IT’S A BEST BUY BECAUSE:
The XC90 offers a spacious, sumptuously trimmed cabin; decent fuel economy from its 4-cylinder engines; and loads of innovative and unconventional features that set it apart from its competition.
BUT…
Headroom in the third-row seat is cramped for adults, and the touchscreen control interface complicates some functions.
WORTH NOTING:
Volvo also offers a significantly pricier plug-in hybrid version of the XC90 called T8. It uses the same 4-cylinder powertrain as the T6 models, but it makes a total of 400 horsepower via a 60-kilowatt electric motor that drives the rear wheels.
WHAT IS IT?
The XC90 is Volvo’s three-row midsize SUV. T5 models come with a 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and seating for five. T6 models have a 316-hp turbocharged and supercharged 2.0 and seating for seven. All have an 8-speed automatic transmission. Both T5 and T6 are offered in base Momentum and sporty R-Design trim; the luxury Inscription trim level is restricted to the T6. T5s offer front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive; T6s are AWD-only. Available features include integrated second-row booster seats, height-adjustable air suspension, pedestrian and cyclist warning/braking system, lane-departure warning, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, 360-degree around-view camera, a “Park Assist Pilot” that automatically steers into stall-type spaces, and “Pilot Assist” adaptive cruise control that will automatically mimic the speed and steering of a vehicle in front of the XC90 at speeds under 30 mph.
WHAT’S NEW?
Some previously optional features—namely adaptive cruise control, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alert, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality—join the XC90’s standard-equipment list for 2018.
FUEL ECONOMY
The EPA rates the XC90 T5 at 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway with front-wheel drive and 22/28 with all-wheel drive. The T6 is rated at 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway. In Consumer Guide® testing, an all-wheel-drive T6 Inscription averaged 19.4 mpg in 65-percent city driving.
VALUE IN CLASS
When the XC90 was redesigned from the ground up as a 2016 model, it inaugurated a bold new design direction for the Volvo brand and garnered well-deserved rave reviews—and it remains one of the best vehicles in its class. A 4-cylinder engine is certainly an unexpected choice for a vehicle of this size and weight, and in base T5 form the XC90’s 2.0 sometimes struggles to move it in a smooth, seamless fashion. Despite this, the XC90 has a truly luxurious feel inside and out. Its classy presence, long list of desirable features, and class-competitive pricing make it a premium midsize SUV standout.
| BASE PRICE RANGE | $46,900 – $59,150 |
| BODY STYLES | 4-Door Wagon |
| AVAILABLE ENGINES | 250-HP, Turbocharged 2.0-Liter 4-Cyl.; 316-HP, Supercharged And Turbocharged 2.0-Liter 4-Cyl. |
| DRIVE WHEELS | Front or All-Wheel Drive |
| BUILT IN | Sweden |
| EPA FUEL-ECONOMY RANGE | 20-29 MPG |
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