Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge Review

Electrifying.com score

8/10

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Volvo’s luxury PHEV SUV has had a mild facelift – but is it still up there with the best of the best?


  • Battery size: 11.6 kWh
  • Company car tax: 13%
  • Emissions: 63-76 g/km
  • Range: 27-34 miles (electric only)
  • Fuel economy: 113 MPG

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  • Battery size: 11.6 kWh
  • Company car tax: 13%
  • Emissions: 63-76 g/km
  • Range: 27-34 miles (electric only)
  • Fuel economy: 113 MPG
  • Volvo XC90
  • Volvo XC90
  • Volvo XC90
  • Volvo XC90
  • Volvo XC90

Nicki Says

“You'd hardly think a Volvo could be exotic, but the XC90 has an electric motor plus a petrol engine with both a super and a turbo charger! That means the big Swede is fast and efficient. I love the way it looks too - the essence of Scandi-Cool.”

Tom Says

“I used to have an XC90 PHEV. It was a cracking do-it-all car, but the range on EV-only was only about 11 miles... More recent Volvo tech means that’s better now - but wait for the proper BeV if you want to be properly green.”

A flexible interior layout and large dimensions mean the big Volvo has peerless practicality .

  • Length:4,953mm
  • Width:2,008mm
  • Height:1,776mm
  • Boot space:316/1,816 litres
Volvo XC90

Practicality and Boot Space

The XC90 is a big car – almost five metres long and over two metres wide, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s as practical as they come. Even with all seven seats up it has 316 litres of boot space, which extends to a colossal 1,816 litres with everything folded away.

There’s bags of space in the cabin, while the clever seating layout allows it to be used a five, six or seven-seater – perfect for larger families.

Technology

It’s not as fresh as it once was, but the main infotainment system is still quite cool to look at, occupying a portrait tablet-style screen in the centre of the dashboard. When it was launched it felt pretty cutting-edge, but it’s now start to tail off a little bit; it doesn’t offer quite as much functionality as rival offerings. That said, it’s still easy to use and superbly responsive, while smartphone integrated systems such as Apple CarPlay are integrated into the car’s standard tech so there’s no clunkiness. Volvo’s new breed of owner is much younger than in the past and the brand’s focus on technology emphasis this.

Safety

One area where Volvo hasn’t cut any corners – nor could it ever – is in the field of safety, something for which the Swedish brand has long been a byword. It will come as no surprise, then, to learn that the XC90 scores top marks in Euro NCAP testing nor that it comes with a comprehensive package of driver assistance systems, while some features that the likes of Audi and Land Rover charge extra for are standard in the Volvo.

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