Reliability survey 2011.

[y2blade]

Volvo down below Rover

Volvo 23rd out of 35
Last year’s position 16th out of 32
Cars needing repair work 32%
Average repair cost £373
Best model S40 (’96-’04)
Worst model XC90 (’02-)

Volvo finds itself in uncharted waters this year, after a big rise in the number of breakdowns. Its best model is the S40 (’96-’04), which is proving more reliable than its successor, with RIs of 16 and 44 respectively. However, neither is able to make it into the top 10 small family cars. On the upside, there’s a relatively low percentage of engine and brake problems. Only one Volvo delivers a worse-than-average RI; the XC90 (’02-) scores a poor 201 and a 44% failure rate.

more here
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/reli...easured/258307





http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/reli...our-car/258307

[y2blade]

[tt82]

How the hell do both S40's (96-04) and (04-) come in the Small Hatchback class and not small family cars? Am I mistaken for thinkin the 'S' meant Saloon.

[Dean1985]

Originally Posted by tt82

How the hell do both S40's (96-04) and (04-) come in the Small Hatchback class and not small family cars? Am I mistaken for thinkin the 'S' meant Saloon.

Agree with you! even if the 'S' didnt mean saloon, it still is a saloon and defo not a hatchback.

[andy72]

because the term family cars now relates more to size than bodystyle or function

The S40 is based on the focus? so goes in the class that this is entered into.

While it initially seems bad news, looking the OP list, Volvo is amongst the champions of qulaity that are BMW, VW and Audi. All these cars get top marks from critics and having owned all three of them i can vouch for the quality of build.

I wouldnt worry too much about the results, they dont mean a lot. If you look on the lexus owners club site, the IS220D is riddled with issues and members avoid this car and choose the petrol instead!! yet lexus is near the top of rankings and ironically Toyota is at the top even though it had huge embrassament with recall issues last year!

[tt82]

Interesting that Volvo records the highest average mileage of all cars tested.

[961]

I find it amazing that in some sectors BMW comes below Peugeot. But not surprising that Land Rover still is totally locked on to last place

I'm coming to the conclusion that these surveys are something to bear in mind, but no more than that

Which? magazine has a car survey out this month which provides results which are by no means identical to What Car

Volvo? Perhaps living on its reputation. Will I buy another when my V50 is due to replace? Not quite sure I have to say. The price for quality is no longer justified if the quality is not quite there any more

Consider the spare wheel issue as an example. Saves the maker £100 and leaves the owner waiting for the breakdown truck on a winter night miles from anywhere

And all these electrical gizmos that go wrong and cost the earth. Who really wants them? The dealer loves them. The owner?? Urghh!

We bought my daughter a Hyundai. Cheap. Reliable. 5 year warranty. High mpg

Volvo? Living on borrowed time

[andy72]

Originally Posted by 961

We bought my daughter a Hyundai. Cheap. Reliable. 5 year warranty. High mpg

Volvo? Living on borrowed time

Must admit, as soon as i can justify/afford a Hyundai Santa fe, it will be my next car

[Rustee]

We've had three Hyundais in my family and reliability wise have never needed any warranty work. Good basic transport. We had a mk4 VW Golf GTI turbo from new and it had every extra possible as a company car, each one of the extras packed up within a year and went back for warranty work. After 60000 you could feel the VW was well on the way to being worn out.

[961]

Originally Posted by Rustee

We've had three Hyundais in my family and reliability wise have never needed any warranty work. Good basic transport. We had a mk4 VW Golf GTI turbo from new and it had every extra possible as a company car, each one of the extras packed up within a year and went back for warranty work. After 60000 you could feel the VW was well on the way to being worn out.

We have a family friend who has a Hyundai dealership. He used to sell Vauxhall but gave it up because of poor reliability/mega customer complaints and went to Hyundai about 10 years ago when they were quite new in UK.

Now a happy bunny except, he says, never any warranty work for the workshop. More sales staff but less mechanics!

Unfortunately he lives 300 miles away from us so don't do business any more. But local Hyundai dealer here does the business for daughter. However, car now 2 years old and quite simply NO warranty work