Best used Volvos

The Volvo XC40 mixes style, space and comfort with cutting-edge safety.

It's a highly desirable used choice, a car that oozes style both inside and out. It's a smooth and hushed performer, too, with a low level of wind and road noise, helping to make the interior a noticeably refined place in which to spend time.

When it comes to interior quality, the XC40 is exceptionally classy. All the surfaces feel suitably upmarket, thanks to plush, soft-faced materials, and everything feels robust, too.

So, the XC40 might not be the youngest car here, but it's still a mightily good one. It's reliable, too, if its results in our latest reliability survey are anything to go by. Prices start at just £12,000 for an early one, but we'd spend more on one of the later models if you can afford to. Check out the full range of Volvo XC40s on our used car classifieds site here. 

"For a family SUV, I thought the XC40 felt like it had quite a low centre of gravity, helping it corner well but without the need for super stiff, ride-damaging suspension to control its body movements." – George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2022 Volvo XC40 T3 Momentum, 31,100 miles, £18,950

Read our used Volvo XC40 review

Search for a used Volvo XC40 for sale

 

The Volvo XC90 is a luxury SUV that combines everyday practicality with top-tier safety tech and a very luxurious interior.

It's comfortable, too, and spacious, with plenty of room for seven. It doesn’t matter all that much which trim you go for, because all of them are very well equipped.

We would recommend going for one of the D5 or B5 diesels, though; we've heard reports of poor reliability (and big repair bills) on early T8 plug-in hybrid cars. That's one of the reasons it finishes at the bottom of our list rather than up at the top. 

The XC90 has been on sale for many years now, and, although its residual values have always been strong, there are now some cheap cars to be had, with used prices starting from less than £18,000. Check out the full list of XC90s for sale and plot prices against age on our used car classifieds site here. 

"If you love that Volvo feel, and I do, you'll love the XC90. It's like spending the afternoon driving round in the World of Leather showroom." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2019 Volvo XC90 D5 Momentum Pro, 51,000 miles, £28,063

Read our full used Volvo XC90 review

Search for a used Volvo XC90 for sale

 

The Volvo XC60 is a great used buy. It's classy inside, roomy and well-equipped. Its well-proportioned design oozes class inside and out.

There's a Scandinavian-style feel to its lovely interior that’s flooded with light and loaded with leather, which gives the car a terrific upmarket feel. The driving position is superb, thanks to plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel and the comfortable and supportive driver’s seat. 

There’s a good choice of engines and, on the optional air suspension, the ride is excellent. Reliability's good, too. 

You’re going to need around £14,000 to get into an XC60 of this generation. For that money, you’ll get a 2017/2018 car with 70,000-100,000+ miles on its clock. Spend around £16,000 on a good 2019/'20 model, rising to around £20,000 for 2022 cars. Spend over that on anything from 2023 onwards.

"What is so nice about the XC60 is that it embodies all the good things about Volvos and yet has a distinct character. I've had two long-term XC60s and loved them both." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Volvo XC60 D5 Momentum, 30,000 miles, £19,500

Read our full used Volvo XC60 review

Search for a used Volvo XC60 for sale

 

When it arrived in 2023, the Volvo EX30 brought with it a new generation of Volvo design and technology. The exterior and interior look almost space-age, while most of the car’s interior functions are operated via a new Google-based infotainment system. 

Beneath its minimalist skin, the EX30 is very closely related to the Smart #1, with the two cars sharing the same underpinnings and similar motor and battery options. It's really quick, too, this EX30, with plenty of punch. It pretty much hits the nail on the head when it comes to ride and handling, too.

The EX30’s interior is super minimalist. Material quality is very impressive, and there's a reasonable amount of space front and rear, considering its modest exterior dimensions. 

Prices for a used EX30 start from around £20,000, which will get you a 2024 Single Motor Plus car with low miles. Extended Range models won’t cost a whole lot more, with prices starting from £21,000, while Twin Performance models cost from £22,000. 

"I really like the design of the EX30's interior, but it's a shame that usability suffers as a result. Some physical buttons for the climate and mirror controls wouldn't go amiss, nor would a digital driver's display." – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

We found: 2023 Volvo EX30 single motor extended range Pure, 23,129 miles, £20,250 

Read our full used Volvo EX30 review

Search for a used Volvo EX30 for sale

The Volvo V40 family car is one of the Swedish firm's most popular models, according to the huge number of views its review gets on this website. Perhaps that's not surprising: the V40 offers all the traditional qualities we expect from a Volvo but at very reasonable second-hand prices.

