In-depth reviews

Volvo XC90 hybrid owner reviews

Name: Volvo XC90 hybrid
Brand: Volvo

“The Volvo XC90 Recharge is stylish, luxurious and desirable but it’s not the most economical large hybrid SUV”

by Carbuyer team

21 May 2021

Carbuyer Rating

4.2 out of 5

Owners Rating

4.3 out of 5

Buy used for less at Buyacar

67%of people would recommend this car to a friend.

Owner Rating

1reviews
2reviews

Common Problems

Engine (1 cases)
Engine, Other (1 cases)

Version

R design

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

New

Typical MPG

Review

Was looking for a tax efficient family car, didn’t have confidence in going fully electric with Tesla and the Merc/BMW options didn’t meet the CO2 levels to be tax efficient. In terms of a practical family car the Volvo is perfect, I also own a Range Rover Vogue 2014 which makes this review realistic and real world. Around town the Volvo is economical but doesn’t get a second glance as a prestige vehicle. It’s a plain Jane even though my car has the body kit and 22-inch wheels etc. The Range Rover still gets the thumbs up in terms of prestige and presence on the street. The Volvo trumps the RR for gadgets and does drive better down a country lane with a lot less roll and better body control, however if I was asked which is the car that I or my passengers prefer it’s always the Range Rover. It’s just a more luxurious place to sit with a grand feel compared to the Volvo. Out of town the Volvo is a waste of money. I regularly see 36-38 mpg on my older Range Rover, low 20’s in the Volvo. I have complained to Volvo as other drivers claim over 26mpg. but it’s a case of computer says ‘no’ with dealer I use. It’s a shame as I believe my car may have a genuine issue but the dealer isn’t interested. Would I buy another T8? No. The numbers on paper look great but the reality is 22mpg once your battery has completed its 15-17 miles.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

T8 R-design

Year of registration

2017

Average annual mileage

5,000 – 9,999

Owned

1 - 2 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I'm a Norwegian XC90 owner and think it's an excellent car with great performance, good handling, is spacious, comfortable and feels safe. It's a good choice for the driver with less than 20 kilometers distance between home and work if you charge it every day. Not a car for long distance commuting, though. Excellent build quality, great materials, fantastic B&W-soundsystem. I've never had any issues - but it dies have an annoyingly small gas tank. I've heard the 2019 gets an additional 10 liters.

Reliability

5 out of 5

No problems for almost 2 years/27k kilometers.

Performance

5 out of 5

Astonishing output from a 2.0liter engine. Hesitant gearbox - not like a 5-series, but good enough. Excellent handling considering the size, height and weight. Great brakes and steering, and with the 4-C chassis not too soft.

Running Cost

5 out of 5

Well - here is the problem. This car is extremely cheap to run for short distances - but when pedal meets metal it gets really, really thirsty. But hey, what do you expect from 421bhp? A big diesel fits better for the speedhungry longhaul driver. SQ7? For my use, the T8 is just Perfect.

I would recommend this car to a friend

Version

R design

Year of registration

2016

Average annual mileage

15,000 – 19,999

Owned

2 - 3 years

Bought Car

Used

Typical MPG

Review

I’ve owned a 2016 XC90 T8 for 2 years now and overall I’m happy with the vehicle and service from Volvo. I must say I fundamentally disagree with one of the previous reviews. The good points: Comfy seats – maybe the comfiest. Lots of space, everywhere. A huge boot, it's fast when both engines are in power mode, it looks as good or better than its peers, the infotainment constantly gets updated. The 'Volvo on call' app for IOS and Android is amazing, especially the remote heating/cooling features. Volvo assistance is great, too; when the car has been recovered they'll drop another XC90 to wherever you are. The bad: Mine has had some faults; the sunroof cover got stuck and the whole cassette had to be replaced. An orange tortoise has appeared on the dash twice – Limp Home mode. It was fixed by software update. The fuel consumption is pretty poor compared to the >120 advertised, my actual consumption has been 28. The small fuel tank takes you less than 300miles, and the gearbox sometimes doesn't feel as good as that on some German cars. Finally, the puncture repair kits are useless and I’ve had to get my car towed twice.