Head-to-head reliability
Volvo EX30 vs Toyota Camry
How the Volvo EX30 and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Volvo EX30 vs Toyota Camry: The EX30 has 10 complaints and 4 recalls over 2 years, while the Camry has 2,056 complaints and 31 recalls over 10 years. The EX30's main reported risk is a high-voltage battery fire recall; the Camry's is power-train and brake trouble. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Volvo EX30 or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Volvo EX30
The Volvo EX30 is a new electric SUV, so the complaint record covers only two years. Owners report a mix of high-voltage battery overheating tied to a fire-risk recall, unexpected acceleration or braking from driver-assist features, and screen or software glitches. With 10 complaints and 4 recalls in that short window, the pattern suggests early-production EV issues rather than long-term wear.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a long-running midsize sedan with a decade of complaint history. Owners describe power-train shuddering, delayed throttle, stuck ignition keys, brake noises, and multiple electrical or driver-assist malfunctions. With 2,056 complaints, 31 recalls, 171 crash-related reports, and 158 injuries over 10 years, the volume reflects both huge sales and a broad range of recurring problems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Volvo EX30 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 10 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 4 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 2 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 5.0 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Volvo EX30
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM5
- 02FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE4
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
- 05ENGINE1
Owners link the high-voltage battery to a recall for overheating, fire, and smoke risk, and also report the car unexpectedly accelerating from a stop. These are serious because they can lead to a breakdown, fire, or loss of control.
Drivers say adaptive cruise control can activate on its own and accelerate the car, or that Pilot Assist behaves unpredictably while hands-free. This matters because the safety system meant to prevent a crash may instead cause one.
Complaints repeat the same high-voltage battery overheating recall language, pointing to a fire and smoke risk. For a buyer, this means checking whether the recall repair was actually completed.
Owners report low-speed surging when lightly pressing the accelerator, plus screen messages that wrongly say the car is in reverse. These quirks can make parking and daily driving confusing or risky.
“I am filing this complaint regarding NHTSA Recall 26V103 (Manufacturer Recall R10362) for my 2025 Volvo EX30, VIN [XXX] . The recall was issued February 18, 2026 for a fire, overheating, and smoke safety risk due to potential overheating of the High-Voltage b…”
“On July 28, 2026, at approximately 3:30 p.m., I was stopped in my 2025 Volvo EX30 at the intersection of Laurel Avenue and Mount Pleasant Avenue in Livingston, New Jersey. When the light turned green, I applied the accelerator normally. The vehicle unexpected…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report the ignition key getting stuck even when the dash shows Park, and shuddering or hesitation with the check engine light on. These can leave you unable to shut off or restart the car normally.
Drivers describe a several-second delay between pressing the gas and the car moving, sometimes repeatedly. That lag can be dangerous when merging or crossing traffic.
Complaints include the electronic parking brake failing to disengage, requiring a tow, and a clicking or vibrating noise from the brake pedal area. Brake problems directly affect stopping confidence.
Owners report multiple systems failing at once, including stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping. Losing several aids together can overwhelm a driver.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Volvo EX30 — 4 recalls
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2025 EX30 vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit and overheat.
The risk: A high-voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and limit their charge to a maximum of 70% until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery modules as necessary, free of charge. Owners may conta…
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2025 EX30 vehicles. The high voltage battery may experience a short circuit and overheat.
The risk: A high voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Owners are advised to limit their charge to a maximum of 70% until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the battery modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 20, 2026. Owners may cont…
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EX30 and 2026 EX30CC vehicles. The seat belt warning system may not activate the audible warning chime as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupa…
The risk: An audible warning chime that does not properly alert of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the terminals at the audio module connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Volvo Car’s customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car’s number for this recall…
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EX30 and 2026 EX30CC vehicles. The seat belt warning system may not activate the audible warning chime as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupa…
The risk: An audible warning chime that does not properly alert of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the terminals at the audio module connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Volvo Car’s customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car’s number for this recall…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Volvo EX30 or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Volvo EX30 has far fewer issues per year (5.0 vs 205.6), but it is also much newer and electric, so its pattern is dominated by a battery fire recall and driver-assist faults. The Camry's much higher yearly rate reflects a decade of widespread power-train, brake, and electrical complaints. In practice, the EX30 means fewer reported problems but potentially severe early EV defects, while the Camry means a steady stream of common repairs.
Key differences
- The EX30's main reported risk is high-voltage battery overheating tied to a fire recall, while the Camry's top complaint area is the power train, including stuck keys and shuddering.
- EX30 owners describe driver-assist features activating or accelerating unexpectedly; Camry owners describe multiple electrical and driver-assist systems failing at the same time.
- The Camry has 171 crash-related complaints and 158 injuries over 10 years, while the EX30 has 2 crash-related complaints and no injuries in 2 years.
- The EX30 has 4 recalls in 2 years, mostly battery and seat-belt warning issues; the Camry has 31 recalls over 10 years, including air-bag sensors and seat issues.
- Confirm the high-voltage battery recall (26V103 / R10362) was performed, and ask for proof; unrepaired batteries carry a fire and smoke risk.
- Test the driver-assist features at low speed and on the highway, watching for unexpected acceleration or braking, and check for screen messages that wrongly say the car is in reverse.
- Check that the ignition key releases freely when the car is in Park, and listen for shuddering or hesitation during a test drive with the check engine light off.
- Test the electronic parking brake engagement and release, and listen for clicking or vibrating from the brake pedal area, which owners report as an ABS-related noise.
Before you buy
- Run the VIN on NHTSA.gov to see all open recalls for the specific EX30 or Camry you are considering.
- For the EX30, ask the seller for the battery recall repair invoice and test all driver-assist modes.
- For the Camry, test the key removal in Park, throttle response from a stop, and the electronic parking brake.
- Take a scan tool or ask a mechanic to check for stored engine, ABS, and stability-control codes.
- Get a pre-purchase inspection from a shop familiar with EVs for the EX30 or with Toyota hybrids and sedans for the Camry.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Volvo EX30 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 163 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Volvo EX30 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Volvo EX30 vs Toyota Camry
- Volvo EX30 total complaints
- 10
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Volvo EX30 total recalls
- 4
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Volvo EX30 avg complaints/year
- 5.0
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Volvo EX30
- Volvo EX30 top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN