In-depth reviews

Volvo XC90 hybrid owner reviews

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

22 Mar 2023

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Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.4 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

Engine (1 case)
Electrics, Engine, Other (1 case)
Engine, Other (1 case)

Review 1 of 5

Tell us what you think about your car?

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.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Awful experience. Had problems from the start. Not charging, tripping house. Doors knocking on its own, finally broke down in first 3 weeks. Sent back to Volvo, they had it over 2 weeks. Had it back a day and it broke down on the A1 with the family in the car and no hard shoulder. Not great. I rejected the car and then spent the next 2 months fighting with the dealer and Volvo who didn’t really want to know. Eventually got my money back and they said they’d order me a new one. Bare in mind I’ve traded my car in with them at a low price, I’m now left without a car from July to November. I’ve now just been told they can’t get me a replacement car for the same deal, and want to renegotiate a higher monthly repayment. Absolute joke. Steer clear and go for the Range Rover Sport hybrid - which I wished I’d done originally. Volvo, start treating your customers as valued, especially as new car sales are down at the moment.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Very comfortable, smooth drive with plenty of power when needed. Tows very well and is stable with a two tonne trailer. Sadly it has proved unreliable in terms of the electronic systems and has been into main dealers on two occasions for a number of days. Whilst the technicians recognise there are faults, on both occasions they have been unable to identify what is causing the problem. I therefore wonder whenever I use the car will the fault recur

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

The comfort and power plus the stability.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

The reliability of the electronics. the problems relate to the sudden loss of central locking, climate control, windows and sunroof. It is necessary to use the emergency key and although the drive train functions there is no way to have any ventilation. It can reinstate these functions as quickly as they stop. The car was registered in November 2021 and malfunctioned in May 2022 whilst on holiday in Scotland and again in August whilst in North Yorkshire. Both main dealers were unable to identify the problem

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

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.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

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.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up