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Volvo XC90 review: our favourite Swedish SUV on long-term test

The XC90 is relatively old now, so how does it compare with the very latest family SUVs?
The XC90 is relatively old now, so how does it compare with the very latest family SUVs?

Volvo’s versatile, family all-rounder has a hard-earned reputation as one of the best SUVs available. Is the Swedish seven-seater still top of the class?

Our Car:Volvo XC90 D5 PowerPulse R-Design Pro Auto

List price when new: £58,735

Price as tested: £65,460 OTR

Official fuel economy: 47.3mpg

Read more long-term tests

April 9, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 35.8mpg

When was the last time you opened a bonnet? The XC90 engine bay, like most modern cars, isn’t designed for home tinkering with a spanner – it’s the place where a mechanic plugs in his laptop and talks gobbledegook about diagnostics.

I’ve only scrabbled for the bonnet release catch a couple of times during the last three months, just to fill the windscreen washer fluid. There isn’t much to see because the engine is hidden under a moulded plastic cover. I did check the engine oil but even that is pointless these days, my toolkit hasn’t seen action for years!

volvo xc90 long-term
There's not a lot to see under the bonnet, although the 235bhp diesel engine combines plenty of pace with respectable economy

Our Volvo has almost reached the end of its long-term stay with us and it continues to shine. During a 300-mile round trip to Norfolk last week, it gobbled up the miles in Range Rover-esque comfort. That journey returned the best economy so far at almost 36mpg, pretty good for a 235bhp motor.

The final 50 miles across the fens also gave me a chance to push the XC90 a bit harder. Now I’m not saying the XC90 is sporty in any way – even the hybrid twin-engine version is prone to wallow while cornering at speed. However, 7.4 seconds to 60mph means it’s no slouch and there is plenty of mid-range torque for overtaking on Norfolk A-roads. The engine is noisy from a standing start but settles down nicely when cruising.

It was also a drive where I was appreciative of the LED headlights – not just their brightness but Volvo’s active high beam system. Apart from automatically dipping in the face of oncoming traffic, it breaks the XC90’s full beam into individual sections.

volvo xc90 long-term
The Volvo's adaptive high beam system avoids you dazzling oncoming drivers

So full beam stays active in every area, except where there is an approaching car, or when you are following another vehicle. It’s standard on every XC90 and available with other cars in the Volvo range too. 

Last week, we also had a chance to use the XC90’s huge boot capacity after a garage clear-out meant a trip to the dump (aka recycling centre). The space is enormous – and you won’t sever a finger lowering the rear two rows of seats either. Only the roll-out rear boot cover is a bit fiddly. It seems to have a mind of its own and is tricky to secure when fully extended.

April 3, 2019

Fuel economy this week:33.7mpg

Readers of a certain age will remember when cars had a proper name and that was that. The Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarossa, or even Triumph Spitfire – why stretch to a long list of letters and boot badges, especially when they could be prized off and stolen as trinklets?

Our long-term Volvo takes matters to the other extreme.  XC90 D5 PowerPulse AWD R-Design Pro Auto somehow just doesn’t stir the soul like Dodge Viper or Aston Martin Vanquish. So, mouse in hand, I dived into the Volvo website to discover exactly what that moniker means.

Volvo XC90 long-term Taylor
OK then, what do all those badges mean?

Let’s start with Volvo – that’s ‘I roll’ in Latin and when the trademark was registered in 1911, it was intended as an interesting name for a new type of ball bearing. One of the Swedish managers of that company later became a founder of a car business.

XC means ‘cross country’ and 90 because our seven-seat SUV is the biggest in the Volvo line-up (alongside the smaller XC40 and XC60). D5 is Volvo’s aluminium, five-cylinder engine that dates back to 2001. The latest version is the most powerful diesel unit and produces 235bhp – although it feels like more, especially when overtaking and locked in ‘Dynamic’ mode.

PowerPulse is Volvo’s way of dispensing with turbo lag - that annoying lack of surge when you hit the accelerator. Every manufacturer has their own way of dealing with it but the Swedes rely on compressed air pumped into the manifold. The result is more power delivered earlier - and it works in the XC90 to great effect.

Volvo XC90 long-term Taylor
Fortunately there's no badge to denote the XC90's boot, which is not only vast but has loads of practical touches

AWD is all-wheel drive but tweaked for even more grip. The electronically-controlled system provides better traction from a standing start and will improve as Volvo introduces more electric hybrid elements to every model in its line-up. Having a motor on each wheel will make controlling power distribution a lot easier.

