[Walkabout]

Worst predicted reliability.....wtf that's just a speculation category.

CONsBoomers Reports is a sham.

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Its speculation in the sense that's it's a statistical model tested over a thirty year period with data obtained from hundred of thousands of subscribers.

I emailed CR's stats people a few years back. They actually had evidence correlating their data with warranty claims.

CR's data are rock solid and the only people down on it are those that don't like the findings.

I'm still planning to lease another volvo (love mine) but I don't need to deny reality. I just accept that every vehicle had downsides and volvo is not a particularly reliable make.

 

[SVO]

To be objectively critical of CR data you have to identify what source you are comparing it to. AFAIK there were a couple of smaller attempts in this field that had a tiny fraction fo CRs data and are now bust. (Also, CR simply does not report on makes and models where they lack sufficient data- likely the reason Land Rover is not there).

But cheer up, there is good reason to pay less attention to such: Even factoring in the complexity level of late model vehicles, they are overall more reliable than decades ago and the variability among models & mfgs is less also. So buying a Jag or Alfa is lot less nuts than it used to be and Toyota and Honda (especially Honda of late) do not provide the incremental comfort they once did. If reliability is everything for you, look at the Koreans with 100k powertrain warranties and mostly high reliability (They are the Japanese cars, 40-years hence).

So do pay attention to specific engineering design blunders on models, but generally I say buy what you want to drive.

 

[Island_V70]

Besides for that, Volvo seems to be doing really nice deals on CPO extensions, so a clever buyer should have a long time under warranty.

 

[efenili]

I think reliability should only include mechanical. I don't care nearly as much about ratings with regards to the infotainment system or speakers in the car etc.

I want to know how well the drivetrain will last, how the brakes do overtime, how the engines function etc. Maybe the sunroof which I know Volvo has had issues with would be in there too. But things like that....not how often the infotainment system might slow down or crash or whatever. That's important but should be a footnote

Anyways, I knew buying a European car what I was getting into. Why I opted for an extended warranty. That said - I have never really trusted the reliability rating reports....they didn't seem like a very good method.

 

[VxF]

Well, I had my 2017 T8 in the shop for 40+ days for a failed software update... so no, I don't think it should only be about mechanical issues. If a software update can render your car inoperable for over a month... that is relevant.

Now, I will agree that is not necessarily a manufacturing issue - I suppose for a Volvo dealership to brick a motherboard takes a substantial amount of incompetence. Then again, I am no engineer. But it is "reliability."

 

[efenili]

I would consider software essential to the function of the car "mechanical" in the sense that the car won't run. I only mentioned the infotainment system and speakers in my post and I thought the way I wrote it made it clear I only was talking about trivial software

 

[Thommykent]

What`s funny is, if CR had rated XC90`s at the top of the list. Eveyone who is criticzing CR now would be expousing how great it is.

 

[badcyclist]

Maybe, but that's not the full story. CR has a long record of rating great cars badly. Start with my first VW Bug, through my Honda Del Sol, Toyota Tacoma, and on to Volvo. VW Bug: rock solid reliability and a legendary car, but they absolutely hated it throughout its entire production run. My Del Sol was the perfect sporty commuter car (35mpg!) and flawless reliability (except some weatherstripping problems), and they hated it. My Tacoma was absolutely bullet-proof, and they hated it. I don't hate CR, and in other areas their reviews can be very useful. But since the 1970's I learned to always take their car reviews with a huge grain of salt. They have biases, and even as they deny it they stick with them and ding cars for eccentric and often opaque reasons.

 

[Walkabout]

CR's reliability data are the best in the industry and rock solid (as far as it gets). They've been collecting that data for roughly 40 years and have refined their statistical models with hundreds of thousands of responses. The main problem with CR, IMO, is that modern cars are largely very reliable (especially in the first five years of ownership). So, a car that is unreliable RELATIVE to competition can still be very reliable overall. In any case, I think their findings are probably bang on with regard to Volvo but are also biased by a few issues (like the evaporator pipe issues). I'll continue to subscribe to, and trust, CR. I'll also continue to drive (and love) my XC60. I'm going to lease another next year.

 

[Bigote Joyride]

XC90 and XC60 ratings from Consumer reports aren`t great unfortunately

It’s crazy because this video was recommended to me by YouTube a few days ago and the picture that was used in the video thumbnail is mine, it was our car that we bought through OSD. That car has since been replaced and our current XC90 MY16 is still running fine with 82k on the odometer and we haven’t had any mechanical issues with it. Electronic-wise, now that’s a different story. There’s always something and I’m sure it has been posted here somewhere by other owners. However, it’s like a PC or even a Mac that will always have bugs and software issues no matter what. I am happy with it, I’ve accepted it as part of owning a rolling computer and as long as that thing is running "smooth", I will keep it and would buy another Volvo to replace it in due time. Also, my experience with Consumer Reports has been hit-or-miss, but I wouldn’t dismiss them just because.

