Volvo XC90 Recharge hybrid review

Verdict - is the Volvo XC90 Recharge a good car?

The Volvo XC90 Recharge offers impressive performance thanks to its powerful plug-in hybrid powertrains, although it’s by no means sporty. This is, however, one of the best SUVs in its class thanks to its high levels of comfort and refinement. Though it sits on the more conservative side in terms of styling, the XC90 Recharge is undoubtedly an attractive and thoroughly modern SUV. It’s also as practical as you’d expect a Volvo to be, boasting a large boot and seven seats.

Volvo XC90 Recharge models, specs and alternatives

The Volvo XC90 Recharge is the plug-in hybrid version of Volvo’s flagship large SUV. It sits at the luxury end of the hybrid SUV market, rivalling the Mercedes GLE hybrid, Audi Q7 TFSI e and BMW X5 xDrive45e. The XC90 aims to combine practicality and comfort first and foremost, along with the benefits of punchy hybrid performance and better fuel economy than the standard XC90.

Sitting at the top of the XC90 range, the Recharge is certainly not cheap, but it is well-equipped. We think Volvo’s interiors are some of the best around, and the XC90’s interior is no different – it’s beautifully designed and packed with technology, with a centre-mounted portrait infotainment screen that behaves like a tablet. It’s spacious and airy, with exceptionally comfortable leather-trimmed seats that make it a great place to be on long journeys.

Top 10 best hybrid SUVs 2024

The XC90 Recharge’s impressive 449bhp power figure is made possible by a 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor. While it’s certainly fast for this type of vehicle, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a sports SUV. The BMW X5 xDrive45e handles better on tighter roads, but that’s not really the XC90 Recharge’s ethos. Instead, the Volvo XC90 is intended as a powerful, yet comfortable car for everyday driving, and it does it very well.

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Despite having seven seats and a hybrid powertrain, the Volvo XC90 Recharge is still very practical. The batteries only reduce boot space by 40 litres and even with all seven seats up, you’ve still got a boot that’s a similar size to a supermini's. Adults will be quite happy in the rearmost seats, although a Land Rover Discovery will be even more comfortable if you’re regularly carrying lots of people.

With the Recharge’s officially quoted economy figure of 188 to 235mpg, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was one of the most frugal hybrids around, but sadly this isn’t the case during real-world driving. To achieve anything close to this figure, you’ll have to drive without making the most of the car’s great performance, stick to urban roads and make sure its batteries are fully charged, too. Its electric-only range of between 40 to 43 miles (depending on the wheels and equipment fitted) is competitive with most rivals, but the BMW X5 xDrive45e is ahead of the Volvo with its 50-mile range, thanks to a 24kWh battery, while the Mercedes GLE 350 de has an even larger 30.8kWh battery and 66-mile range. The XC90 Recharge has a 14.9kWh lithium-ion battery.

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As it’s a hybrid with CO2 emissions of 28-34g/km, the XC90 Recharge has a low first-year tax bill (usually rolled into the on-the-road price). After this, you’ll pay the alternative-fuel vehicle VED rate per year, plus a surcharge from years two to six, due to the Recharge’s £40,000-plus asking price. Thanks to its low emissions, the hybrid XC90 has a low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company-car tax rating, but it's no longer exempt from the London Congestion Charge, which now only applies to zero emissions models.

As with all Volvos, the plug-in XC90 comes with a warranty that lasts for three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Thanks to the performance on offer, the Recharge is among the most expensive XC90 to insure; it sits in groups 43-45 (out of 50) depending on trim level.

With 448bhp from its combined petrol engine and electric motor, the XC90 Recharge is the fastest car in the range. It can reach 62mph from a standstill in 5.4 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 112mph. There’s lots of power low down the rev range and overtaking performance is impressive. It’s a second faster to 62mph than the eco-minded Mercedes GLE 350 de, but has a focus on comfort so it’s not the best SUV for twisty roads. It’s a long way off offering the sporty appeal of the BMW X5 xDrive45e, too. The Volvo is best at relaxed, stable, high-speed cruising; it’s a big, heavy car that becomes unsettled if you’re too aggressive in the corners.