Finally, Volvo’s trim specification starts with Momentum, climbs through Inscription and tops out with our R-Design Pro. That’s means ‘luxury SUV with a sporting edge’ with our car, extra bits like 20-inch alloy wheels, leather/nubuck upholstery and some rather cool mesh aluminium inlays around the cabin. The interior is, without doubt, a lovely place to sit.

So, if you ever wonder what’s in a name, now you have the full monty on our Volvo’s moniker.

March 26, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 35.1mpg

If you are going to have an affair, or plan to dent the family credit card with some clandestine shopping, don’t drive a new Volvo. Big Brother, or Big Sven in this case, really is watching – especially in our XC90 where there’s no escaping the long arm of the world wide web.

This fact was brilliantly illustrated when Mrs T ‘misplaced’ the XC90 in the huge underground car park at Westfield shopping centre in London last week. Now, let’s be honest, we’ve all done it. I had to call security at Heathrow once after failing to find my Skoda.

Suddenly, those rows of cars all look the same and that pink Rolls-Royce you parked next to as a homing beacon drove off hours ago. 

volvo xc90
The XC90's large central screen is a boon, whether it's this overhead display or ultra-clear satnav instructions

I’ve already extolled the virtues of Volvo On Call in an earlier report, the phone app that ‘talks’ to your car and enables all kinds of functions remotely. But what happens when another member of the family, driving without the app, can’t locate the car?

Sat in my office 90 miles away, I was able to flash the lights and sound the horn to guide her to the car (right car park, wrong floor level) after 20 minutes of wandering aimlessly. I also started the engine to warm the cabin.

This is where modern-day telematics really can make life easier. Last Friday, we had to drive to Cornwall at the moment Brexit campaigners planned go-slow protests on the motorways. The XC90’s radio offered instant traffic alerts of problems ahead, while the large-screen satnav display allowed us to update potential new routes to our destination on the car’s big screen system.

I may whinge about the excessive number of safety features in our Volvo – the latest coming to an XC90 near you soon is a system of in-car cameras that will ‘intervene’ with your driving if the sensors detect intoxication.

But when I think back to my first car, a 1962 Morris Minor, it’s nothing short of remarkable how automotive technology has advanced. Technology in the Morris meant pop-up indicator stalks – in a modern car I baulk if I have to dip my headlights manually. That’s proper progress.

March 20, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 34.1mpg

I’m still waiting for something, anything, to go wrong with our XC90 long-termer. If that sounds like I’m tempting fate, after almost 35 years of testing cars, ‘issues’ from the last century still come back to haunt me.

There was the Alfa Romeo 146 that crushed my finger in the windscreen wiper mechanism, a Caterham 7 that delivered me to Scotland and then promptly died in the Highlands, not forgetting the Proton with a faulty horn that sounded all the way to Manchester and back, continuously.

volvo xc90
The XC90 is a consummate performer, although for serious off-roading it's still hard to beat a venerable Land Rover

So for fear of sounding like an old git, it still amazes me how good modern cars are. The only matter I’ve had to attend to with the XC90 is administering a few litres of AdBlue exhaust addictive. The filler is inside the diesel filler cap, in case you’re wondering.

The very thought of an ‘issue’ with the XC90 would probably send the Volvo press office into meltdown. I do have an opinion on the overwhelming number of safety features that suck some of the pleasure from this consummate SUV, and the large-screen infotainment system that isn’t as intuitive as some conventional buttons and knobs.

Oh, and why do I have to choose a ‘drive’ mode every time I start the car? ‘Off-road’ is understandable but Dynamic, Comfort and Eco? I want a car that offers all three at the same time.

volvo xc90 long-term
Barn door? Volvo styling has come a long way but they still look more tasteful than exciting

But really, I fully expect the XC90 to complete our 12-week stint without any cause for concern. And if you are paying just over £65,000 for an SUV, you’d probably expect the same too.

I don’t expect anybody to be excited when they slip behind the wheel of a Volvo. Let’s be honest, the Swedes don’t really build anything that is moderately sporty or designed to set the pulses racing.

But as a four-wheel-drive SUV, with the benefit of seven seats, 30+mpg and a ridiculously long list of safety features, the XC90 is the class leader. It’s incredibly practical for a large family and the added ride height means it can more than cope with anything I throw at it.

March 12, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 32.9mpg

I want to get touchy feely about our multi-purpose XC90. This isn’t a moment when I admit my undying love for our long-term Volvo – more engage the brain over the issue of touchscreens in cars.

I’m a big fan of the XC90’s stylish, minimalist interior, with all that expensive-looking brushed metal and leather about the place. This current model has been around a few years now but it’s still a benchmark in how to design a car cabin.

Check out the chrome detailing, the digital dials and the lack of physical buttons cluttering up the dashboard.  Only Tesla does an SUV that’s less busy or more beautifully formed.

Everything you would expect to find on a dashboard has been swept away and put on the nine-inch Sensus tablet. It looks amazing and with a little guidance from the on-screen manual, it is pretty straightforward to navigate too.

volvo xc90
Volvo was among the first to incorporate a large touchscreen in the facia. It's easy to use, but can be distracting if you have to scroll through sub-menus

If you prefer voice activation, the Sensus system doesn’t disappoint. Or there’s a scrolling button on the steering wheel that rolls through the options without any fuss.

The whole car industry seems to be moving in this direction but I for one, really hope that we return to analogue interfaces in the not too distance future. 

The reason is that often drivers, me included, find themselves taking an eye off the road to operate a touchscreen, when an actual button or dial requires less visual input.

The brain can ‘feel’ where a heating control is, for example, without having to find it on a touchscreen. In the XC90, just raising the heating temperature is difficult without looking at the touchscreen.

volvo xc90
volvo xc90

After almost two months in the Volvo you might think a task as simple as raising the fan speed would be second nature – like touching the tip of your nose with an index finger. In all honesty, it isn't.

Somebody at Volvo will no doubt have a very good reason why a touchscreen is a much better, much safer way of doing things. It is a company built on a history of safety firsts, after all.

But if Volvo is going to restrict the speed of all its cars to 112mph in a couple of years time for headlining safety reasons, it might want to take another look – or a quick glance at least – at the issue of distracting dashboards, too.

March 7, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 34.1mpg

Ask a Volvo driver to give three reasons why they chose that particular brand and I can almost guarantee one of them will be safety.

Our XC90 is loaded with features that will protect passengers in case of an accident. Barring a nuclear attack, there is probably nothing that will harm you in a Volvo SUV.

In fact, this is also one of the most tiresome parts of owning an XC90. Like a very strict driving examiner, put one wheel out of place and an alarm or flashing light administers a strict ticking off.

Volvo XC90 long-term Taylor 
Volvo XC90 long-term Taylor

I’m sure that, if the worst happened, I would be very grateful for Run-Off Road Protection (tightens safety belts before an impact) or City Safe (warns of objects like pedestrians and cyclists) but surely this kind of stuff can make you a very lazy driver, too?

My pet hate over the last seven days has been Bliss – the blind spot information system. When a vehicle passes inside or outside of the XC90, a light flashes in the relevant door mirror.

All very well and good but I always check my mirrors before changing lanes and a flashing light actually distracts me from the road ahead in most instances.

In 2008, Volvo announced no one would be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020. A super bold claim but this week they have gone one step further towards that goal. The company's ‘Vision 20’  initiative now means that all new cars built by Volvo from next year will be restricted to a top speed of 112mph.

Volvo XC90 long-term Taylor 
Volvo XC90 long-term Taylor

“We want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in cars that changes their driver’s behaviour, to tackle things such as speeding, intoxication or distraction,” says Volvo’s CEO.

I’m not sure if I’m in favour of this idea or against. I only have the chance to hit the ton on a racetrack these days but what if I’m on the autobahn in Germany – shouldn’t it be left to the driver to decide?

Perhaps we will have to wait and see if other manufacturers do the same. Most modern cars will easily exceed of 112mph – I doubt I’d ever want to travel that fast in an XC90, but this is a debate that is going to run and run. Just not too fast though…

February 26, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 33.9mpg

I have a singed forehead writing this – the weather in the Cotswolds last weekend encouraged a gentleman’s thoughts to turn to two wheels instead of four but I still forgot the suncream.

I’ll admit I am a fair-weather cyclist but – as the Telegraph’s motoring editor with attest to as he nurses a broken collarbone – riding in the winter months isn’t without risk.

Our XC90 is loaded up with a pair of roof-mounted cycle racks and so this seemed like a good moment to saddle up. Previously I’d always used a towball-mounted cycle rack but that turns out to be an expensive optional extra on the Volvo.

How much? Well, if you are buying direct from Volvo, a powered foldable towbar controlled by a button in the luggage compartment costs £1,075. The bicycle holder that fits on it an additional £400.

