When the original Volvo XC90 came out it blew the competition out of the market. This replacement has a lot to live up to, then, but it looks promising, with efficient new engines, a truly innovative interior and the sort of cutting-edge safety tech that Volvo is famous for.
Every version has four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, too. But prices have risen significantly.
Here’s a list of pros and cons.
Space in the Volvo XC90
The car can genuinely seat seven, as long as those in the third row aren’t more than about 5ft 8in tall.
There are no such height restrictions in the first two rows, where there’s a huge amount of leg and head room and all of the seats slide back and forth individually. What’s more, the central second-row seat can be specified with an integrated child booster seat.
Even with all of the seats occupied, you can fit a few bags of shopping or a folded baby buggy in the boot. But it’s when the third-row seats are folded flat that luggage space really impresses, putting many estate cars to shame.
A powered tailgate and a divider that can be flipped up from the boot floor to prevent smaller items sliding around add to the practicality. And there are lots of handy storage spaces in the front of the car.
Comfort in the Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 can feel a little unsettled over patched-up city streets, but on faster roads it rides poor surfaces with control and aplomb. In fact, the standard suspension is good enough to make the optional air suspension feels like an unnecessary extravagance.
Volvo’s flagship 4×4 is also a very quiet car, keeping wind and engine noise to a minimum. And while there is a bit of road noise at times, it’s nothing to worry about.
Hugely adjustable front seats that provide excellent support complete a fine package.
Dashboard Styling of the Volvo XC90
With just eight buttons on the dashboard, the large central touchscreen has an awful lot to do. But although there are some catacomb-like submenus to get lost in, all of the major functions are easy to access.
Key to this is a four-tile homepage containing navigation, media and phone services, plus one other that you can assign yourself. And you can swipe the screen from side to side to reveal more options, just as you would with a tablet.
Sharp digital instruments add to the modern feel, while the leather-trimmed dash top, brushed aluminium inserts and quality interior plastics ensure the XC90 feels suitable classy.
Driving ease of the Volvo XC90
You sit high in the Volvo XC90, so get an excellent view of the road ahead, while the steering is light and easy.
However, this is a big car and rear visibility is a little restricted, so manoeuvring could be easier; the excellent 360-degree Surround View camera system is worth considering.
You can also choose from 2.0-litre petrol and diesel models and a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid. And even the slowest of these – the diesel – has plenty of poke. It’s just a pity the standard eight-speed automatic gearbox can be a little slow to kick down.
Unlike most manufacturers, Volvo isn’t obsessed with sporty handling, but the XC90 still feels composed in corners and grips well.
The T8 hybrid version comes with a Drive Mode switch (this is an option on other models), which lets you add weight to the steering and sharpen up the throttle responses. However, the changes are subtle.
Reliability of the Volvo XC90
Volvo’s three-year, 60,000-mile warranty is nothing special, with both BMW and Mercedes offering warranties that last for three years, no matter how many miles you do.
The D5 diesel model averages almost 50mpg in official tests, which is comparable with equivalent Audi Q7s and BMW X5s. However, every XC90 has four-wheel-drive, so there’s no diesel version that can match the economy of BMW’s two-wheel-drive X5 25d.
Safety of the Volvo XC90
Volvo says the XC90 is its safest car yet.
Unlike plenty of seven-seat rivals, it has window airbags that protect those in all three rows of seats, not just the first two. Plus, it comes with the latest version of Volvo’s City Safety system, which can automatically apply the brakes if the car in front comes to a sudden stop, or a pedestrian steps out in front of you.
Active anti-whiplash head restraints and a lane departure warning system are also standard on every model, while the options list includes blind spot monitoring and a system that stop you pulling out into the path of another car at junctions.
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