Volvo XC90 review

All you care about is how quiet and smooth it is right? If not, you’re in the market for the wrong car. Concerned about performance and handling? Off you go to see Porsche about a Cayenne. What the XC90 offers is calming, sensible progress and a relaxed vibe that… well, probably won’t last long if you’ve got five kids shovelled into the back seats.

The XC90 does its level best to make things alright. In fact we can’t think of an SUV that’ll do more to help diffuse the tension. Cabin ambience is directly linked to the driving experience here. Unlike most German rivals, the dash layout is relatively uncluttered, which helps peace-of-mind when driving. The seats are downright superb, the driving position similarly fault-free. It's relaxing from the word go.

Any pitfalls?

What’s important with the XC90 is to avoid the most popular trim level. A big chunk of buyers cough up for the Ultra spec. Wrong. It brings big, 22in wheels which means a firmer ride and more road noise, despoiling your inner calm.

Annoyingly, Volvo has replaced the standard-fit 19s with 20s, so that's where the optimum XC90 experience lies now. Resist the temptation of anything bigger: Volvo has always had a tricky relationship with ride comfort, and hasn’t yet conquered the big wheel/soft ride trick. But then no one else this side of Bentley or Rolls-Royce has either.

And not for lack of trying either. The latest version of the XC90 has dampers that react individually to road conditions, and everything but the entry car gets air suspension that works in step with an active chassis that'll measure key parameters 500 times a second. Crikey. That one gets 60mm of ride height adjustment for added efficiency or ground clearance; whichever you need most in any given moment.

The result? The ride is cushioned and plush, with noise kept to a minimum. Honestly, it’ll help lull the kids to sleep on long journeys.

What’s the performance like?

Look, let’s not talk about handling, as that’s unbecoming of a Volvo. What you do need to know is that the XC90 is crisper to respond to its controls than, say, a Land Rover Discovery or VW Touareg. They're workhorse-like – the XC90 is more biddable and responsive. The steering is lighter, it needs less effort to turn. Roll is well managed, with no old-school heave and pitch.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder B5 petrol engine isn't the smoothest out there when pushed, but the addition of a 48-volt system with a small electric motor to spin up the turbo has not only improved throttle response, but ensured torque drop-off during gear changes is all but non-existent. It also means the start-stop is unobtrusive at slow speeds.

Is it the powertrain I should pick?

Depends. For us it’s a better all-round solution than the T8 hybrid. Yes, the T8 is faster (by more than two seconds over 0-62mph), disguises its weight surprisingly well and can be driven on electric alone, but the handover between petrol and electric power can be a little clunky and noisy.

If you do most of your driving in town and have a home-charging box, it makes sense. Run engine-off most of the time and you might be able to get over 100mpg. But the reality is more likely to be around the 35-40mpg mark.

The petrol B5 manages 32.8mpg on paper – over a long distance we've got 28mpg out of it.

TL;DR, the XC90 drives biddably and ably. No nasty habits or unseemly behaviour. Ignore the various drive modes unless you want to lock the T8 into Pure (electric-only), and don’t panic if you can’t afford the air suspension upgrade. It’s only a further complication on a car that trades on its simplicity.