BMW X5 vs Volvo XC40

Which used car has the cleaner record?

We line up what owners actually reported to NHTSA — complaints and recall campaigns — for both cars, so you can compare their paper trail before you buy.

Last updated: June 28, 2026

Side by side	X5	XC40
Body type	SUV	SUV
Years sampled	2016, 2020, 2024	2020, 2024
Owner complaints	316	14fewer
Recall campaigns	24	5fewer
NHTSA investigations	5	0fewer
Overall safety (NHTSA, US)	4/5	n/a
Combined economy (EPA, US)	15.7 L/100km	9 L/100km

Body type

X5: SUV
XC40: SUV

Years sampled

X5: 2016, 2020, 2024
XC40: 2020, 2024

Owner complaints

X5: 316
XC40: 14fewer

Recall campaigns

X5: 24
XC40: 5fewer

NHTSA investigations

X5: 5
XC40: 0fewer

Overall safety (NHTSA, US)

X5: 4/5
XC40: n/a

Combined economy (EPA, US)

X5: 15.7 L/100km
XC40: 9 L/100km

The quick read

Over the sampled model years, the BMW X5 has 316 complaints and 24 recalls, and the Volvo XC40 has 14 complaints and 5 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.

Check a X5 VIN Check a XC40 VIN

NHTSA (US) owner-complaint and recall counts over recent model years. A reliability signal, not a check of any one car. Always run the VIN.