I have a 2012 XC60 with the 3.2 engine that I have owned for 2 years. I am going to replace the brakes and rotors and I'm looking for some recommendations. The car has volvo brake pads and looks like it has been dealer serviced by the previous owner. I drive about 5 - 7,000 miles a year. Are Volvo pads and rotors the way to go or there aftermarket ones that work just as well?

 

For rotors, the top brands are also OEM suppliers ie Brembo, Zimmermann, Bosch. I've used all three with good results. I'd stay away from the cheapest after market parts. As to pads, its not so much Volvo vs after market as it is what kind of pad to buy. Genuine Volvo pads for the most part are "organic" pads which offer the best compromise between feel and fade resistance. These are typically softer pads so they may throw more dust but have a nice initial bite which you'd notice in daily driving. "high performance" pads are typically semi-metallic or ceramic, which means the pad compound has different components to better resist the heat created by hard braking caused by repeated long stops (think race track or driving down a mountain). Brake fade is actually caused by the surface of the pad boiling and the heated gas reduces the friction between the pad and the rotor. performance pads reduce this effect but effectively trade off pedal feel - worse initial bite, in some cases require more pedal pressure. Ceramics have the benefit of throwing off a tan dust so they appear less dusty that OEM as well. I've done all types and two things are on the top of my decision list 1) I like the feel of factory brake pads even if they are dusty - they are best for normal daily driving 2) noise resistance - look for pads that have shims or noise reduction backings as part of their design. Brake noise is caused by the pads vibrating during a stop and the shims and backings keep this in check. My bet is your Genuine Volvo pads have this feature covered.