Volvo XC90 review

For many car buyers, it's the cabin that really sells the Volvo XC90. It's beautiful to look at, and beautifully made.

As cool as the latest Nordic noir thriller, and as practical as an IKEA wardrobe, the XC90 is hard to resist. 

Tech and features

Volvo has gone minimal. There are hardly any buttons on the dashboard.

Instead, most features are controlled by the Sensus sat-nav and infotainment system.

The portrait-shaped screen looks stunning. It does take a precise touch to hit the right part of the screen while driving. With more menus than your favourite takeaway delivery service, it's rather fiddly to use. 

You sit up high behind the wheel, with a comfortable position that makes long journeys a breeze.

Anyone sat in the second row has plenty of space, too, with enough head and legroom for adults to stretch out and enjoy the ride. 

Every Volvo XC90 is a seven-seater, and like many cars with this many seats, the third row is cramped. It's fine for children. Adults will find their knees shoved up around their ears.

If you plan on using all the seats often, there's more room in the third row if you choose a Land Rover Discovery. 

Handling and ride comfort

Big 4x4s can be intimidating to drive around town.

The XC90 is better than most thanks to a high driving position and clear view out. 

Head out onto country roads and you'll find the Volvo doesn't smother bumps in the road as well as a Land Rover Discovery, though it does corner neatly for such a heavy SUV. 

Engines and power

All engines deliver strong performance. The diesels aren't as quiet as those fitted to the Audi Q7.

The T8 plug-in hybrid engine is the quickest model, with plenty of punch for overtaking. 

Boot space

There's enough room for some shopping in the boot, even when the car is full of passengers.

Lower the third row and there's loads of space – a family of four should find room for all their suitcases when heading off on holiday. 

Storage solutions

Every XC90 comes with plenty of useful cubbies and cupholders dotted around the cabin.

Nobody should have to do without their morning cuppa, wherever they are sitting.  

Flexibility is just as important as space when designing a practical interior, and Volvo has that base covered.

Rear seats

The middle-row seats slide back and forth on runners to give those in the third row a bit more legroom, or for extra luggage space if the third row is folded into the floor. 

Fuel economy

For a big 4x4, the Volvo XC90 has low running costs.

The original D5 AWD diesel from 2015 has an official combined figure of 49.6mpg.

You may struggle to match that in real-world conditions, but the Volvo is unlikely to drink fuel as quickly as a Land Rover Discovery. 

Volvo has been quick to bring hybrid technology to its range, adding mild-hybrid versions of the XC90 to the line-up in 2019.

These use battery power to give the engines a helping hand, improving economy and cutting emissions compared with earlier XC90 models. 

In theory, the T8 plug-in hybrid has the best fuel economy of the range.

You'll just need to plug in and recharge regularly to get close to the 83.1-100.9mpg official economy figure.