Volvo V90 estate – MPG, running costs & CO2

Compare the Volvo V90 to its main rivals, such as the BMW 5 Series Touring, Mercedes E-Class Estate and Audi A6 Avant, and it acquits itself reasonably well. In terms of fuel efficiency, it’s almost on par with its similarly-engined rivals, as are its CO2 numbers. The figures that the plug-in hybrid version is capable of achieving under laboratory conditions are very impressive. How possible they’ll be in the real world, however, entirely varies on how often you keep the battery topped up.

Given the strong demand from Volvo's loyal customer base – demonstrated by Volvo’s U-turn on cancelling V90 production in 2024 – we expect residual values to be competitive alongside the Audi A6 Avant and the BMW 5 Series Touring.

Volvo V90 MPG & CO2

As of 2024, the Volvo V90 can only be ordered with the T6 or T8 plug-in hybrid engines. The T6 returns up to a claimed 353.1mpg – an astonishing figure on paper, but only achievable in the real world if you spend most of the time driving in electric-only mode. For some drivers that will be possible, thanks to the T6’s 54 miles of range in EV mode. That’s more than enough for most commutes, but it’s not quite as impressive as the Mercedes E 300 e Estate, which can travel over 66 miles. CO2 emissions stand at 18g/km for the T6, placing it in the 8% Benefit-in-Kind band, so it should be a good choice for company car buyers.

The T8 plug-in hybrid trades some efficiency for more speed, returning a claimed 313.9mpg and emitting 20g/km of CO2. The electric-only range is only marginally behind the T6, at 52.2 miles.

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If you’re shopping on the used market, you have a choice of diesel, petrol and mild-hybrid petrol models to pick from. The diesel-powered V90 D4 will return around 49mpg on average, while CO2 emissions (starting at 149g/km) aren’t much more than its closest rivals. The B5 diesel doesn’t cost too much more to run, despite its extra power and four-wheel drive.

Later petrol engines came with mild-hybrid technology, which improved the fuel economy of the entry-level V90 B4 to 40.3mpg, and its 158g/km CO2 emissions figure is fairly reasonable for a car of this type – the B5 is almost as efficient (39.7mpg). Volvo’s powerful B6 petrol with four-wheel drive wasn't quite as economical, so we don’t recommend it over the lower petrol models – its 35.3mpg fuel economy figure will push running costs up.

Servicing

Like most cars, the V90 will need servicing every year, and if you get it looked after by a main dealer (there are 120 across the UK, so you shouldn’t have to travel too far to find one) it’s covered by what’s known as the Volvo Service Promise. This guarantees the use of original Volvo parts, as well as a complete vehicle health check and software upgrade alongside the mechanical servicing that’s required. There are also a number of service plans that can be used to spread the cost of servicing.

Warranty

The Volvo V90’s warranty is okay – the car is covered for three years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), putting it on par with the Audi A6 – but it’s a little behind its rivals from Mercedes and BMW, neither of which put a mileage limit on their three-year warranties.

Insurance group

Depending on which model you go for, the V90 will be in groups 27 to 42, which should make it reasonably affordable to insure relative to its rivals. The Audi A6 Avant sits in higher insurance groups, as does a diesel BMW 5 Series Touring, while the Mercedes E-Class estate is also likely to cost more than the V90 to insure across the board.