Volvo V50
2005 – 2020 · RDW type M
In short
At 13–15 years (mostly built 2010–2013) 10.5% of 5,765 inspected Volvo V50s had at least one A-problem at the APK, against 10.6% for all cars of the same age. Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 6% less often on this model than on average (rank 194 of 328 in the ranking). Most often it concerns springs and shock absorbers, brakes and control arms / ball joints — springs and shock absorbers occurs 2.0× as often as on comparable cars.
Cite these figures
CarXray.nl (2026). Volvo V50 — APK defects by age. Based on RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. https://carxray.nl/en/modellen/volvo/v50/
A-problems
10.5%
n = 5,765 · 95% CI 9.8 – 11.3%
National, same age
10.6%
n = 1,277,358 · 95% CI 10.6 – 10.7%
Defects at the APK by age
- Volvo V50
- National, same age
- 95% confidence interval
| Age | Built (approx.) | n | A-problems | 95% CI | All defects | National A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 years | 2021–2023 | — | insufficient | 1.3% | ||
| 5 – 6 years | 2019–2021 | — | insufficient | 1.9% | ||
| 7 – 8 years | 2017–2019 | — | insufficient | 3.1% | ||
| 9 – 10 years | 2015–2017 | — | insufficient | 4.7% | ||
| 11 – 12 years | 2013–2015 | 4 | insufficient | 7.2% | ||
| 13 – 15 years | 2010–2013 | 5,765 | 10.5% | 9.8 – 11.3% | 48.9% | 10.6% |
| 16+ years | 2010 or older | 14,431 | 14.2% | 13.7 – 14.8% | 54.4% | 15.3% |
Weak spots
What to check extra on this generation.
| Point to check | Share · sample · 95% CI | Vs. same class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springs and shock absorbers | 4.6% · n = 5,765 · 4.1 – 5.1% | 2.0× | |
| Brakes | 2.9% · n = 5,765 · 2.5 – 3.4% | 0.7× | |
| Control arms / ball joints | 1.5% · n = 5,765 · 1.3 – 1.9% | 0.8× | |
| Exhaust and emissions | 1.3% · n = 5,765 · 1.0 – 1.6% | 2.9× | |
| Steering | 0.3% · n = 5,765 · 0.2 – 0.5% | 0.2× | |
| Seat belts, seats and airbags | 0.3% · n = 5,765 · 0.2 – 0.5% | 0.5× |
Open recalls
Check the status of this specific car.
About this generation
- Production years
- 2005 – 2020
- RDW type code(s)
- M
- Trade name(s)
- V50
- Registered (type group)
- 3,441
- Generation boundary
- Draft, being checked
See other V50 generations Similar models
Same type of car and era, at 13–15 years. V50: 10.5% A-problems.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Volvo V50 reliable?
The APK tells you about defects, not breakdowns. At 13–15 years 10.5% of inspected Volvo V50s had at least one A-problem (structure, safety or costly mechanics), against 10.6% nationally at the same age. The maintenance of the specific car matters more than the model.
How does the Volvo V50 compare with other cars?
Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 6% less often on the Volvo V50 than on cars of the same age. That puts it at rank 194 of 328 models in the CarXray ranking.
Which model years do these figures cover?
The inspections run from 2025-10 to 2026-09. Cars aged 13–15 years were then mostly built in 2010–2013. The data table shows the build years per age class.
What are the most common problems?
The most common A-problems at the APK are springs and shock absorbers, brakes, control arms / ball joints. See the weak spots above and take them into your checklist.
Take these insights to the viewing
Use our checklist and focus on the key points for this Volvo V50.