In-depth reviews

Volvo XC90 owner reviews

"The Volvo XC90 looks smart, is very safe and it’s incredibly comfortable and practical"

8 Apr 2025

.polaris__post-meta--date { display: none; } .polaris__post-meta--date.no-script { display: block; padding-left: 45px } 8 Apr 2025

Carbuyer Rating

4.1 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.2 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

40%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Electrics (3 cases)
Other (2 cases)
Electrics, Other (2 cases)
Brakes, Electrics, Engine, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Suspension (1 case)
Electrics, Engine, Gearbox / clutch, Suspension, Other (1 case)

Review 1 of 15

Tell us what you think about your car?

Bought the XC90 because I needed bigger car so I could travel with my family and my nine-stone giant schnauzer. Yes it's a big car that chews the front tyres in 15,000 miles but the car is great. Quiet on motorways, comfortable. They cost money to keep but if looked after properly they are bulletproof. I'm totally happy with it.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Terrific space and very comfortable seating. Good acceleration. Tows extremely well and the safety features are excellent, although the 12 inch dashboard display is a distraction. Oh for a knob or knobs to control interior temperature. I know when I'm hot and I know when I'm cold so knobs with blue to red calibration would be fine. Oh for some kind of push button radio selection, I only use 5 stations! Yes, it has voice command but does anyone really learn all of this?. The sat nav display is poor, too – not as good as my 10 year old Garmin. I have never been able to persuade my XC 90 to self-park, and the car appears to have software issues such as failure to go into cruise control at times, which is only solved by stopping the car and restarting. Would I buy another one? Maybe but I don't like 12 inch screen...bring back manual controls!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

The car has been great except a few electronic glitches. When driving in rain at high speed the blind spot sensors stop working. The touchscreen has frozen a few times, too. The car's interior is awesome but as for the quality of the leather, it’s not as good as other cars we’ve had despite the hefty price tag of this adversary edition. Compared to the Volvo, a Lexus leather interior seems bulletproof! This is our second XC90. The interior space is just right for our size of family but the rear seven seat mechanism is not as good as the older version. It already started falling apart. Hopefully it will get fixed under warranty. On the plus side we not changing front tyres every month like the previous XC90!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

This would be a very nice car if not for the constant software issues I've experienced. The head-up display disappears, the Apple CarPlay doesn't work, parking brake engages constantly when trying to drive off, various displays disappear or reboot. Worst was the y car stopping in the middle of a very busy crossing, embarrassing and causing havoc for other commuters. It's been over a year since the car was released and the software issues are still not fixed!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Having owned two XC60s we were getting impatient waiting for the new model which Volvo have pushed out to late 2017. We didn't really want such a big car, the XC60 being the perfect size for us, but after testing the F-Pace as an alternative decided to give the 90 a go. During a two hour loan the 90 convinced me so we ordered one and added the Xenium options pack and BLIS. Delivery time was reasonable (about 7 weeks) and the local Volvo dealer prepared the car for pick up with the usual attention to detail. Having driven it for a while now there's nothing that would make me rue the decision not to wait for the new XC60. Sure the running costs are a little higher (insurance and so on) but the extra interior space, comfort and safety features make that worthwhile. It feels like an expensive car (at £54k before discounts it is expensive) but if you want a bit of luxury then you get what you pay for. The real winner for me is the minimalist feel of the interior. I was out off with the Jag as it felt a little cramped and busy inside. I guess if you want an SUV that feels more sports car like then that's ok, but I really feel comfortable in the bright, airy interior of the 90. The auto park is a bit of a gimmick but I can see it might be useful when you're struggling to find space that's a bit tight. It's the hidden safety features that mKe you feel safe inside a Volvo that really count. The D5 has enough poke to get you out of trouble or to feel like you're motoring, whilst the ride is smooth. The seats on the Inscription are very comfortable once you've found the right position with the multitude of possible adjustments - thanks heavens for the memory feature. I've heard some complain about the hardness of the seats in the Momentum but I haven't tried that model so can't comment. This car is totally different from the XC60 in terms of comfort, drive position and most of the features. The new 60 may replicate some of this but it's a big step up, in a good way, from the current 60. 100% happy with this car and made the right decision.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