 

[White3]

I used to subscribe to CR, and filled out a car questionnaire every year. I remember when I first got a Mini Cooper, I liked it so much that I gave it better ratings than it deserved. It was a 2010 and the best use for it’s engine turned out to be a boat anchor. As it became more unreliable with age I stopped filling out the questionnaires. Just saying-take everything with “a grain of salt “ as the saying goes.

 

[maggs]

IMO, if it could be obtained, the best source for reliability data would be the companies that sell service contracts. With a fair amount of certainty, they can forecast potential repair needs to price their products accordingly.

In my case, my VIP, platinum 10 year/100k/zero deductible, cost around $3100 at time of purchase for my new car with 10 miles on it. Assuming a 50% gross profit margin, my assumption is the service contract company may anticipate around $1500 in charges in the car's first 10 years. I can only guess what the same contract might cost for a Range Rover, if it were even available.

 

[Island_V70]

I would consider software essential to the function of the car "mechanical" in the sense that the car won't run. I only mentioned the infotainment system and speakers in my post and I thought the way I wrote it made it clear I only was talking about trivial software

Note that on my 2005 Volvo, a dead radio is just that, on my 2016 the car would basically be unusable with a dead "radio" so much of the cars functionality is part of the infotainment system.

 

[Ultrarunner511]

IMO, if it could be obtained, the best source for reliability data would be the companies that sell service contracts. With a fair amount of certainty, they can forecast potential repair needs to price their products accordingly.

In my case, my VIP, platinum 10 year/100k/zero deductible, cost around $3100 at time of purchase for my new car with 10 miles on it. Assuming a 50% gross profit margin, my assumption is the service contract company may anticipate around $1500 in charges in the car's first 10 years. I can only guess what the same contract might cost for a Range Rover, if it were even available.

Our AC not working in the 2017 paid for itself under the VIP warranty. The evaporator, then the AC compressor. That alone will put you pretty much even. Our new long block engine? $16k after all the diagnoses and replacement.

The car has never failed to start or get us to where we were going. But the stuff we have experienced (on the 2017, the 2020, and now the 2021) agree with CR.

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[goober]

I wish the mirror thing was user error, but even the dealership couldn't figure that one out. Plus, our dealer where we purchased the car had banged into our heads how to save profiles--including key placement, locking/unlocking settings, etc. I tried many, many times and it wouldn't take. We're pretty much experts in that area nowadays.

I'd taken the car in for regular service and showed them. They tried it and it wouldn't take. It wasn't the automatic down-angling feature either. They said that maybe the software update would fix it. It didn't. So we just live with it. Only takes a few seconds to readjust.

 

[VolvoFaRmeR]

Note that on my 2005 Volvo, a dead radio is just that, on my 2016 the car would basically be unusable with a dead "radio" so much of the cars functionality is part of the infotainment system.

Not really true. The car has a very separate radio controller, so sensus remains active. In case of a blank screen often voice controls still work. The actual failure of the screen is about zero, so I’m sure this really doesn’t play into long term reliability. In fact it actually adds to being able to co tell the car in certain failures whenna car without A screen would be helpless. I kind of compare it to a flip phone and a smart phone. Sure the Flip phone doesn’t have a big screen to break however he can’t do half of what a smart phone does. It seems longevity longevity of displays has proven to be very high

 

[Island_V70]

Not really true. The car has a very separate radio controller, so sensus remains active. In case of a blank screen often voice controls still work. The actual failure of the screen is about zero, so I’m sure this really doesn’t play into long term reliability. In fact it actually adds to being able to co tell the car in certain failures whenna car without A screen would be helpless. I kind of compare it to a flip phone and a smart phone. Sure the Flip phone doesn’t have a big screen to break however he can’t do half of what a smart phone does. It seems longevity longevity of displays has proven to be very high

That is good to hear.

 

[Ultrarunner511]

Not really true. The car has a very separate radio controller, so sensus remains active. In case of a blank screen often voice controls still work. The actual failure of the screen is about zero, so I’m sure this really doesn’t play into long term reliability. In fact it actually adds to being able to co tell the car in certain failures whenna car without A screen would be helpless. I kind of compare it to a flip phone and a smart phone. Sure the Flip phone doesn’t have a big screen to break however he can’t do half of what a smart phone does. It seems longevity longevity of displays has proven to be very high

Our 2017's screen has never frozen, shut down, and/or rebooted. Can't say the same about the iPhones my wife has had lol. (6s, 8, and 11 Pro)

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[goober]

They were mostly one-off issues for us. Although, the screen-blanking while driving happened a couple of times to my wife. Freaked her out the first time. The mirror adjustment issue is ongoing

 

[efenili]

I feel like folks took my comment about infotainment to the extreme. The spirit of my post was mostly if the fm radio in sensus goes wonky or navigation doesn't load or you know....not essential to driving things....then I don't care as much about them in a reliability report.

Obviously if you can't drive the car because of software then that should be noted