2016 Volvo XC70 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2016 Volvo XC70 has 7 complaints with NHTSA after 11 years, or 1 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 5 XC70 years on this site. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Front and Fuses and circuit breakers.

2012 Volvo XC70 — Photo by AutoLab, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 3.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (2 of 7), then Electrical system (1) and Powertrain (1).

Next to 2015

The 2015 XC70 has 6 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 Volvo XC70. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall seat belts, front 2020-06-30 · NHTSA campaign 20V378000

Summary Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2008-2016 V70 and XC70, 2007-2016 S80, 2011-2018 S60 and V60, 2016-2018 S60 Cross Country, 2014-2020 S60L, 2009-2015 S80L, 2009-2016 XC60 and 2015-2018 V60 Cross Country vehicles. The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing the seat belt to not secure the occupant in the event of a crash.

Remedy Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt anchor cable for both front seats. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10029.

Recall electrical system, wiring, fuses and circuit breakers 2015-09-02 · NHTSA campaign 15V555000

Summary Volvo Cars of North America, LLC. (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo S60, V60, V60CC, XC60, XC70, and S80 vehicles manufactured April 8, 2015 to August 19, 2015. In certain driving conditions when using the automatic engine stop/start function, the starter motor fuse may blow, preventing the car from restarting when necessary.

Remedy Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing starter motor fuse with a higher amperage fuse, free of charge. The recall began on October 26, 2015. 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 R39574.

Complaints by component (7 total)

Engine

Electrical system

Powertrain

Seat belts

Visibility and wipers

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The seatbelts on the front driver and passenger side have failed to release when trying to unbuckle. This is a hazard. If there was a moment where it's imperative to leave the car (fire, water, etc) Driver and passenger…"
Seat belts · filed 2024-01-24
"VOLVO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO A DEFECTIVE ENGINE."
Engine · filed 2023-04-12
"We have experienced three major defects with this vehicle. First and most concerning is the intermittent blackout of the driver's instrument panel (aka driver's information module, DIM). Second most conerning is the…"
Electrical system · filed 2023-02-27
"Car stalled at an intersection twice. We took it to a repair shop after the first instance and they told us the battery had died, though they were able to charge it and it restarted fine. They could not find any other…"
Engine · filed 2021-10-06
"THE BACKUP CAMERA IS MALFUNCTIONING NOW BECAUSE THE VIEW FIELD IS PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY THE VEHICLE BODY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE'RE SOME OTHER CARS (INCLUDING SOME NEW CARS AT DEALER) HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I VISITED THE…"
Visibility and wipers · filed 2018-10-15

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2016 Volvo XC70 SW AWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated
2016 Volvo XC70 SW FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
XC70 all-wheel drive	2.5L, 5-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	19	26	21 MPG	$3100
XC70 front-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Front-wheel drive	23	30	26 MPG	$2500

Specs and fitment

Third generation (P3), 2012–2016

Body styles Wagon

Oil 0W-30 or 5W-30 (engine-dependent) , 7.2 qt capacity

Tire size 235/55R17, 235/50R18, 235/45R19 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-378 covers certain 2008-2016 XC70 vehicles (shared with other Volvo models): the front seat-belt anchor cable can fail, leaving an occupant less secured in a crash; dealers replace the cable for both front seats. Recall 12V-075 covers certain 2012 XC70 (and S60/XC60/S80) built May–October 2011 where the under-seat wire harness may not be secured, risking improper air-bag or belt pretensioner function; dealers inspect and secure the harness. Recall 13V-377 covers certain 2014 XC70 with keyless ignition where CEM software can affect headlamps or turn signals; dealers upgrade CEM software.

Compare

Previous year 2015 Volvo XC70 See every Volvo XC70 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Volvo XC70 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2016 Volvo XC70?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (2 of 7), then Electrical system (1) and Powertrain (1).

Is the 2016 Volvo XC70 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 XC70 has 6 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

Has the 2016 Volvo XC70 been recalled?

The 2016 Volvo XC70 has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Volvo XC70?

Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 2016 Volvo XC70 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Volvo XC70 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 Volvo XC70 is 23.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US Volvo XC70 use?

0W-30 or 5W-30 (engine-dependent) With filter, about 7.2 qt is commonly listed for this generation—confirm in the owner manual.

What tire sizes fit a US Volvo XC70?

Published US specs commonly list front 235/55R17, 235/50R18, 235/45R19 (trim-dependent) and rear 235/55R17, 235/50R18, 235/45R19 (trim-dependent); confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US Volvo XC70?