016 this page F 8 198 25 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 XC90

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Volvo XC90 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 8 recall campaigns for the 2016 Volvo XC90, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 19V308000, covering Engine And Engine Cooling. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Volvo XC90?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Volvo XC90 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it F (55/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Volvo XC90?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Volvo XC90, the best EPA combined figure is 25 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 2016 Volvo XC90?

Transport Canada measured it at 194.9 in long, 79.1 in wide (body, without mirrors), 70.1 in tall, on a 117.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 6,063 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Volvo XC90?

Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Volvo XC90, most often about engine, electrical system, unspecified. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 11 a fire, 8 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 2016 Volvo XC90?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Volvo XC90 runs 5 to 9 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 — Bin 3, Bin 5, California LEV-III SULEV30/PZEV, LEV-III ULEV125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Volvo XC90?

The manufacturer has filed 1350 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Volvo XC90, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-06-10. 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 2016 Volvo XC90 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Volvo XC90 failed the emissions check on 3.7% of first inspections — close to the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.2% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). 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	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	8	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	198	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	5 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	1350	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	9 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.

JSON for this page · API

2016 Volvo XC90

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (8)

Seat Belts

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Seat Belts

Air Bags

Visibility

Air Bags

Air Bags

NHTSA defect investigations

Whether any of this applies to one specific XC90

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2016 Volvo XC90

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

When owners reported it

miles, typically

Median mileage by component

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

XC90 by model year

Common questions about the 2016 XC90

Does the 2016 Volvo XC90 have any recalls?

How safe is the 2016 Volvo XC90?

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Volvo XC90?

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Volvo XC90?

What do owners complain about on the 2016 Volvo XC90?

How clean is the 2016 Volvo XC90?

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Volvo XC90?

How does the 2016 Volvo XC90 do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method