More info:
I recently went thru the same analysis before purchasing a 2015 XC70 T6 at the start of 2025. I have basic mechanic skills and access to a lift. I currently own 8 vehicles: Toyotas, Fords, GM, Dodge, and Volvo from 1998 thru 2015. There are certain vehicles (Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Kia) that I will not own based on my knowledge and their reputation for bad designs and expensive/difficult repairs. I also refuse to buy anything much newer than 2015 due to my perception of poor quality, cheap parts, the imbalance of helpful versus bloatware technology and difficulty to repair and maintain. With that in mind:
As a brand, the only Volvo I would consider is the XC70 for the uniqueness of being one of the best or the best station wagon available. They are higher cost and higher maintenance costs over Toyotas, Lexus, GMs, Fords, etc. The ONLY reason I’d consider a Volvo is for the wagon. If I wanted a sedan or SUV I’d look elsewhere.
I researched heavily the XC70 and found the T6 to be the more desirable engine among all offerings. The 3.2L seems to have the same overall reliability and consumption issues but feedback seems to be that it is more anemic than the T6. If you don’t care about spirited driving then a 3.2L might be slightly less expensive to buy and maintain. I prefer the instant power of the T6. The AWB is appealing for where I live, similar to SLC climate/terrain. I went in knowing I was going to pay a Volvo premium for the vehicle, and maintenance will be more difficult and expensive (but I don’t think Audi/BMW/Mercedes level). I paid about $10,500 for mine, which is a 2015 T6 that had about 135k miles on the car, and a replaced engine in 2018 under warranted for – you guessed it – oil consumption. Now has about 70k miles on engine. Records show that the oil was changed on recommended 10k miles service intervals. But those intervals seem excessive. My advice, since this is a premium turbocharged engine with known ring issues, is to check the oil often and service much earlier, like 3-5k miles or 6-12 months intervals. Any new acquisition should go thru 1 or several iterations of Valvoline R&P 5w30 to clean it, and then switch to 0w40 oils for far better lubrication over the 5w30 recommended. This is confirmed by A.I. Grok and many T6 owners on forums. Frequent oil changes far sooner than the Volvo recommended will stave off damage from “neglect.”
I chose my XC70 for mainly reliable, safe, comfortable, affordable, cross country traveling with dogs and cargo, road trips, mountain and snow type driving.
Mechanical: The XC70 T6 is a generally a well made and thoughtfully engineered car. The engine is fantastic generally speaking. Very potent, quick, and fast. The 300hp/325 torque is quick, responsive, and fast. I have watched many service videos and done a lot of service on it myself and it’s actually not too challenging. I’ve changed all fluids, oil, ATF, gearboxes x3, etc. I’ve replaced the PCV (a frequent issue on these cars). I’m doing spark plugs soon. All not too challenging for a DIY mechanic. Just do all the stage-0 reset fluids, rubber parts, bulbs, spark plugs, etc. necessary to get it up to date.
Comfort: Probably the best in my 8-vehicle fleet. Seats are incredible, high quality. Everything is intelligently laid out and ergonomic. I have not yet found anything that is annoying or foolishly placed. The design quality feels top shelf and not cheap. Ride quality is impressive, very well planted. I’ve thus far driven in all seasons, weather, snow, hard rain, mountains, highways, etc. and it’s an impressive vehicle. I highly recommend the Michelin CrossClimate tires for an SLC type region. I’ve taken several long many hundred mile drives in it and not suffered any driving fatigue given the high comfort and ergonomic layout.
Safety: Volvo’s safety is 2nd to none. I’ve seen many videos of extreme car accidents where the Volvo passengers fared far better than expected, including head-on collisions with large commercial trucks, T-bone accidents, etc. If I had to get into a bad accident I’d chose to be in a Volvo. The lower profile and wider wheel base offers better safety for rollovers vs SUVs.
Affordability: You can get a well-maintained 10-15 year old XC70 for around $7-$15k. Maintenance isn’t going to likely break the bank, but will be a bit more than Toyota and domestic vehicles. MPGs are very reasonable at about 25mpg on the highways. I’d focus on the best rust free XC70 with the best service records available in your price range.
Cargo. For my needs, dogs, luggage, etc. and with a luggage rack for gear, the car offers an ideal amount of cargo space. Can also install a trailer hitch for small light towing or a bike rack, added cargo carrier, etc.
Longevity/durability: Mine is 10 years old and 130k miles on the vehicle (70k on engine), and has held up extremely well minus small signs of wear. Mine has black leather, which seems to hold up better than the tan leather. Rust free, damage free, nothing major is broken or missing except some plastic trim pieces I’ve replaced or need replacing. I would reasonably expect this car design and build quality would last 30 or 40 years and 300k – 400k miles lifespan, assuming well loved and maintained, no major neglect or accidents. (I routinely see early 2000s models with 200k miles for sale in relatively good condition with another decade and 100k life remaining, as a metric for my assessment. Those are now 20-25 years old with 200k miles and still going strong.)
Having owned for 6 months driven around 2k miles now, researched heavily before purchasing, I’m extremely happy with mine. My first experience was a 300 mile drive home thru heavy highway fast traffic, driving rain, a snowy mountain pass, etc. and the car was perfect and comfortable. I recently had family visit and took them around 300 miles to many different scenic areas and sight seeing and had family and my dogs with me and the car performed wonderfully, as expected. For my needs and intended purpose it’s an excellent investment and vehicle.
Good luck with your search.