It also shares a mechanical basis with the tried-and-tested 2011-2018 Ford Focus, yet it adds an extra layer of interior quality to make it feel more premium.

Sure, the V40 isn't the best in its class to drive, but that classy interior, as well as good levels of safety kit, means it has its strengths. 

The V40 didn't feature in our most recent reliability survey. However, in the last one it did feature in, it finished in sixth place out of the class of 37 family cars with a diesel engine and 20th place if it had a petrol engine.

High-mileage early Volvo V40s can be found for less than £3000, but it is better to budget for at least £4000: this gets you a 1.6-litre D2 SE manual with average mileage and a decent service history. Petrol-powered models with an average number of miles as a full-service history, meanwhile, start at around £6000.

"What can you say? It's a handsome family hatchback with a Volvo badge on it. No wonder it's so popular with What Car? online viewers." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Volvo V40 2.0 T2 R-Design Edition, 63,708 miles, £8500 

Read our full used Volvo V40 review

Search for a used Volvo V40 for sale

The Volvo V60 may look a bit petite next to the larger V90, but it's still plenty practical. It's bigger on the inside than rivals such as the Audi A4 Avant, for instance.

The V60 comes with a large range of sensibly sized 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines. The range kicks off with a 148bhp version, badged as the D3, while you can go for a more powerful 187bhp unit, designated D4.

For petrol lovers, there’s a lone 247bhp engine called T5, or two plug-in hybrid T8 models in standard 385bhp or 399bhp Polestar Engineered forms.

The V60 also has a generally comfy ride, secure handling and great interior quality. 

The Volvo V60 seems to have a mixed reliability record. In our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, it (along with its S60 saloon counterpart) ranked 20th out of 23 cars in the executive car class with a disappointing reliability rating of 85.5%.

Prices for the Volvo V60 start at around £10,000 for an early car with a high mileage, so it's best to spend between £10,000 and £12,000 or more for something with a more average number of miles from early 2019. Spend between £12,000 and £15,000 on a used 2020 or 2021 car, and around £15,000 to £20,000 on a 2022 or 2023 model. Spend over £20,000 on later cars from 2025 onwards.

Petrol examples are rarer and much more powerful than the diesels, which is reflected in the price; a T5 starts from around £11,000. Rarer still is the T8 plug-in hybrid, so you'll need to spend around £12,000 for one of those.

"My parents have had one of these for years and it's never given them any trouble. In fact, they love it." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Volvo V60 2.0 B3 MHEV Momentum, 45,153 miles, £18,000 

Read our full used Volvo V60 review

Search for a used Volvo V60 for sale

The Volvo XC40 Recharge and EX40 offer similar attributes to the regular petrol XC40. This means it has a smart, practical interior and strong safety credentials, but adds the performance and refinement of an electric car.

It’s an appealing package.  When the XC40 Recharge was launched in 2021, it was initially only available as a full-fat Twin model. It gets two electric motors (making it four-wheel drive) and 402bhp, which means 0-62mph takes a very un-Volvo 4.7sec. The official range is 274 miles. 

In 2022, a lesser-powered version arrived in the form of the front-wheel drive Single Motor car. It produces 228bhp and has an official range of 262 miles,

In 2023, Volvo updated the motors and batteries. The Twin model received new motors and a larger 82kWh battery, which gave it a range of 332 miles. Meanwhile, the Single Motor car had its motor switched from the front to the rear axle, making it rear-wheel drive. Its battery capacity remained the same, but improvements to the efficiency of the motor boosted its range to 295 miles.

In 2024, Volvo added a new Single Motor Extended Range version to the lineup (along with the EX40 name change). It gets a slight bump in power to 249bhp, while a 78kWh battery delivers an official range of 341 miles.

Prices for a used XC40 Recharge start from around £16,000, which will get you into a 2021 Twin model with high miles. Single Motor cars came along in 2022, but these don’t cost a whole lot more than Twin models, with prices starting from around £17,000 for low-mileage cars. For low-mileage Twin models, you can expect to pay upwards of £18,000.

For 2023 cars with upgraded motors and batteries, you can expect to pay north of £20,000 for Single Motor models and £22,000 for Twins. 