Armed with a bike, I set about preparing the roof carrier for action instead. The load bars and cycle racks themselves are easy enough to fit – they lock on with a series of keys that can be a bit fiddly with cold fingers.

volvo xc90 roof bars cycle rack
The roofbar-mounted cycle carrying solution appears robust, but there's nothing in the manual to say how on earth you lift your bicycle high enough to fit on it

Thirty minutes later, however, I’m still trying to work out how to actually lift my bicycle on to the roof rack. The problem is, the XC90 is deceptively tall – just under 1.78 metres – and add on an extra few inches for the rack itself and suddenly you are in Range Rover territory.

I place an aluminium ladder as close as possible to the side of the car and, with the bike resting on my left shoulder, step gingerly upwards. Now I have the height but swinging the bike around from left arm to right proves impossible.

Either the XC90 is going to take a hit or myself, the ladder and the bike are going to end up in a heap on the driveway. 

Frustrating. But this being the multitool of cars, the XC90 has an easy solution. Fold down the middle and rear rows of seats and I can fit the bike in without even removing the front wheel.

I’ve now removed the cycle rack and roof bars completely, mainly because at above 40mph the system whistles like a boiling kettle. Plus it must have some negative impact on fuel economy.

If anyone does have a solution to the roof cycle rack conundrum I’d be interested to hear.

February 19, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 34.6mpg

In Sweden, every other car is a Volvo. The Swedes live half of the year in a state of deep freeze but instead of opting for an outsize off-roader, they choose all-wheel drive ‘conventional’ cars.  

Last week I spent three days in the Arctic Circle driving the new V60 Cross Country and meeting every model of Volvo ever created – they really do seem to last forever. That included the old 740 saloon and the even older 340 hatchback, perhaps the most unloved Volvo ever built.  

Volvo XC90 long-term jeremy taylor
The XC90 feels built to last - if it's good enough to deal with the Swedish climate, it should be fine here in the Cotswolds

According to an XC90 owner I met in Jockmock, there are two reasons why the Scandis love smaller cars with all-wheel drive, rather than serious off-roaders like a Land Rover.

The first is that as long as you have some ground clearance and a great set of winter tyres, snow will not be a problem. The second is that imported cars cost a lot of money in Scandinavia.  

Our long-term XC90 feels like a much-loved benchmark SUV here in the UK now, too. It has a cast iron reputation for doing exactly what it says on the tin. It is incredibly well built and surely capable of withstanding any assault from a wandering elk, of which I saw many roaming the roads in the lower reaches of Lapland.  

Volvo XC90 long-term jeremy taylor
Solid - and stylish, too. As you'd expect, it also comes with a raft of safety features

I also have no reason to doubt our XC90 will be on the road in 20 years from now too. It’s constructed of a metal so thick that it returns a re-assuring ‘clunk’ whenever I shut a door – like a 1980s Mercedes. This all bolsters Volvo’s long-established reputation for making cars that last the course and are super-safe. 

Our XC90 is loaded with so many safety features it would require many inches of column space to list them all. But every XC90 has Run Off Protection (automatically tightening the safety belts if the car inadvertently leaves the road); Oncoming Lane Mitigation (steering you out of trouble if the car drifts into oncoming traffic); and City Safe (which includes pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, operating an emergency brake when needed).

Like most things in Sweden, it is efficient, stylish and built to last. You can’t ask much more of an SUV.

February 13, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 33.2mpg

Take a closer look at the photographs. One of these cars is a £300,000 machine touted as the king of luxury SUVs. The other is about a sixth of the price and for our money looks every inch as good – or even better.

Last week I had both our XC90 and the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked on the driveway. SUVs tend to follow a tried and tested design formula but the similarities between these two was still striking.

This was further cemented when I mistakenly walked towards the Rolls, believing it was the Volvo. From the rear they look almost identical. 

volvo xc90 and rolls-royce cullinan
Spot the difference... even upside-down (it's a glitch with our CMS - apologies)

It’s a slightly different story on the inside but then I’m not too fussed about a cut-glass decanter and glasses in the rear armrest – the Volvo infotainment system is actually easier to navigate, too.

The chap behind the interior design of the XC90 is Robin Page. He created the cabin for the Queen’s state limo, as well as uber expensive customer interior options for the likes of Bugatti and Rolls-Royce. 

The latest incarnation of the XC90 is due its five-year overhaul but I’d urge Mr Page and his team not too make too many changes for change’s sake. The exterior may be mistaken for a whole raft of other SUVs but inside it’s something of a design classic.

volvo xc90 and rolls-royce cullinan
The Cullinan is bulkier in profile

Packed with high-tech features, smooth matt finishes and brushed metal trim, it feels suitably upmarket for a car that will easily top £60,000 when equipped with a few extras. Even the leather sports seats in our R-Design are somehow infused with Scandi design cool.