A very luxurious car in every sense. An appalling company to deal with. I put my deposit down a year before the car was released and received all kinds of welcoming emails from Volvo UK. After delivery in October, noticed the car was misting up by December, especially on cold mornings. Traced this to pools of water in the rear of the car. The panoramic sunroof was leaking. Was told by dealership they would sort this when car had its first check/upgrade. Car was "fixed" ( two jubilee clips) and returned. It still leaked. Went in for repair again and had "new seals fitted to roof cassette". Car was returned damaged and with the inside valleted to such an extent, new handles and carpets were needed. Car was resp rayed where chipped and returned. Car still leaks when parked and it rains. Car returned again. The dealership have now had the vehicle nearly as long as I have (4 out of 9 months). In all this time Volvo UK refuse to accept any responsibility and failed to answer or return phone calls, emails or recorded delivery letters!! I have been offered a new replacement vehicle by the dealership but only if I make an extra substantial contribution myself. For a £60k vehicle, the support and backup from Volvo has been nothing short of disgraceful. If I could get out of the deal and walk away fully reimbursed, I would do so and go straight to Audi, whose backup service in the past I have found to be second to none. This is my 3rd XC90, but I would never have a Volvo again. The car is very innovative and very comfortable to drive, but this all depends upon the luck of the draw as to whether it inherits any problems. Was I excited? Yes. Am I disappointed and disolussioned? Extremely. Buyer beware.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

We have had so many issues with this car. The water pipe broke which very nearly blew up the engine. There have been recalls, screen dimming issues, two oil leaks (apparently very common on this engine in all makes of Volvo... very costly). Plus turbo issues, which has resulted in a turbo replacement at the cost of £3,000. When working, it has the worst turning circle in the world. I’m sure there is more I’m forgetting.... please don’t buy one!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This car is brilliant and awful in similar doses. Its great to drive but its over complicated and fiddly technology make it a drivers' distraction. The iPad-style centre screen looks great, but without tactile buttons, using it whilst driving (unlike sat in a chair with a real iPad) makes it hard to use and you have to keep taking your eye off the road. It is not intuitive and the Volvo designers have got lost in tech at the factory and forgotten it's in a car. Things like the auto dipping mirrors you can't adjust, a sensus screen that doesn't auto dim making in over bright in low light conditions, lights you can.t turn off unless the engine is running, and start / stop that never works due to poor battery charging are just a few of the irritating and annoying design faults in the car, and features that even cars of ten years ago had as standard. The 2.0-litre engine is just about sufficient, but makes itself heard under load. The interior is nicely crafted, but the power windows seem to be in slow mode and the seats which Volvo were renowned for seem uncomfortable on a long journey. It woos you at first but after two months and four visits to the dealer, one in Chiswick which was completely appalling make we just want to go back to my Audi. Sorry Volvo, you have had great intentions but you have overthought things to such a degree you have missed the little things that count

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

A very nice car looks amazing on the outside and the same for the inside. It does have a lot of flaws though, and isn’t the most reliable car when it comes to electronics. The center touchscreen is extremely slow most of the time, one of the 5 problems we've had with the car in less than 2,000 miles in 4 months – we have a problem almost every single fortnight and it’s always electrical or software related. Ours has the air suspension which is very nice and smooth but it has failed already and on one side it has been completely replaced, which took two weeks. We have had issues with stop start and and the parking sensors (I find it almost impossible to park without the sensors because I’m not really used to the camera). The most recent problem is the climate control system which finally switches on 5 minutes after you ask it to. The heated seats and massage function are are nothing special, either. The worst thing is that I've driven a courtesy rental more than my actual car, and now I'm stuck with it. I wouldn’t recommend one, especially once it's too old for a warranty because without my warranty I would be completely stuck .

