Volvo XC90 Review & Prices

Have you seen the Abba Voyage show? The new Volvo XC90 is a bit like it. Although the big SUV seems to have been around forever, just like Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Anni-Frid this updated Swedish seven-seater looks youthful again.

The shape is familiar, but the details are different and the tech is up to the minute. The Volvo XC90 has become its own tribute act, only better.

If you want to play spot the difference, well done if you notice the new grille, headlights and front bumper. There’s a new-look Volvo badge, too. As mid-life updates go, it’s quite subtle and restrained, as is the Volvo way.

Inside, the most obvious difference is the new Google-based infotainment system. If you have an Android phone it will look familiar, and it’s a big improvement over the dated system it has replaced. You don’t have to be a dedicated Android fan to use it, either – it’s quite intuitive. And if you prefer the way Apple does things then you can always use CarPlay to mirror your iPhone instead.

Otherwise the cabin is a mix of the new and the familiar, just like the exterior. There are still very few buttons, which keeps the dash clean and minimal, but more physical controls would make it easier to drive without becoming distracted.

Every XC90 has space for seven. The front of the car offers the most space, but all three rows are usable. Even in seats six and seven you’re not crammed in like pickled herring.

Boot space is generous, too. If every seat is occupied there’s still plenty of room for a weekly shop. With the third row folded you’ll find room for a family’s holiday luggage, and with the middle row stowed you can go crazy at your local flat-pack home-furnishing store without running out of space.

So far, so stylish and practical. However, the XC90 doesn’t stack up quite so well if you are looking for a premium SUV that’s great to drive. It’s a good car from the driver’s seat, it’s just not as comfortable as an Audi Q7 and lacks the sportiness of a BMW X5.

There’s not a lot of engine choice. Diesel has long since left the range, so pick between a 2.0-litre mild hybrid petrol and a rapid but frugal plug-in hybrid (PHEV). If you can overlook the price premium, the plug-in is the one you’ll want for its potentially lower running costs, and it’s a tax-efficient choice for a company car drive.

Whichever you choose, you’ll want the best possible price. So, check out the latest Volvo XC90 deals on Carwow, or get a great price on a Volvo XC90 lease. You can also browse used XC90s, as well as other used Volvos, from our network of trusted dealers. Carwow can help you sell your old car, too.

The entry-level Volvo undercuts the likes of the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 by a few thousand pounds. Even the most basic of the four available specifications is well equipped, but the Plus model, which is second in the picking order, strikes a good balance between price and specification.

For most people, the smart money (at least if you are spending your cash rather than the company’s) goes on the 2.0-litre mild hybrid, badged B5. You’ll pay a lot more for the T8 plug-in hybrid, although if you have the means, it offers a big step up in performance, and if you can charge at home or work for cheap, it will be cheaper to run, too.

Relaxing to drive, but the Volvo XC90 is not very sporty

In town

The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is the pick of the engines for town driving. With an electric range of up to 44 miles, many commutes and school runs can be completed without using any unleaded. The mild hybrid can’t drift through traffic quite so quietly, although the engine only sounds gruff when you get a move on.

For a luxury SUV, the suspension is a little firm at low speeds. That goes double for high-spec cars with larger alloy wheels, or for the entry-level model with steel springs rather than air suspension.

Every XC90 has an eight-speed auto gearbox, and it changes gear almost imperceptibly if you are driving gently.

You sit up high in the Volvo – not Range Rover high, but lofty enough for a good view in heavy traffic. The headrests can get in the way when looking behind you, but Volvo has thoughtfully included a folding function to drop them out of the way if there are no passengers in the back.

On the motorway

That firm-ish ride comes into its own on A-roads and motorways, where the Volvo feels secure and stable. The comfortable and supportive front seats are ideal for covering big miles without back ache on a long motorway drive.

With 455hp when the engine and motor both roll up their sleeves, the T8 PHEV punches hard. It’s a shame the gearbox sometimes dithers for a moment, but once its mind is made up the T8 really shifts. The B5 has a more modest 250hp, but it’s far from underpowered on multi-lane roads.

Whichever model you choose, the XC90 is reasonably quiet on long trips, although not quite as hushed as an Audi Q7. There’s a bit more wind noise in particular.

On a twisty road

The big Volvo handles well enough on a winding country road. It just doesn’t show a lot of enthusiasm for the job.

There’s no doubt that the T8 in particular can cover ground rapidly, but it’s an oddly aloof experience. The steering is light and a little vague. You’ll have more fun in a BMW X5, which feels tauter and more precise than the Volvo, and leans less in corners.

A smooth driving style suits the Volvo better than point-and-shoot aggression. Chauffeur rather than shock your passengers and you’ll make quick progress without complaints of car sickness from the back seats.

There’s plenty of space in the cabin and the boot is usefully capacious, but the third row must be stowed by hand rather than electrically

It’s hard to imagine anyone being uncomfortable in the front of the XC90. There’s a lot of space, and a wide range of adjustment to the seat and wheel. Whether you are tall or short, it shouldn’t take long to find a comfortable driving position.

Adjustable lumbar support is standard on all models, which is a big plus for anyone with a bad back.

There’s plenty of storage. The glovebox is a useful size, and the door bins are large enough for a big bottle of water.

You’ll find more space under the armrest, along with a couple of USB ports and a 12-volt socket. The twin central cupholders are large enough to cope even if you order a bucket of coffee to kick start your early morning.

All but the base-spec Core model come with a panoramic sunroof, but it leaves plenty of headroom, even for tall drivers.

Space in the back seats

Every Volvo XC90 is a seven-seater. As you’d expect, there’s more room in the middle row rather than the very back, but all seven seats can be used by adults without too much contortion.

