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 XC90 T6 - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By BOBw - July 17 - 10:00 am

  The car is outstanding on long trips except that it seems to need refills more than I would like. Would like a bigger tank. Also the mid range power from 20-45mph is a little too torquey and you need to baby the gas pedal. Otherwise the car is super quiet and easy to drive. Especially like the seats and my upgraded wooden steering wheel. Drove the toureg first and got a backache. Feels like quality all over. The extra row of seats has been handy and folds down when not needed. Solid car and when I want to take it on curvy roads, it can feel like a sports car. Have not tested off road or in snow yet.

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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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  I loved that car... - 2004 Volvo XC90
  By NavyMom - June 6 - 7:53 pm

  Overall I had an excellent experience with my Volvo XC90. I had some of the same issues in that I had to replace the brake pads and tires frequently, but I do mostly city driving with a lot of stop and go. I had no major problems until December of 2009. The check engine light went on. It was time for the 60,000 mile tune-up and when they changed the spark plugs and coil, everything was fine for about 2 weeks. Then the engine light came back on. It took an overnight stay and a cold start for them to find the issue;a cracked gasket head!! There had been no warning signs, no running it hot, nothing! The repair cost of $6000 made me decide to trade it for the new XC60 T6 AWD. I miss it :(

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  Not Sold Yet - 2005 Volvo XC90
  By Andy - June 4 - 5:43 am

  I picked up the car in early November and love it, for the most part. It has plenty of pep, plus styling, safety, and space for the family. It is a great overall package that is really unmatched in its segment. unfortunately, my car is back at dealership for the second time in the first month with an electrical issue. Its electrical system periodically just goes completely dead. When it does restart (so far, it has), lots of service warning messages appear on the otherwise great message center. My dealer cant find the problem. I am starting to research lemon law protections.

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  Our third XC90, but not our favorite - 2013 Volvo XC90
  By jns1014 - June 1 - 5:27 pm

  New is a steering-wheel activated bluetooth which replaces Volvos after-market dashboard control, but why on earth did they eliminate the voice-activated system? Now we can only dial calls from our phone book, and need to take our eyes off the road to do so? Very backward thinking for such a safe car. Also, the rear park assist warning is barely audible now, with only the rear speakers quietly beeping. Forget about hearing it with the AC fan on and radio! The back-up camera is a nice additional feature, though. And, the navigation system no longer allow "stored" locations.

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  "Volvo for Life" Great Motto - 2008 Volvo XC90
  By Lucy Boudet - May 18 - 10:20 am

  This is my 2nd XC90. Came out of a great experience in a 2005 XC90 and couldnt find anything I really wanted better. Tested a Mazda CX9, Mercedes M Class, Subaru Tribeca, Highlander, Lexus RX 350...and on and on. It may not have the fun "zoom-zoom quality of the Mazda, but the Mazda outside mirrors vibrate like crazy...rear seats vibrated...tracks in the floor looked so cheap. Mercedes was nice but didnt like the paddle shifter and its too small cargo area. Volvo makes the most beautiful, classy looking SUV. Nothing beats the feeling of quality in my XC 90. This new engine drives great. I thought Id miss the Turbo. Not at all. Great lease deals make it the perfect family vehicle.

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  2017 XC90 T6 Inscription - 6 weeks into Ownership - 2017 Volvo XC90
  By Mike - April 3 - 7:56 pm

  One of the irritations I have is the disconnect between the 2017 Owners manual and Volvos support. They list functions in the manual that just flat out are not there nor are available. Seems somewhat dishonest to me. For example, Volvo lists how to use the egress / ingress function for getting out of the SUV and into the SUV. However, when I contacted Volvo, they said this function is not available, never has been and maybe under development as a future software upgrade. Not sure how they can put the option in print when they dont even have it developed. Second example is the manual shows a 110v outlet in the center console for passengers in the 2nd row to plug in devices. However, that was only available in their 2016 model, again, according to the email I got from Volvo. However, the manual is titled "2017 XC90". I have found two other functions that are not available in the XC90 US model but available in Canada. One would think they would have defined that better up front. Thus, owners beware, Volvo isnt totally honest in what is / is not available in the 2017 T6 in the US. As for the car itself. I didnt get the 4 corner suspension (I ordered it but for some reason (either dealer or Volvo error) it didnt come with it. However, the ride is comfortable and about the same as in our 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. Gas mileage is ok, Im averaging around 22 mostly in town. Best gas mileage is in cursing mode. It really sucks the gas when taking off and probably is where it falls short a little. Does have some great safety features but also falls short. For example, the lane assist where it is to alert you if you drift to far left or right, is not reliable. There are times when it should have alerted but easily let me cross the center line either having no notification or late in notifying me. Hence a head-on-collision would have already taken place. My 2014 GMC 1500 truck has the same feature and works perfectly all the time. Not sure why a $75,000 vehicle doesnt have the same accuracy. Pilot assist works as designed. As long as the lane markings can be identified, it does auto steer the car up to 80 mph. You do have to interact with the steering wheel every 30 -45 secs however or it will auto disengage. The scary part is that there are times when the system, apparently, looses the ability to see the lane markings and just disengages without any warning to the driver. I would think, again, for this high end vehicle, it should alarm if the system is disengaging. Thank goodness I have not had to test the auto braking if a car turns in front or to avoid a rear end collision. Im assuming it will work when required. The active cruise adapter works well and you can set the distance (actually set the secs) within which you want the car to adjust the speed based on the car in front. The seats are very comfortable but getting in and out of the vehicle is difficult unless you retract and lower the seat. Im 5 10" and if I dont lower the seat all the way done, I will hit my head getting out. Climate controls work well as do the ventilated / heated seats. 2nd row seating is about as comfortable as in other vehicles. 3rd row quite frankly is limited to children. Very difficult for adults to get in and out of the back. Not adult friendly. As with reviews of the 2016 model the lack of USB ports is a glaring deficiency in a high vehicle in this price group. Overall, Im happy with the vehicle but would I buy it again, I dont know. I would look closer at the new 2017 Mercedes I think.

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  My XC90 - 2007 Volvo XC90
  By jane - March 9 - 11:40 am

  I saw this car at a dealership and bought it as a birthday gift for myself. First Volvo and I love to drive it. The V-6 has plenty giddyup on the interstate. The third row seats give you flexibility and stows away nicely with a cargo mat when not in use. The XC is large enought to get the job done and stylish enough to look good doing it.

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  Great value for money - 2008 Volvo XC90
  By birdman - March 2 - 3:00 pm

  Ive now driven almost 2200 miles with my XC90 3.2. No mechanical or other problems. The ride is a bit stiff but that does help the handling. Overall, it is an easy to handle car, but one does notice it is big and heavy. The AWD keeps it on the road all the time and it doesnt flip/ flop turning corners as much as other SUVs. But it does a bit the tendency to go straight when turning corners, probably based on it being a primairily FWD based car. The 3.2 is a nice engine, with enough power to handle the car and a full load of passengers and luggage. I can imagine with the weight of the car that the V8 would be a lot nicer to drive, although the mileage will be even worse.