Volvo XC60 Reliability Guide: Swedish Crossover Secrets

The second-generation Volvo XC60 is rightfully considered one of the most successful modern crossovers from the Swedish brand. Built on the modular SPA platform, this vehicle has even surpassed the flagship XC90 in terms of reliability. What makes the XC60 so special, and what should you pay attention to when choosing a used example?

History and Production Features

Just over two years passed between the market launch of the XC90 and XC60 models, but during this time, Volvo made colossal improvements and corrections. This is precisely why the XC60 earned the title of the most successful modern Swedish automobile.

Interesting fact: since mid-2019, dealers began receiving vehicles not only from Swedish assembly, but also from Chinese production. Contrary to widespread prejudices, the quality of Chinese assembly does not lag behind European production, and in some parameters even exceeds it. Volvo's official position is clear: there is no difference between factories, since the company's quality standards are identical everywhere.

Exterior and Body

The Volvo XC60 boasts solid metal construction with quality paint finish. Even chrome elements, where present, hold up well and don't lose their shine over time. The body is resistant to corrosion and minor damage.

The windshield deserves special attention - serious chips can become a bargaining point when purchasing. It's also worth carefully examining the LED headlights: heavily worn headlight covers may require replacement if polishing doesn't save the situation.

Volvo XC60's optical system is well-made but requires careful handling. Unfortunately, headlights sometimes become targets for criminals due to their high cost.

Interior and Build Quality

The XC60's cabin looks solid and is made from quality materials. However, there's one nuance - the leather in the cabin is quite delicate and requires regular care. To maintain it in perfect condition, it's recommended to periodically clean and treat it with special compounds. Volvo even released a special automotive chemistry kit for these purposes.

All modern Volvos received touchscreen media systems without oleophobic coating, so fingerprints on the glossy surface are inevitable. With careless owners, the screen can quickly become covered with scratches. This unfortunate oversight was only corrected in spring 2021, when the crossover underwent a facelift.

Media System and Electronics

The XC60's electrical systems behave quite properly, especially compared to the senior XC90, whose electronic components can periodically act up.

After the 2021 facelift, the media system switched platforms to the Android operating system, which has an interface familiar from smartphones. The ability to access all Google branded services appeared, and most importantly - there's now the possibility of over-the-air updates via internet.

Besides the updated media system, facelifted cars received new automatic transmission selectors and an expanded complex of active safety systems. Externally, the updated crossover can only be identified by its slightly revised bumper.

Engine Lineup

The XC60's engine range consists of inline two-liter four-cylinder units with exactly 2 liters displacement, which differ from each other in power output and fuel type. Swedish engineers created both gasoline and diesel versions in one cylinder block.

Gasoline modifications turned out somewhat more reliable, which is possibly why crossover versions running on 95-octane gasoline are found on the secondary market almost three times more often than diesel versions.

Gasoline Engine Features

The XC60 model was luckier than the flagship XC90 and S90. Before 2018, when the XC60 was just released, the Scandinavian brand managed to solve many minor problems, for example, eliminating chronic exhaust manifold gasket burnout and implementing more reliable intercooler hoses.

Gasoline engines have quite modest fuel appetite. Among regular maintenance concerns, only fuel injector cleaning every 60,000 km should be noted.

T6 Engine with Twin Charging

The gasoline T6 engine with twin charging deserves separate discussion. One supercharger here is purely mechanical - an Eaton compressor driven by a separate belt. A real clutch equipped with electric drive is installed between the pulley and shaft.

The supercharger works at low RPMs, and once the crankshaft spins up to 3,500 RPM, the clutch disengages and the classic turbine begins working. As a result, the modest four-cylinder engine characteristics more resemble a powerful six-cylinder.

However, the optimal choice remains the T5 version with 249 horsepower. Such a "sixty" is sufficiently quick and confidently accelerates to 100 km/h in 7 seconds, and most importantly - the base engine is significantly simpler than the twin-charged version.

Cooling System

All Volvo engines are intentionally made "hot," meaning quality cooling is extremely important for them. Over 50-60 thousand kilometers, the inter-radiator space manages to become overgrown with a dense layer of dirt, so every 2.5-3 years it's highly desirable to remove the radiator "sandwich" to clean the vents between them.

T8 Hybrid Version

In November 2019, Russian dealers opened order acceptance for T8 Twin Engine hybrid crossovers. Under the hood is installed a two-liter 320-horsepower gasoline engine that drives only the front wheels, while a separate electric motor with 87 horsepower output is located at the rear.

Peak power of such an installation exceeds 400 horsepower. In extreme mode, the vehicle can accelerate to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. Additionally, the twin-motor XC60 allows driving about 40 km on pure electricity.

Automatic Transmission

The non-alternative eight-speed automatic from Aisin Warner is a very successful solution. This is an extremely durable unit that's practically impossible to "kill" under normal operation. For long transmission service, it's sufficient to change oil every 60,000 km.

All-Wheel Drive System

The XC60's all-wheel drive system is implemented according to a typical crossover scheme. A fifth-generation Haldex coupling is used to connect the rear wheels, which lacks a separate oil filter. Every 40-60 thousand kilometers, this unit should be disassembled for dirt cleaning and transmission fluid renewal.

Other all-wheel drive transmission elements - front angular gearbox, cardan shaft universal joints, and rear axle gearbox - deserve the epithet "long-lasting." In this XC60 generation, there were no front-wheel drive modifications at all.

Suspension

Suspension schemes repeat the chassis of the large XC90 crossover. The front multi-link suspension turned out completely indestructible. Even the lower control arm, which is considered a relatively weak point, will surely last 150,000 km or even more.

In the rear suspension of base versions, composite leaf springs are used instead of coil springs - an unconventional but extremely reliable solution. The maximum that will need updating at high mileages are spring bushings and shock absorbers.

Air Suspension

In versions with air suspension, costs will be higher since air struts serve approximately 150-180 thousand kilometers. If the cost of new struts seems high, you can order rebuilding of old ones - several specialized companies now handle this.

Brake System

Brake pads last so long that engineers didn't even install wear sensors. For careful drivers, pads last 50,000 km or even more, for less careful drivers - at least 30,000 km. The rear pads usually wear out first.

The only drawback is poor wire harness placement that powers the parking brake servos in cars with air suspension. These harnesses can wear through, resulting in the handbrake locking the wheels and not releasing.

Conclusion

The Volvo XC60 truly turned out to be a "child" that surpassed its "parent" - the XC90 crossover. There are only two secrets to this phenomenon: first, the XC60 appeared later and managed to receive an improved set of components; second, lower weight means that suspension arms, transmission, and other components have an easier life here.

The XC60 is an example of how competent error correction and evolutionary technology development can lead to creating an exceptionally successful automobile. With proper selection and maintenance, this crossover can delight its owner for many years with reliability, comfort, and the prestige of the Swedish brand.

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