Overview & Reviews

Volvo does things a little differently from other premium brands in the automotive world. For this Swedish manufacturer, safety and kid-friendliness are just as important as luxury amenities and driving performance, and in no vehicle is this more apparent than the Volvo XC90, a midsize seven-passenger SUV.

Innovative safety features aside, the XC90 is merely adequate relative to the premium midsize SUV competition. Zestier performance is available elsewhere, as are more cavernous cargo holds and more modern electronics features. With more and more modern competitors measuring up to Volvo's high safety standards, the aging XC90 isn't the slam-dunk for families that Volvo products used to be. It remains capable, though, and arguably safer than ever thanks to some new tricks.

Current Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 is a seven-passenger luxury crossover SUV that comes in two different trim levels: 3.2 and sportier 3.2 R-Design. Available with front- or all-wheel drive, the XC90 has a 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine rated for 240 horsepower. It's paired to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment highlights include 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats, a built-in child booster seat, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and an eight-speaker sound system that includes an iPod/USB audio interface. The 3.2 R-Design adds 19-inch alloys, a sport-tuned suspension/steering system, sporty exterior styling cues, a sport steering wheel and special leather upholstery. Major options include adaptive bi-xenon headlamps, a rear entertainment system with dual screens, a DVD-based navigation system and a surround-sound audio system.

On the road, we've found that the XC90 drives just as you'd expect a safe, heavy Volvo SUV to drive. Acceleration from the inline-6 is just adequate. Those looking for more energetic performance should know that the previously available V8-powered models are considerably more satisfying to drive. Ride quality is smooth and the cabin stays quiet, while handling is competent but not particularly sporty. Equipped with AWD, the XC90 makes an excellent snow vehicle but isn't intended for serious off-road romps.

To its credit, the XC90 has a first-rate interior, good overall driving dynamics and excellent safety scores. The trouble is, most rivals offer these attributes as well as fresher designs. In addition to Volvo's own XC60, we'd suggest you also consider the Lexus RX and Volkswagen Touareg if a third row isn't required. If it is, then we'd suggest the Acura MDX, BMW X5, Buick Enclave and Ford Flex. The Volvo XC90 is certainly a nice luxury crossover, but it lacks an edge over the competition in both luxury and performance.

Used Volvo XC90 Models
The XC90 debuted for the 2003 model year with models that corresponded to engine size. The original base engine was a 208-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged inline five-cylinder (known as the 2.5T) coupled to a five-speed automatic, which was replaced by the current 3.2 six-cylinder for '07. Used XC90 shoppers will also come across T6 models (sold from 2003-'05), which had a 268-hp, twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter inline-6 paired to a four-speed auto. Although acceleration was adequate with either of these turbo engines, their power delivery wasn't well suited for duty in a heavy SUV. However, if you test-drive either a T6 or 2.5T and find its performance to your liking, there's no reason not to buy it.

A 4.4-liter V8 joined the fray for '05. It was rated at 311 hp. For 2007 and '08, there was a surprisingly fun V8 Sport model, which added unique exterior trim, a firmly tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels, quicker steering, heavily bolstered front seats, blue gauges and a sporty steering wheel. This was essentially replaced by the R-Design models for '09, which featured most of the Sport's mechanical enhancements, but could be had with the 3.2 engine as well. The V8 R-Design was dropped for 2010, while the following year would be the last for any V8 version of the XC90.

It should be noted that non-V8-powered XC90s were available in both five- and seven-passenger seating configurations until 2010, when the third row became standard. Other changes were restricted to the odd feature added here or there until '07, when the XC90 got slightly revised exterior styling. New standard features included an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio, while Volvo's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) was added to the options list. The V8's Executive package was added for 2009, and with items like massaging and ventilated front seats, a so-equipped XC90 would be quite a used car find.

