Which Volvo SUV is best?
Take a look at some of the best Volvo SUVs for space, efficiency and style
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Best Volvo SUV picks
Volvo has more than two decades' worth of experience building SUVs, and you’ll find it hard to come across a more luxurious mainstream SUV this side of cars like the Bentley Bentayga.
Which Volvo SUV is best?
With an increasing portfolio of SUVs, it’s getting even harder to make a decision, but fortunately, the company’s naming structure makes a lot of sense, and it’s easy to decipher what’s what.
It uses 30, 40, 60 and 90 names to denote the size of the vehicles, while XC refers to its SUV shape. More recently, there have been EX/EC models, which are electric SUVs, and a C model, which is a coupé-SUV.
What makes the Volvo EX30 a good SUV for me?
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This is Volvo’s smallest and newest model. The last time we saw a small ‘30’ car was the C30, which went off sale in 2013. The EX30 is proof that there’s still a lot of demand for small crossovers.
Being an EX model, the EX30 is an electric crossover, and it comes with some seriously advanced and impressive powertrains. They include the Single Motor model, with 272hp and a 51kWh battery capable of a 214-mile claimed range, an Extended Range version of that car with a larger 69kWh battery and a 298-mile range, and a Twin Motor Performance model, with the same 69kWh battery but power boosted to 428hp.
Standard equipment is excellent, with mid-range plus models getting a large touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay support, dual-zone climate control, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, all-round parking sensors and a reversing camera.
Is the XC40 a good Volvo SUV model?
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The Volvo XC40 has been an incredibly popular crossover model for Volvo, because it bridges the gap between a hatchback and an SUV, and offers a lot of space and practicality.
There are lots of versions, including petrol and diesel models which, as part of a mid-life update, got mild hybrid tech to help cut emissions. They’re identified by their ‘B’ engine badging, rather than ‘T’ or ‘D’. There are also a few plug-in hybrid models, which offer even lower running costs if you have access to a home charger.
The XC40 was also the first Volvo SUV to get an electric option – at first, it was called the XC40 P8, but it got rebranded as the XC40 Recharge. There have been single- and twin-motor variants, with 231hp and 408hp respectively. They have different-sized batteries (69kWh and 78kWh), but both should be able to do around 250 miles between charges.
What is the Volvo EX40?
In 2024, Volvo revealed the new EX naming structure for its electric SUVs, and the XC40 Recharge became the EX40. Very little changed, as this was just a minor facelift rather than a completely new model.
The single-motor variant has a minor power boost, and the twin-motor setup gets two new motors, but the total output remains the same. Efficiency improvements were also made, and the twin-motor model got a larger 82kWh battery, so ranges went up to 290 and 334 miles, respectively.
Is the C40 the best Volvo SUV?
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Coupé-SUVs have become very popular since the launch of the BMW X6 in 2008, and now, nearly every manufacturer offers a similar model. The Volvo C40 offers the sporty styling and sloping roofline typical of these sorts of cars, but it shares many of its parts with the XC40.
In fact, from the front, these cars are identical, and it’s only from the side or rear that it becomes apparent that the C40 is a different model. That sporty roofline does affect boot space, with the C40 getting 489 litres and the electric XC40/EX40 getting 545 litres. Both have a handy 31-litre frunk, too.
Unlike the XC40, this car has only ever been an electric model, but it’s still been available with the two power options. Because it’s slightly more aerodynamic, official range figures may appear slightly higher, but the difference is minimal when it comes to the real world.
What is the Volvo EC30?
Just like the electric version of the XC40 became the EX40, the C40 became the EC40. Again, this was a minor update and renaming rather than a brand-new car.
It, too, got the same improvements under the bonnet, including different motor and battery configurations plus improvements to overall efficiency.
Is the XC60 the best Volvo SUV range?
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The Volvo XC60 is a very capable family SUV, and while there’s no electric variant (yet), there have been petrol, diesel, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, so you’ll have no shortage of choice.
Standard equipment is excellent, with even basic models getting front and rear parking sensors, a powered boot lid, cruise control, heated seats and a dual-screen setup, including a touchscreen infotainment system and a digital instrument cluster.
It’s a great car for active families because most models can tow more than two tonnes. Plus, they have a big 613-litre boot (plug-in models have slightly less space), and they’re pretty capable off-road when equipped with the all-wheel-drive system.
Should I buy an XC90 Volvo SUV?
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The XC90 was Volvo’s first SUV, though there have been plenty of updates to the model since it first launched. It’s now somewhere between a family model and a luxury model because it has a really high-quality interior and lots of standard equipment.
It’s a seven-seater model by default, and even if you’re carrying a car full of people, you’ll have a 356-litre boot, which is the same as you get in some family hatchbacks.
Fold the rearmost seats for an impressive 1,007-litre boot, and stick it in two-seat mode for a van-like 1,856-litre space, which is handy if you need to move any furniture.
Like every other modern Volvo, it has a well-appointed, minimalist interior. It centres around a large, portrait touchscreen, and there are a few physical controls, but for the most part, this is a high-quality, fuss-free interior.
Is the Volvo EX90 a good SUV?
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An electric version of Volvo’s flagship SUV, the EX90 has a different design to the XC90, so it’s more of a next-generation car than a minor facelift as with the EX40. It’s also one of the very few electric seven-seater SUVs, and it’s a class above other models such as the Mercedes GLB.
There’s a lot of seriously impressive car tech, including a huge infotainment system, an immersive sound system and an advanced lidar system for scanning the car’s surroundings and improving its safety systems and driver-assist technology.
From launch, it will come with a powerful 517hp twin-motor setup and a huge 111kWh battery, and despite its heavy weight (nearly 2.8 tonnes), it should still be able to get up to 373 miles of range from a full charge. There’s also a cheaper 408hp variant to follow.