Volvo XC90 review - Practicality & boot space

Owners of the previous Volvo XC90 will be delighted to learn that the latest model has even more space inside than its roomy predecessor. You could just about contemplate putting adults in the third row of seats – not something that can be said for many seven-seat cars – and the boot is generously sized whether the second or third-row seats are up or down.

Volvo XC90 interior space & storage

Interior space has always been a Volvo XC90 hallmark and that hasn’t changed with the new model; in fact, it’s better. Unlike many seven-seaters, the XC90’s seats are all of a similar size – even the two in the third row – and each row of seats is slightly higher than the one ahead of it, like a cinema, giving everyone a great view out the car’s big windows. There's slightly more knee room in the third row than you'll find in a Kia EV9, and an airier feel.

One bugbear is that the floor beneath the second row of seats isn’t completely flat, due to the presence of a tunnel for the car’s four-wheel-drive system (and the batteries in the T8 plug-in hybrid model). Partly as a result of this, the middle seat isn’t as wide or comfortable as the outer seats. On the plus side, there are plenty of storage spaces dotted around the cabin, although we’d like the glovebox to be slightly bigger.

You’ll need to be reasonably agile to get into the third row – we found it easier to slot in backwards, just minding not to catch the protruding cup holders. There are even air vents and some storage places for the third row, but it does miss out on USB ports, unlike the Kia EV9. More seriously, though, the XC90 has only two ISOFIX mounting points for child-car seats, whereas the EV9 gets four and the Audi Q7 has five.

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Boot space

Even with all seven seats in place, the new XC90 boot can hold up to 302 litres of luggage, which is about as much as you’d get in a five-door supermini. Go for the plug-in hybrid and boot space is reduced to 262 litres to accommodate the extra gubbins for the electric motor and battery. Folding down all the second and third-row seats frees up a huge 1,045 litres of boot space (1,007 litres for the PHEV) – ideal if you’re heading to IKEA to replicate the XC90’s classy Swedish design in your home, but the EV9 offers even more room. Load up to the roof and the XC90’s luggage space grows to 1,856 litres.

Towing

Both the XC90 B5 and plug-in hybrid T8 can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 2,400kg, or an unbraked load of 750kg. That’s a pretty impressive showing that means the XC90 can pull a large caravan or trailer, and it’s possible to equip it with a folding towbar from the factory.