User Reviews:

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  Volvo is a Chinese owned nightmare. - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By jsh - August 27 - 12:00 pm

  This car is a beautiful car,, with extremely poor reliability, dont buy this car it makes range rover look low maintenance. from day one its been in the shop, belts brakes. Chineses software is crap.

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  Great SUV --- Road Noise killed it for us - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Jim - August 4 - 7:56 am

  I was very excited about the XC 90 and love the interior, sound system, interface, seats etc..Test drove it on the freeway, and it was so loud we could not stand it. We even like the car so much we tried to talk our selfs out of the sound being not and issue, but could not! Volvo has to improve the sound proofing of a vehicle of this caliber and cost. Hopefully next years model will be better!

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  Mold Smell in A/C system & Low Oil Level Warning - 2010 Volvo XC90
  By vmfromtx - July 17 - 3:03 pm

  I bought my CX90 New and have owned it for over 2 years. My Volvo XC90 has an annoying issue. When I turn on the A/C, for the first 30 seconds, bad mold smell comes, and then I dont smell it. Reported to the dealer on 4 different occassions. They supposedly did everything ehey could, but the problem still persists. Recently, at 58000 miles, suddenly "Low Oil Level" sign came up. When I cheked the dipstick it was below minimum. Dealer supposedly checked it and found no oil leaks and says that they must not have put enough during the previous oil change, and that Volvo does eat some oil between service. I will have to monitor the oil level to see if there is a problem.

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  just purchased - 2010 Volvo XC90
  By david - March 20 - 3:16 pm

  After an exhaustive look at a range of cars from the 4 Runner to the Range Rover Sport we settled on the XC90 and I think we got what we expected. An ok vehicle that has an appealing look but its not flashy, and the interior is nice but creature comfort is lacking. What sold us was the relatively decent price for the number of features and the 5 yrs of free maintenance. We also like the spacious interior and the 3rd row seats are nice to have if needed and space is not compromised, although the 2nd row is a little tighter than some competitors. Im 6 but could still sit there comfortably. This SUV will be a fill in for a few yrs until something in this $ range gets us excited.

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  Not Exaggerating, Run Far, Run Fast - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Heather Mullins - March 20 - 7:36 am

  This was a 40th birthday present..worst $$ ever spent. fuel pump went out first yr. stranded in the middle of nowhere literally..3 recalls, middle console makes noise, front end steering makes popping noise (took many trips to fix) grinding noise in reverse, many trips to figure this out, side window leaks, OEM tires terrible, brakes replaced every 25,000 miles, power steering pump went out, now the car is not wanting to go in reverse and the key mechanism has problems, fuel door latch broke ($350 to fix) we are now cutting our losses and trading it for a GMC SLT Yukon, only 58,000 miles on this money pit!! Spend your $42K elsewhere!!

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  Great ideas, but poor product support - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By KD - March 6 - 4:33 am

  Everything about what this car is supposed to be or do is great. However, there are a lot of bugs with the technology and the service department is not trained enough to deal with these said issues. My car is less than a year old and is back into the shop, again. It went into the shop on Thursday for what was supposed to be a minor software update. It is now Monday, and I am still without my car. Volvo technical support was contacted on Friday to address my situation, but I was told they are not good about responding on Fridays. I am confused. This is Volvos flagship vehicle. The service departments at the dealership do not have the knowledge or tools to deal with the car, and then the companys technical support dept starts its weekends on Thursday I guess!! This is very perplexing.

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  Back to Honda for Me - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By Tina - December 27 - 9:13 am

  After years of owning Hondas we decided to try something new and purchased the XC90. I have been into the service department more times for our Volvo in two years than we were for our last 3 Hondas combined over 10 years. And for little annoyances -- jiggly window, leaky sunroof, bad insulation in one door, faulty vent doors in heating/cooling system, power steering problems, to name a few. The multitude of little problems has made us wonder what bigger problems we might face in the next year or two.

