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Mazda vs Volvo Reliability

Volvo leads on our inspections: 66/100 average condition vs 63/100 for Mazda, from 283 real pre-purchase inspections. The average car we check scores 61/100.

vs
Head to head
MazdaVolvo
Cars inspected22558
Average condition63/10066/100
In good shape (60+/100)59%67%
Holds up to (avg dips below decent)~115k mi~123k mi
Repainted or replaced panel76%62%
Structural repair found5%3%
Fault codes recently cleared24%22%

Green = the better number of the pair. Condition reflects the mix of cars that came to us — age, price, model — so treat small gaps as a tie.

How they score
Mazda
Excellent 28% Good 31% Mediocre 24% Poor 17%
Volvo
Excellent 33% Good 34% Mediocre 17% Poor 16%
How long do they stay good?
Good cars by mileage
▬ Mazda▬ Volvo▬ all cars
0 25 50 75 100 Mazda, 0–20k mi: 89%, drawn from the nearby bands (18 cars in this band)Mazda, 20–40k mi: 80% in good shape (20 cars)Mazda, 40–60k mi: 83% in good shape (36 cars)Mazda, 60–80k mi: 63% in good shape (30 cars)Mazda, 80–100k mi: 50% in good shape (36 cars)Mazda, 100–120k mi: 40% in good shape (30 cars)Mazda, 120–140k mi: 32% in good shape (22 cars)Mazda, 140–160k mi: 29%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars in this band)Mazda, 160–180k mi: 35%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars in this band)Mazda, 180–200k mi: 23%, drawn from the nearby bands (6 cars in this band) Volvo, 20–40k mi: 100% in good shape (10 cars)Volvo, 40–60k mi: 92%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars in this band)Volvo, 60–80k mi: 78%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars in this band)Volvo, 100–120k mi: 56%, drawn from the nearby bands (12 cars in this band)Volvo, 120–140k mi: 41%, drawn from the nearby bands (6 cars in this band)Volvo, 140–160k mi: 37%, drawn from the nearby bands (6 cars in this band) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
▬ Mazda▬ Volvo▬ all cars
0 25 50 75 100 Mazda, 1 years old: 95%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Mazda, 2 years old: 97%, drawn from the nearby bands (11 cars this age)Mazda, 3 years old: 92%, drawn from the nearby bands (16 cars this age)Mazda, 4 years old: 85%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars this age)Mazda, 5 years old: 79%, drawn from the nearby bands (14 cars this age)Mazda, 6 years old: 72%, drawn from the nearby bands (15 cars this age)Mazda, 7 years old: 63%, drawn from the nearby bands (17 cars this age)Mazda, 8 years old: 57%, drawn from the nearby bands (19 cars this age)Mazda, 9 years old: 43% in good shape (28 cars)Mazda, 10 years old: 48%, drawn from the nearby bands (16 cars this age)Mazda, 11 years old: 50%, drawn from the nearby bands (12 cars this age)Mazda, 12 years old: 38% in good shape (13 cars)Mazda, 13 years old: 28%, drawn from the nearby bands (7 cars this age)Mazda, 14 years old: 38%, drawn from the nearby bands (10 cars this age) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; a band under 20 cars follows the nearby bands, so a run above the all-cars line stays above it, and a band of 20 or more uses the rate we measured; where a band has too few cars, the line follows the trend between the bands on either side; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). Dashed grey = all cars we check.

Most common faults
Mazda
Oil leaks · Engine
65%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
34%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
33%
Worn suspension joints · Suspension
18%
Belts · Engine
14%
Volvo
Oil leaks · Engine
52%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
34%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
29%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
29%
Lights not working · Equipment
21%
Trajectory by generation
Mazda ↘↗ Dipped in the mid-2010s — the newest generation recovered 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 64% in good shape (age-adjusted; 23 cars, raw 61%) 64 2015–17: 53% in good shape (age-adjusted; 43 cars, raw 47%) 53 2018–20: 65% in good shape (age-adjusted; 34 cars, raw 71%) 65 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018–20 2021+
Volvo

Not enough Volvos at the 5–10 year checkpoint yet to draw a generation trend.

Share in good shape when inspected at the same age (5–10 years, age-adjusted), by model-year generation; dashed = all-brand average. All brands →

FAQ
?
Which is more reliable, Mazda or Volvo?
Volvo leads on our inspections: 66/100 average condition vs 63/100 for Mazda, from 283 real pre-purchase inspections.
?
What are the most common problems with used Mazdas and Volvos?
On Mazdas we flag oil leaks (65%), fuel trim out of range (34%), tires condition & wear (33%). On Volvos: oil leaks (52%), tires condition & wear (34%), active error codes (29%).
?
How many Mazda and Volvo vehicles have you inspected?
225 Mazdas and 58 Volvos — 283 real pre-purchase inspections. Updated Oct 27, 2026.
?
How long do Mazdas and Volvos stay in good shape?
In our data, the average Mazda dips below “decent” around ~115k mi; Volvo around ~123k mi. Individual cars vary — get the one you’re buying inspected.
Buying a used Mazda or Volvo? Get a pre-purchase inspection before you pay.
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Based on 283 inspections · updated Oct 27, 2026