Volvo XC60 vs Audi Q5
Figures updated
The Volvo XC60 and Audi Q5 are two of the UK's most popular large SUVs. We compare the Mk2 (2017–) XC60 and the Mk3 (2024–) Q5 on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 214,425 real MOT tests.
The short answer
The Audi Q5 comes out ahead, with the bigger boot, the better MOT record and lower fuel costs; the Volvo XC60 is close on everything else.
- The Audi Q5 has the biggest boot: 520 litres, 37 more than the Volvo XC60.
- The Audi Q5 has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Volvo XC60 fails its MOT about 18% more often.
- The Audi Q5 is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £415 a year less than the Volvo XC60 at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the body and structure on a Audi Q5: it fails on them 1.5 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Volvo XC60Mk2 (2017–), 5-door SUV | Audi Q5Mk3 (2024–), 5-door SUV |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £49,860 to £71,865July 2026 price list | – |
| Body | 5-door SUV | 5-door SUV |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 483 litres / 1,543 | 520 litres / 1,473 (best) |
| Length | 4,708mm | 4,717mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,999mm | 1,900mm |
| Height | 1,660mm | 1,625mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 250–406 PS (best) | 204–367 PS |
| 0–62mph | 4.9–6.9 sec (best) | 5.1–8.6 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2017) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Hybrid, Plug-in hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 31.7–47.0 mpg | 40.4–47.1 mpg |
| CO2 | 22–202 g/km | 38–159 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.5p a litre, today's UK average | £1,656 (35.3 mpg) | £1,241 (47.1 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,439 (47 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,439 (diesel) | £1,241 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 130Well above average | 153Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 20.0% | 16.6% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.5% | 8.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 12.1% | 10.6% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 26.1% | 19.1% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (3.6% of tests) | Joints (2.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Body and structure (1.5×) |
| MOT tests analysed | 107,901 | 106,524 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Large SUV | Large SUV |
| Owners' average miles a year | 10,100 | 9,600 |
| On sale | 2017 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Volvo XC60 or the Audi Q5 more reliable?
The Audi Q5. Like for like on age and mileage, the Volvo XC60 fails its MOT about 18% more often (reliability scores 153 and 130, where 100 is average). 16.6% of Audi Q5s and 20.0% of Volvo XC60s failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Volvo XC60 or the Audi Q5?
They're almost the same length (4,708mm and 4,717mm). The Audi Q5 has the bigger boot: 520 litres against 483.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Volvo XC60 or the Audi Q5?
Comparing petrol versions, the Audi Q5 costs about £415 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,241 against £1,656), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Volvo XC60 or the Audi Q5?
Euro NCAP gave the Volvo XC60 5 stars (2017) and the Audi Q5 5 stars (2025). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Volvo XC60 or the Audi Q5?
The Audi Q5 comes out ahead, with the bigger boot, the better MOT record and lower fuel costs; the Volvo XC60 is close on everything else. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.