The middle seats slide back and forth on runners, which is useful for giving those in seats six and seven a bit more space. The seats recline, too, for a little more comfort or some shuteye.

Being quite a wide car, there’s room for three to travel in the middle without jamming elbows in each other’s ribs. That said, the middle seat is firmer and less comfortable than those on the outside. When it’s not in use there’s a fold-down armrest with a couple of cupholders built in.

There are ISOFIX mounting points for compatible child seats in the outer seats of the second row and wide-opening doors make it easy to lift a bulky child seat in and out.

While the third row is less welcoming, it’s fine for adults on short trips or older children on longer journeys. It helps that the seats aren’t too low to the floor, so you don’t feel that your knees are pushed up by your ears. If seats six and seven will be used regularly, though, there’s more space in a Land Rover Defender 130.

The standard of finish remains high throughout the cabin – the back of the car isn’t any less plush than the front.

Boot space

You won’t have to travel light, even with people in all seven seats. There are at least 302 litres of luggage space. That’s more than you’ll find in the Land Rover Discovery with a passenger in every pew.

If seats six and seven aren’t needed, they fold away into the floor. You’ll need to pull on a lever to do this, whereas a button does the job in some luxury SUVs.

With the seats out of the way, boot space jumps up to 680 litres. Okay, so an Audi Q7 has even more luggage room as a five-seater, but most families should be able to pack all their holiday bags with that much space to play with.

The middle row can be folded as well. Usefully, the middle bench is split in three parts rather than two, so you can load up with long items and still seat two people in the outer seats.

With the second row out of the way there’s a lot of space, although there are gaps in the floor which small items could disappear into.

The boot floor sits flush with the tailgate, which helps load heavy items without straining your back. Even better, models with air suspension can be lowered at the back so there’s no need to lift bags up high.

If you choose the plug-in hybrid, there’s less space for luggage – the big battery pack has to go somewhere. However, we’re talking about losing a few litres rather than a night and day difference. The big Volvo PHEV is still a practical car, even with a little less luggage room.

The Volvo’s interior is stylish, but more physical controls would make it easier to use

The XC90’s cabin has always been very stylish and inviting. The minimalist design may be less striking than it was when the car went on sale in 2015, but it’s still appealing and well finished.

If you are trading up from an older model, the dash will look familiar except for the new infotainment. It’s an update that’s been due for some time, as the old system was rather dated.

The new infotainment sits slightly proud of the dash, and measures 11.2 inches across. It looks great, and it’s reasonably easy to use so long as you are precise with where you press your finger. There’s a voice-control system that does a good job of understanding most instructions and reduces the need to press the screen.

The new system is Google-based and will look familiar to anyone who uses Android Auto. It’s similar but not quite the same, and because of this Android Auto isn’t available. Volvo argues that much of its functionality is already built into the native system. You can use Apple CarPlay if you have an iPhone.

While the infotainment is impressive and packed with features, it’s annoying that there are no physical controls for the air conditioning. Hitting the right part of the screen to adjust the temperature isn’t as easy to do as twisting a physical control. At least the heating and ventilation controls are always on show at the bottom of the screen so there’s no need to wade through confusing menus.

The driver’s display isn’t quite so easy on the eye. Volvo missed a trick by failing to update this screen as well. It could do with being brighter and easier to customise.

Throughout the cabin, the XC90 has a premium finish although there are some hard and scratchy plastics on the lower doors. Overall, an Audi Q7 is just a little more upmarket in look and feel, but it’s a close-run thing.

The Volvo XC90’s engine line-up is pretty simple – buyers have a straight choice between the mild-hybrid B5 and the plug-in hybrid T8. There’s no diesel anymore, you’ll need to shop with the likes of BMW, Land Rover, or Mercedes if you want a new luxury SUV with diesel power.

If good fuel economy and low emissions are priorities, the choice is straightforward: pick the plug-in hybrid. It travels more than 200 miles per gallon in official tests and emits 30-36g/km of carbon dioxide. For company car drivers with one eye on their benefit-in-kind tax bill, the T8 is in the 9% tax band for 2025/26. For private buyers, the T8 is more expensive but if you have access to cheap charging and regularly do short journeys, it could work out cheaper in the long run.

There’s no fully electric XC90, but Volvo does have the EX90 if you want a seven-seat SUV that runs entirely on battery power.

The B5 doesn’t come close to the T8’s numbers. It has an official combined figure of 32.8mpg, and in our experience that’s optimistic – we saw 24mpg while driving the car for this review. It emits 193g/km of CO2, putting the car in the top 37% tax band for company car drivers.

Don’t rule it out, though. It’s much cheaper to buy than the plug-in car, and the Vehicle Excise Duty cost for private buyers is identical, other than the first-year tax that’s included in the on-the-road charges.

Volvo has an excellent reputation for safety – those clever Swedes invented the three-point safety belt and have been at the forefront of developing new safety features ever since.

Strictly speaking, the XC90’s Euro NCAP safety rating has expired. However, it scored the maximum five stars when tested back in 2015. Over the years, Volvo has updated the car’s safety systems, so you shouldn’t worry unduly over the expired rating.

Important modern features such as autonomous emergency braking are standard-fit, with a plethora of sensors and cameras for the car to monitor its surroundings and help the driver.

Pilot Assist is one of the cleverest bits of tech. Essentially it’s a highly advanced cruise control that steers the car and adjusts its speed to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

The Volvo XC90 comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty that can be upgraded at extra cost. The T8’s battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Touch wood, you’ll be unlucky to make many unscheduled trips to the dealer. The big Volvo generally performs well in reliability and owner satisfaction surveys.

Minor electrical glitches aren’t unheard of, but serious trouble is rare.

If you want the benefit of a long warranty and cast-iron reliability, consider a Lexus RX, although the seven-seat model is no longer available in the UK.