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The XC90 Recharge is still a joy to drive, however. Its steering is light and there’s lots of grip and traction thanks to its four-wheel-drive system, making it more satisfying than the soft Lexus RX L 450h. Like most XC90s, the Recharge is most at home on wider, open roads, but generally speaking it’s easy to drive in most situations provided its size isn’t an issue. If you’re used to a smaller car, you might need some time to adjust to the Recharge’s considerable length, width and weight.

One of the biggest advantages the Volvo XC90 Recharge has over its rivals is its fantastic interior. It’s hugely comfortable regardless of where you’re sitting, with lashings of leather and quality trim making it feel distinctly upmarket. It’s designed in a pleasingly unfussy manner, too.

The dashboard is dominated by a central touchscreen that controls everything from the multi-zone climate control to the sat nav, stereo and various settings. If you’re very technologically minded, you’ll love the tablet-like interface – but if not, it might take some time to get used to. It’s joined by another screen that replaces traditional dials behind the steering wheel. This is easy to read and can display all manner of information, including sat-nav directions. DAB radio, and Android Auto connectivity and a great 10-speaker stereo come as standard. Google-based software also means it feels instantly familiar to smartphone users.

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Provided you don’t work the engine too hard, it’s remarkably quiet in the XC90 Recharge’s interior, which when combined with the comfortable and extensively adjustable seats, ‘CleanZone’ air quality control system and a soft, controlled ride, makes it a very nice car to travel in. With the air suspension (standard on the Ultimate models), things only get more pleasant.

Standard equipment is excellent on the Recharge, regardless of which trim level you choose. The hybrid can be had in Core, Plus and luxurious Ultimate trims, along with Dark and Light versions for a more sporting or traditional exterior design with gloss black or chrome trim respectively. Even the cheapest is fairly luxurious, with 19-inch alloys, full LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, a powered tailgate and full leather trim, amongst other appealing features.

Plus benefits from an opening panoramic sunroof, adaptive headlights, a 360-degree camera, ambient interior lighting and a Harman Kardon speaker upgrade. Ultimate adds 21-inch alloys and adaptive air suspension, along with wool blend upholstery, a head-up display and an even more powerful Bowers and Wilkins stereo with 18 speakers for a truly immersive surround sound experience.

As one of the largest cars on the road, it’s not surprising that the Recharge is also very spacious inside. With all seven seats in use, there's 262 litres of space in the boot – great for a car of this type. However, fold them all down and you’re left with a huge, van-like 1,816 litres to the roof. With all seats in the second and third rows folding individually, Volvo claims the seats can be configured in 32 different ways. The XC90 is much bigger and more versatile than the five-seat BMW X5 xDrive45e; only the electric Tesla Model X can match it in the class – it beats the Volvo’s total seats-folded space, but its third row isn’t quite as accommodating.

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Leg and headroom are excellent in all three rows and third-row passengers shouldn’t have too much trouble getting into their seats thanks to big doors and sliding middle-row seats. There are plenty of cubbies scattered throughout the cabin, with even third-row passengers getting their own storage bins.

If you plan to tow with your XC90 Recharge, it’s important to note that its maximum braked-trailer towing weight is 2,400kg. This is 300kg less than XC90s with the most powerful engines, so if you plan on towing a large caravan, horsebox or boat trailer, you might need the petrol or diesel model. The Recharge’s towing capacity is still decent, especially as many hybrids can tow a fraction of that weight.

The newest Volvo XC90 didn't feature in our Driver Power 2022 survey but the smaller Volvo XC40 came eighth out of the top 75 cars on sale. Volvo itself finished 23rd out of 30 manufacturers. Owners praised engines and gearboxes, as well as comfort and in-car entertainment. All of this bodes well for the range-topping hybrid XC90. As a brand, Volvo came in eighth overall, but a higher-than-average 28% of respondents to the survey reported an issue with their Volvo in the first year of ownership.

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Volvo is famed for its safety and the XC90 is no exception, earning a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test score and great 97 and 87% ratings for adult and child protection respectively. The XC90 also has lots of clever technology fitted as standard to help avoid crashes, including IntelliSafe, a system that warns of hazards ahead and brakes for you if needed – essentially an advanced AEB (automatic emergency braking) system.

The car also features an advanced blind-spot monitoring system that can steer back into lane if you’re about to sideswipe another vehicle, and will even brake and steer itself if it senses you’ve left the road. These, plus plenty of other standard systems, make the XC90 Recharge one of the safest SUVs around – hybrid or otherwise.

See how this car scored on our sister site Driving Electric