MODELYEARINDEX

Which Volvo XC40 years to avoid

Across 3 scored model years, the 2021 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Volvo XC40 Full report
F
Grade 2019–2021
2021 vs model median 2.2×
Model median3× median
Driver Assist 16
Electrical 12
Fuel System 7
Avoid

2021

Best

2019 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2019
1.00× 22 C
2020
0.51× 13 B
2021
2.15× 65 F
2022 P
1.73× 46 D
2023 P
2.86× 62 F
2024 P
2.08× 45 F
2025 P
0.72× 20 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2019 C 22 reports · median 5,110 mi

  1. Driver Assist 3

    Pilot assist function disengages suddenly without warning. This is different from the expected operation where the system's steering assistance will go into standby upon losing lane marking inputs. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Engine 3

    Check engine emissions light keeps coming on; have had 3 service visits to dealer (resulting in same part being replaced twice, one or more software updates, one complete software reload) and now AM getting light on… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 3

    I was backing out of my driveway and my backup alarm failed to sound as well as my backup breaking system. The result was me backing up into a parked vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

5 crash · 3 injuries

2021 F 65 reports · median 5,250 mi

  1. Driver Assist 16

    The contact owns a 2021 volvo XC40. The contact stated that the vehicle was delivered to his residence by the local dealer. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 12

    I was given the car a a demo pending delivery and it stopped unexpectedly while driving nearly causing an accident. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Fuel System 7

    On october 12, 2021 the above described car had a catastrophic failure of the power system. All functions ceased and the car was dead towed on a flatbed truck. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

3 crash · 3 injuries

The best year for the XC40

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2020 is the best-scoring XC40 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.9 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2020 0.51× 13 B
2019 1.00× 22 C
2021 2.15× 65 F

Recalls

13 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
25V282000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2021–2025 413,151
25V908000 BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE 2021–2025 413,151
20V144000 FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING 2019, 2020 121,605
23V012000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 2023 27,457
21V682000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR 2021 19,149
18V800000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2019 17,548
24V010000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2024 17,409
25V392000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:ELECTRIC:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE 2024 11,469
21V109000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM):SOFTWARE 2021, 2022 2,278
23V188000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2023 393
18V554000 Park it SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES 2019 71
18V535000 SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY 2019 27

+ 1 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2021 were reported at a median of 5,250 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Volvo XC40 years should you avoid?
2021 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Volvo XC40 model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Volvo XC40?
2020 is the best-scoring Volvo XC40 model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.9 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Volvo XC40 have?
13 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Volvo XC40 model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2021 XC40
Complaints in window
65
Severity-weighted
91.5
Model median (weighted)
42
vs model median
2.15×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
5
Open investigations
0
Score 33.7 F