2023 Volvo XC60 Safety and Reliability

The Swedes are big on safety, and even more so since Volvo's aims in the industry relate mostly to minimizing injuries and fatalities on the road. Volvo proves its dedication to this cause with a near-perfect five-star safety review for the XC60, courtesy of the NHTSA. Only the roll-over crash test returned a lower four-star rating. The IIHS also sings the SUV's praises, awarding it top ratings of Good in every category, as well as a Top Safety Pick+ title for both mild-hybrid and PHEV 2022 models.

In terms of safety features, the Volvo XC60 is well equipped. The basics are a given, like ABS, EBD, traction and stability control, and seven airbags. However, it also gets forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, rear parking sensors, automatic reverse braking, oncoming lane mitigation, rain-sensing wipers, road-sign information, hill-start assist, and automatic LED headlights with auto high beams. The Plus adds adaptive cruise control with stop & go and a surround-view camera. The Ultimate and T8 Polestar Engineered get a standard head-up display.

Despite earning praise in many different areas, the reliability of the Volvo XC60 is nothing special. In fact, it's a bit on the low side, according to J.D. Power's rating of 62 out of 100 for quality and reliability. Still, only two recalls (so far) for 2023 are a good sign. These are for a possible loss of driver power when the high-voltage battery is depleted and for a diagnostics error that may cause the loss of the ABS and ESC functions. The 2022 XC60 was also recalled for the high-voltage battery problem, as well as for a malfunction in the seat belt locking retractor and for a possible steering-wheel lockup.

Every 2023 Volvo XC60 warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles. The powertrain is covered for the same period, but hybrid components enjoy twice as much time and mileage. Volvo also gives owners three years/36,000 miles of scheduled maintenance.