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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  Beautious! - 2003 Volvo XC90
  By Abelaine - July 9 - 2:00 am

  What other vehicle out there cleans the air when it drives ? I quote from my XC90 brochure The radiator of the XC90 has a special coating, PremAir, which converts up to 75% of the ozone it encounters into oxygen. Volvo had waited in the wings for a decade and observed all the SUV dos and donts and then BAM! they came out with the XC90.

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  Worth every penny - 2010 Volvo XC90
  By jenniferdr - July 6 - 6:56 am

  After MANY years of wanting this car, we finally took the plunge and I LOVE IT!! I feel so safe in it. I traded in a Yukon and feel that I have gained more storage space since the third row folds flat. LOVE the body style, DON"T EVER CHANGE IT. That was the first thing that made me fall in love with it. LOve the 5 year free maintenance!! Do wish though that for the money, navigation or even blue tooth were standard.

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  Hybrid system plagued by poor quality - AVOID - 2016 Volvo XC90
  By Scott - June 26 - 2:02 pm

  Our XC90 T8 is a little over a year old, and it has spent about two months of that time in the shop for several different visits. The car has completely been drained of battery once and needed towing (it had no power at all, zero, not even the electric doors would work); it had a problem hesitating when going uphill that required over a month in the shop and parts shipped from Sweden; and many warning lights have been going off requiring trips to the dealer. This new Volvo hybrid drive train is not ready for prime time. Its too bad as its a very nice car otherwise.

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  Love it! - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Eric H - June 23 - 11:10 am

  Our familys first Volvo. Bought it for my wife after she had a baby -- shes no longer able to drive her 2-seater convertible with the baby. We both love it. Smooth drive. Very stylish. Chose this SUV after test driving and strongly considering BMW X5, VW Touareg, and Range Rover. Choosing the Volvo just seemed clear to us to be the smart choice, especially when it comes to safety and reliability.

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  Great ride! - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By jwelsh - June 22 - 10:00 am

  If you never thought of yourself as a Volvo owner, this is the one for you. The perfect fusion of car and truck. As you would expect from Volvo, the safety features are unsurpassed. Just a great ride!

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  XC 90 review - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By arun07 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  Overall a comfortable and well engineered vehicle. Feels safe and sturdy.

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  kids, dog and I and the Volvo XC90 Momentum - 2017 Volvo XC90
  By Michelle - June 21 - 6:03 pm

  We needed a 7 seater SUV, basically to separate the two kids and give the dog some extra space. After owning the huge Mercedes GL, we decided on something a wee bit smaller but just as practical. The two contenders ended up being the new Volvo XC90 and the Audi Q7. We had an Audi Allroad which we loved to drive, but the back seat was becoming far two cramped for our nearly teenage son. We found the same to be true about the Audi Q7, as big as the car was, there wasnt a lot of leg room in the backseats. The Volvo XC90 had far more leg room in the backseats and was more comfortable to drive in for long distances. (SF to SD is 10 long hours.) And the third row was much more comfortable, according to our preteen. My hubby calls is it the perfect mom car, he drives an BMW X5 for reference, compared to his car I love the smooth comfortable ride and acceleration. The seats are comfortable to be in for long hours of driving and I dont feel like I need to see the chiropractor after going over continuous speed bumps or bumpy surfaces. He does find the find the contoured seats a bit confining at 64" with a bit a girth on the sides and it did limit us to getting the R version which I really liked. The only downfall is that our XC90 has spent a crazy amount of time in the shop. Not purely sure that is the cars fault though, as our garage gives a loaner, and sometimes I think it is just easier for them to get through the amount of work they need to get done on cars if they keep our Volvo a few more days. My husband does call me the Beta tester though. So far we have had our supercharger malfunction, which is always fun at toll booths that are slow down but please dont stop and accelerate like made when done. Our battery went before a year, if your car starts doing really crazy things it might be time for a new battery. And our USB port stopped working, not good when you have preteens. But overall, we have been really satisfied with the car. The only major complaint we have is that the back row is not electric, so it requires a bit of work to navigate the seats, including the middle row. We dont move the middle row around enough to remember exactly the sequence we need to work in to facilitate the seat doing exactly what we want. It tends to get stuck in sometimes crazy positions. At the end of the day, I have been really happy with our Volvo XC90.

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  XC90 -The Best - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By Tony Swift - June 21 - 3:46 pm

  I love the comfort and the road handling. The third row seating for the kids is great.

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  Volvo --- Hands Down - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By icanmold - June 20 - 4:23 am

  The first Volvo Ive ever purchased and the first car Ive been enthusiastic about in a long time. Ok, so Im a stereo lover, and this car has the best stock sound system Ive ever heard. The leather is meticulously sewn, the carpet is soft, the appointments are not over-done (as in the Tribeca), and the dash design is second to none. Oh, did I mention the third row seating and the fact that 5 of the 6 seats fold completely flat? Tribeca and Highlander arent even in the same hemisphere as the Volvo XC90. The Swedes get it plain and simple. One more thing...Volvo XC90 has lower depreciation than ANY CAR IN ITS CLASS.

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  Love It!! - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By t_hokies - June 19 - 8:56 pm

  I laughed at my husband when we bought our first Volvo 3 years ago because we are both country people and this just didnt fit in with the Fords and Dodges the we had prevously owned but now we wont buy anything else. We just recently bought the XC90 and so many of the features sold this SUV to us even after looking at several others on the market. The reliability along with the luxury is hard to find anywhere else. We see ourselves taking a Volvo with us wherever we move. The power behind it is so much better then what I could expect, handles wonderfully on an almost vertical rise.