Gripes? I’m used to operating the 12-inch infotainment screen in our Volvo but I’m still not certain that using it to control the air-conditioning and heated seats is easiest, or safest option.

The only alternative is to re-introduce a nest of conventional controls buttons, which would immediately spoil the clean appearance of the dashboard. Food for thought for Mr Page, but otherwise he has created my perfect SUV interior.

February 5, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 36.1mpg

Ever wondered what that ‘emergency’ button does above the rear-view mirror? Not every car has one but in some models they’ve been around for years.

Volvo first installed the ‘On Call’ button in 2001 – a safety system that could call out the emergency services or breakdown recovery. Things have moved on a bit since then with many manufacturers offering a more sophisticated phone app too.

Our long-term Range Rover was equipped with the Remote app and Volvo’s On Call system is equally impressive, whether you press that button or use the app. Where it came in most useful over the last week of snow and tumbling temperatures is been pre-heating the XC90 on the driveway, allowing me to start the engine from my mobile phone.

There’s plenty of other On Call features that are equally as useful. Whenever I forget which car park bay I’ve let the Volvo in – increasingly common these days - I can prompt the car to flash the lights and beep the horn directly from my phone.

And I know where the car is at all times. The app links to my phone mapping system and provides a visual on where the XC90 is in relation to my own position. A gimmick? Well, when you are lost walking across Exmoor at dusk, suddenly a Volvo becomes a very useful beacon.

XC90 by the sea
The XC90 is proving excellent company, and the 'gimmicks' are anything but

Cold, mud-splattered and suffering the effects of a sense of humour failure, I suddenly remembered the app and could use the map to steer a course back towards the car. It was warm and toasty inside by the time I opened the door. How brilliant is that?

This week the XC90 continues to be the most relaxing place to sit on a long journey since the Range Rover. It’s so soothing inside that minimalist cabin I wonder how folk stay awake on a really long journey. That said, this being a super-safe Volvo, there is probably an alarm that smacks you about the head with a wet fish at the first sign of drowsiness.

And those seats, they remind me of the glory days of Saab. It used to be that a comfortable seat had to be big and bulky like your favourite armchair. Somehow Volvo has designed a resting place that fits every shape of person who plonks behind the steering wheel.

It’s the same in the back, where I probably can fall asleep without fear of an unwanted wake-up alarm.

January 21, 2019

Fuel economy this week: 34.8mpg

Location: Cotswolds

Our recently departed Range Rover was always going to be a tough car to follow, especially as last weekend saw the first snow of the year in this part of the Cotswolds. What could possibly compete with a Land Rover for multi-purpose ability?

In Scandinavia, where they know a thing or two about bad weather, the answer is a Volvo XC. The award-winning XC40, the mid-range XC60 we drove on long-term test last year, or the big daddy of them all, the XC90.

Remarkably, it is almost 16 years since Volvo launched its first ‘adventure concept car’. The XC90 was the model that helped the Swedes steer through a global economic crisis. While Saab sank, Volvo is now building some of the most desirable family cars on the market.

Our second generation XC90 was launched to great acclaim in 2014. With a redesigned chassis, tablet-sized dashboard screen display and electronically-controlled air suspension on most models, it was an immediate success.

Not only that but Volvo must have known that grey is the new black in terms of car colours. The latest survey from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders last week says grey has become the UK’s favourite colour since records began.

The Savile Grey paintjob looks especially smart on our XC90, complemented on the inside with charcoal leather sport seats. Up front, the dashboard is mostly black leather, with some tasteful chrome inserts.

After three months in a Range Rover, I must admit that the prospect of swapping to the XC90 didn’t fill me with joy. But Volvo’s minimalist, modern design is eye-catching and rather beautiful, in a subtle, non-threatening way.

Inside, the large-screen display is fairly intuitive and connecting my phone was simple enough. I’ve also set up Volvo On Call, the telephone app that allows the car to be started and heated by remote – especially handy on cold mornings.

We’ve covered about 120 miles so far and the 235bhp D5 diesel unit is smooth, with little noise intrusion in the cabin. There will be many more miles over the next three months when I think our new Scandinavian motor will prove just as rewarding as the Range Rover.

*Lease price from list price shown in the article is correct as of 31/01/2019 and are based on 9months initial payment upfront.  Prices exclude VAT and are subject to change.  Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply.

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