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is the first Volvo I have owned and I like it. I bought the car because I have a young family and needed the load and passenger space, plus the safety features to offer the best protection for my family. I don't find the load space that accommodating, when loading three large suitcases, buggies etc., to go on holiday. The one thing I don't like is the big central control panel, the tablet, which I find distracting to use when driving, so I only change settings when stationary, or by voice commands. The fuel consumption is OK for a big car, I get on average, 38 mpg, but I drive very carefully when the children are on board, say 55 mph. I like the high driving position, which gives excellent visibility. Cars I have owned in the past came with a rearview camera as standard, but on my model, it's an optional extra - for a £50k car, the XC90 should have one too. I had a glitch with the satnav, which was remedied by the garage loading the latest version of the cars software, but they had the car for a day - they loaned me a car for the day and I have had a safety recall to fix a potential problem with the air con, but my car didn't have the problem they were checking for. Performance is good but it's a heavy car and if you need to pull away sharpish, say at a roundabout, you really have to put your foot down, or wait for a bigger gap - it's a lot of car to get moving from stationary. The XC90 is a good car, I would recommend it for a test drive and comparison with other cars in it's price range and spec to see if it is the car for you.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Ok so I have owned the Volvo XC90 for less than six months and I would truly sell it back to Volvo if it had not lost so much value even being purchased second hand. The car had 36k on the clock when bought and then I had two recalls and over £2.5k worth of repairs including an engine oil leak, not covered under Volvo warranty. I must admit it’s the worst car I have owned. Having the need for a large SUV and hearing and reading all the positive reviews on this new XC90 and it’s “excellent” standard equipment and safety I decided to purchase from a main dealer. My main points would be - engine noise. Sounds like a farmyard tractor at best and lack any power. MPG is shocking for a 2.0 Diesel engine which I get about 28 MPG for motorway and traffic over a 20 mile journey. Next would be the slow infotainment screen which is like waking up a sleeping bear after a long winter sleep. Build quality is ok but not up there with other premium brands. Overall I wish I purchased the Audi Q7 with the bigger but more efficient engine and superior build and engine quality.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have owned this vehicle from new for almost 2 years. The good points: I like the way it looks, it feels light for a big car and on the whole is easy to drive, it appears to be safe & for my young family this is always reassuring and it accommodates us all in comfort. The bad points: It is noisy on the road, the steering is sloppy and for reasons i still don't understand (according to my dealer) every time I get into the car in order to activate my driver settings I have to manually select individual mode, otherwise I find the steering far to light and jittery. I have also had a number of software issues so it has spent time at the dealership.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought my car from a dealer as a demonstrator when it was still less than 3 months old and had got a fantastic deal on it. I had wanted one when they first came out, having owned the previous generation XC90, but there was no discount to be had and the seats on the car we were loaned (momentum model) weren't very comfortable at all. So I bought the R-Design The build quality is exceptional, it has a firm ride due to the R-Design suspension but also the 21" wheels but even with that it's a very comfortable car and really easy to drive. What do I like? The high seating position is great. As others have said, once you find the right seating position for you (remembering to put it into one of the memories) it's just sublime and you can drive it all day. The engine is pokey enough to get it moving and it cruises effortlessly all day and that's when you can start to get some really decent mpg. The controls are easy to use and the safety features are really good, including the auto braking which got me out of a spot when a clown in front of me tried what I'm sure was a crash for cash. There is ample room for 5 passengers and luggage - I've not yet had to use the rear most seats but I'm sure they'll be appreciated if and when I do. The sound system is great and for me all the electronic wizardry has been functioning effortlessly and without any problems. The interior is really minimal but so classy and luxurious at the same time - I would say everyone I carry as a passenger for the first time expresses the wow factor. The steering is very light - even when you've said it to the least level of resistance - but for me that adds to the driving pleasure. Visibility all round is great and even my wife, who has a BMW coupe, finds it really easy to drive for such a big car. Anything I don't like? As someone else pointed out, the inclusion of a reversing camera should absolutely be standard on this car due to it's size. Generally, this is a great car and I'm very pleased with pretty much everything about it, including the deal I got on it and I expect I'll be keeping it for quite some time.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I am extremely happy with the vehicle. Spacious and comfortable. Great performance and nice tech.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Looks good outside and inside as well. But that's it. It's not like the Volvos I used to know. Constant problems, utterly unreliable (it's less than a year old!), touchscreen is a joke - freezes all the time and makes the car unusable (as it controls everything). Engines feel like they're from 2006 not 2016.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down