Toyota Highlander 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.
| Side by side | Highlander | XC40 |
|---|---|---|
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Years sampled | 2016, 2020, 2024 | 2020, 2024 |
| Owner complaints | 437 | 9fewer |
| Recall campaigns | 14 | 5fewer |
| NHTSA investigations | 5 | 0fewer |
| Overall safety (NHTSA, US) | 5/5 | n/a |
| Combined economy (EPA, US) | 9.4 L/100km | 9 L/100km |
The quick read
Over the sampled model years, the Toyota Highlander has 437 complaints and 14 recalls, and the Volvo XC40 has 9 complaints and 5 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.
Deeper analysis
Based on US NHTSA data, the Toyota Highlander accumulated 437 owner complaints and 14 recall campaigns across its 2016, 2020, and 2024 model years, while the Volvo XC40 recorded just 9 complaints and 5 recalls across its 2020 and 2024 model years. The XC40 shows notably fewer complaints, though it also covers fewer model years, which naturally limits the volume of data available. The Highlander's higher complaint and recall counts may partly reflect its greater sales volume and longer data window rather than poor reliability alone. As this is US-sourced data, treat it as a rough background signal rather than a definitive verdict for European buyers.
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.