Volvo XC90 review

The best family SUV of the lot. Back in 2003, Volvo was arguably the first firm to realise that people wanted the functionality of a people carrier but the image of a 4x4. The first-gen XC90 was a runaway success, staying on sale until this version arrived in 2014.

That's right, the car you're looking at here is more than a decade old. It was facelifted in 2019 with a bit of cosmetic work, and rather than design a whole new car, Volvo has simply facelifted it again for 2025.

The handsome exterior design has been cleaned up, the interior tech has been updated and the suspension has been re-tuned, but ostensibly this is the same car as before. Remarkable!

Presumably the engines have changed a bit?

Spot on. Electrification has become A Thing since the Mk2 XC90 hit showrooms and today just two hybrid powertrains are available, the cheapest being the 247bhp, mild hybrid B5 petrol at a smidge over £65k.

There's also the plug-in hybrid T8. Starting at nearly £73k, the combination of electric motor and engine brings power up to a mighty 449bhp, and 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds. Hot hatch territory, in other words.

A larger 18.8kWh battery (14.7kWh usable) allows Volvo to claim a 44.1-mile e-range, with economy upwards of 217mpg (yeah, yeah) and CO2 emissions of 30-32g/km.

All versions are 4WD, have eight-speed automatic gearboxes and, of course, seven seats spread across three rows. 

Who's in charge of Volvo these days?

Volvo has been cleverly managed by Chinese parent company, Geely. They’ve invested in the firm, but let it decide its own course of action. Successfully, so far, with strong global sales annually.

And as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is a handsome, cool car for forward-thinking people. Like you. And one that’s as well-mannered as it is safe to drive, given all versions feature Pilot Assist driver assistance as standard (providing radar cruise control and lane keep).

The XC90 is still built at the Gothenburg plant in Sweden and goes head to head with other seven-seaters such as the Audi Q7, Land Rover Discovery and BMW X5.

The elephant in the room is that Volvo now makes the forward-thinking, fully electric and far more modern EX90, which starts at a frankly terrifying £82,660. Click these blue words for our full review.

Clarity of thought is what sets the XC90 apart. It knows precisely what sort of car it’s trying to be and sticks to its game plan religiously. We're not surprised it's still going more than 10 years later, but what's really amazing is that it continues to lead the segment. Woah.

It’ll go off-road, but it’s not a Discovery; there’s no big V8 option to spoil the packaging, or hardcore sports suspension ruining refinement (mostly). Instead it just drives cleanly and well.

What you have here is a car that’s been conceived to support family life, and that’s been kept at the forefront at every stage of its development. From the operation of the seats to the ambience of the cabin, the XC90 will carry your loved ones in safety and security, with zero fuss and while looking fan-blummin'-tastic. What a machine.