"I ran one as a long-termer and all the Volvo qualities were there. It's got a swish interior and drives pretty well." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge single motor, 37,000 miles, £17,500 

Read our full used Volvo XC40 Recharge review

Search for a used Volvo XC40 Recharge for sale

 

After years of producing good, solid and notably safe cars, Volvo decided a few years back to start injecting some much-needed style into its cars. Now, far from being known for its slab-sided and rather dreary estates, the Swedish firm is an exemplar of the cool Scandi-style school of thought.

This 2018-2023 Volvo S60 executive saloon added a much-needed dash of extra style and panache to its normally staid class, and it stands out even among such highbrow rivals as the Audi A4, the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes C-Class.

The S60 doesn't exactly trump any of those cars, but its level of luxury gives them a good run for their money, so it proves a worthy alternative to those usual suspects. 

The S60 finished in ninth place out of 25 cars in the executive car class in our most recent reliability survey. Volvo, as a manufacturer, ranked 15th in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey out of 30 brands.

Prices for the Volvo S60 start at £15,000 for an early car with a high mileage, so it's best to budget for a spend between £16,000 and £19,000 or more for something with a more average number of miles from late 2018 or early 2019. Spend between £18,000 and £24,000 on a used 2020 or 2021 car, £24,000 to £28,000 on 2022 and 2023 models.

"It's not everyone who looks for executive cars now, but if you do, you'll be impressed by this one." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2021 Volvo S60 2.0 B5 MHEV R-Design,  27,100 miles, £18,500 

Read our full used Volvo S60 review

Search for a used Volvo S60 for sale

If you're a Volvo purist, you're probably yelling "finally!" at your screen right now. The Volvo V90 is impressively spacious and practical (like Volvo estate cars of old) – for instance, we managed to fit eight carry-on-sized cases below each car's parcel shelf.

However, arguably unlike the brand's earlier estates, the V90 is a thoroughly stylish and luxurious machine. The Inscription trim is especially posh, thanks to its leather-wrapped dashboard, nappa leather seats and smart oak or ash wood veneers. 

There's a fly in the ointment, though - reliability. Our data suggests the Volvo V90 is below average for reliability. In our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, it ranked 22nd out of 23 cars in the executive car class. Its reliability score was 76.7%, placing it below all its rivals except the Mercedes C-Class.

Around a modest £12,000 is the entry point for the V90, this buys you a 2016 car with an average to high mileage for the year, with a full history, most probably privately.

Up your budget to between £14,000 and £16,000 and you should find plenty of 2017 and 2018 cars with an average mileage for the year and full history from an independent dealer. Up the dosh to between £16,000 and £18,000 and you'll have plenty of good 2019 full-history cars, all from Volvo dealers, with low mileages and with your choice of engines and trims. For 2020 examples or newer, expect to pay upwards of £20,000, with 2021 and 2022 cars from £22,000 and 2023 and 2024 from £25,000. 

"A huge Volvo estate, brilliant. The only letdown is the reliability. Otherwise it'd be on my list of favourite estate cars." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2020 Volvo V90 2.0h T6 Twin Engine 11.6kWh Inscription, 26,242 miles, £22,975 

Read our full used Volvo V90 review

Search for a used Volvo V90 for sale

The Volvo S90 is the V90's saloon sibling. This executive car has all the great qualities of the estate – interior space is vast, the ride is comfortable and the driving experience is refined. The difference is the boot is a bit smaller (and so is the price). 

The problem with the S90 is the same as the one for the V90 - reliability. Our data suggests the Volvo S90 is below average for reliability. In our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, it ranked 22nd out of 23 cars in the executive car class. Its reliability score was 76.7%, placing it below all its rivals except the Mercedes C-Class.

Around a modest £12,000 is the entry point for the S90, this buys you a 2016 car with an average to high mileage for the year, with a full history, most probably privately.

Up your budget to between £14,000 and £16,000 and you should find plenty of 2017 and 2018 cars with an average mileage for the year and full history from an independent dealer. Up the dosh to between £16,000 and £18,000 and you'll have plenty of good 2019 full-history cars, all from Volvo dealers, with low mileages and with your choice of engines and trims. For 2020 examples or newer, expect to pay upwards of £20,000, with 2021 and 2022 cars from £22,000 and 2023 and 2024 from £25,000.

"Phwoar, a huge and luxurious executive car with all the trimmings. Our long-term car didn't let us down, but it seems reliability generally is poor. Shame." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Volvo S90 2.0h T8 Twin Engine 11.6kWh Inscription, 26,186 miles, £23,499 

Read our full used Volvo S90 review

Search for a used Volvo S90 for sale

---

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here