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  Only useful as a city vehicle - 2018 Volvo XC90
  By Doc - November 27 - 6:02 am

  I test drove this vehicle. Wonderful interior, nice exterior styling. The electronics and safety are impressive. But... whoever designed and engineered the drive train was misguided. The 14 mile all-electric range is a joke. 8 miles at best. The gasoline powered range is laughable. 13 gallons fuel capacity. The T8 is really a front wheel drive vehicle with an electric rear wheel drive assist. I cannot imagine what the range would be if you were towing a boat or had something mounted on the roof. It is probably well suited for someone who lives in the city, drives the kids to school and goes to the market. With the short electric range, you will find the gas engine is virtually always needed and thus you are just hauling around an extra 500 lbs. of spent batteries. But with a full charge, this vehicle is fast from a standstill. Only two negatives about the rest of the car: The front armrests are too short for tall drivers and the ride with the optional wheels and tires is a bit rough, even with the air suspension. Positives are many, but this is a very expensive vehicle once you start adding options. Many dealers are selling them at or below invoice. The extra $5002 in tax credit would be appreciated, but the T6 is a much better value. BTW. I am probably getting another X5 diesel.

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  Transmission and AWD Problems - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By tracyt302 - September 29 - 3:56 am

  Bought new and replaced rear wheel bearings at about 50K miles replaced transmission and angle gear (AWD) at 94K. No assistance from Volvo. Very poor design flaw. Will not buy another Volvo. Replaced steering rack and power steering unit and another rear wheel bearing.

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  Mixed feeling after nearly a year of ownership - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By CN - September 22 - 8:22 am

  My wife and I purchased the car last year after narrowing down the choices to this and an MB GL350 diesel. I preferred the Benz, but this car was for my wife and she liked it better. Between the two it is the better overall value option. Ours has every major option except the trailer hitch and HUD. Overall, its been a good car, but there are some nagging design faults that really detract from it. First up is the HUD. Im 6 2", and it was not possible to adjust the system to permit me to see it clearly; the top edge was always cut off, hence one of the reasons we didnt get that option. Next are the seats. They are the most uncomfortable seats I have ever had to suffer through. After nearly a year of driving it I still cant adjust them to a comfortable position. The seat bottoms literally pinch my butt on the drivers side. On the passenger side my tail bone sits directly on the seam for the extendable thigh support. The lumbar support in the seat back cant be set in a position that works for me for long periods. The seats in our car are the contour models (I think); maybe the comfort seats dont have these issues. For me, the 2nd row seats are far more comfortable. My wife is 5 3" and she doesnt have any issues with the seats. My recollection is the Swedes are pretty tall, so why cant they make a seat that fits a tall person? The next item is the cruise control. The controls are backwards in that a single button press adjust the speed up (or down) by 5 mph, while press and hold adjusts by 1 mph. These actions should be reversed. The infotainment/electronic systems occasionally glitch, though software updates seem to have generally improved their operation. The most serious glitch, experienced by me and my wife separately, has been the emergency braking warning going off for no reason, accompanied by the automatic emergency braking. This occurred to each of us on the highway. Fortunately, traffic was light during both instances, and the action was momentary. Fuel economy is, frankly, lousy considering the engine size. Were averaging around 21-22 mpg in mixed driving. The best weve managed was about 25 mpg on a 450-miles trip. Our Odysseys engine is nearly twice the size and that car gets nearly 30 mpg on the highway. And, its a larger car (and weighs the same). Compounding the low fuel economy is the ridiculously small fuel tank. 18.5 gallons? Seriously? It should be at least 20, preferably more given the lousy economy. Volvo really missed an opportunity by not offering a V6, or bringing the diesel to the U.S. On the plus side, the infotainment system is easy to use. The ride with the air suspension is sublime. It feels like a tank. Fit and finish, and materials are first rate and every bit on par (or better) than the Germans. The biggest plus in my book, though, is that my wife absolutely loves the car, so its a keeper.