Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical and transmission. The 7 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/7 checked
2020 Volvo XC40: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2020's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2020 Volvo XC40. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 25–27 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Volvo XC40, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Water gets inside the car and knocks out electrical systems. Reports describe wipers, turn signals, and high beams failing together in a night rainstorm. Seat belts were also damaged in that case. Another car would not start, and the dealer blamed water entering through seals underneath. One owner traces the water to the panoramic moonroof draining onto the floor. Separately, the screens can go blank and the car loses power while driving, with the stability warning lit. The dealer linked that event to a control module and air bag fault that made the car think it had crashed. Repairs can be slow and costly, and warranty coverage has been refused.
Engine surging while the brake is held at a stop is the event described here, but the filings concern a 2024 model, not a 2020. Both entries cover the same January 2026 incident. The engine revved uncontrollably at a red light, overpowered the brakes, and pushed the car into an intersection, a clear crash risk. The second filing is mostly about the dealer and customer care not responding while the car sat at the shop. These 2 complaints say little about how the 2020 powertrain holds up.
Excerpts from complaints XC40 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
The electrical system on my car apparently failed, which rendered the car unable to start and drive. Park Place Volvo claims that there is water, that penetrated the seals, from underneath the car. Although there were no visible signs of water, Volvo claims that the rain caused this issue. Volvo has refused to honor a warranty for the alleged defective seals, and sent my car to its collision center.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2022
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 has the fewest owner complaints of the 5 XC40 years we cover, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2020 is the third model year of the XC40's first generation (2018–2024).
Volvo updated the XC40 for 2023, so a 2020 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2023 (not on a 2020)
Recall repairs are free at any Volvo dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.
Risk: If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the Active Safety Domain Master (ASDM) software, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29998.
Cars shoppers compare with the Volvo XC40, with their own 2020 checklists.
2020 owner complaints, side by side
