2024 Volvo XC90 Road Test and Review

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The next big thing at Volvo is the all-new EX90, a fully electric three-row crossover that just began production as the brand’s newest model. Volvo sees the EX90 as its future. The 2024 Volvo XC90 – a similarly sized gas-powered SUV – is its past. Last fully redesigned in 2016, it’s the oldest member of the Swedish-based, Chinese-owned brand’s lineup. Yet the XC90, sold with a choice of mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, also remains Volvo’s best-selling model in the U.S. 

We spent a week testing the 2024 Volvo XC90 to see if it remains relevant after all these years. Keep reading as we explore its pros and cons to see if it’s the right three-row mid-size luxury SUV for you. 

Pricing and Features

The 2024 Volvo XC90 covers a wide range of prices. When you add options or pick one of its two extra-cost powertrain options, you can take it from a $56,000 starting price to our test vehicle’s $87,495 sticker.

It’s not because the base B5 Core model is too badly stripped down. Standard features include all-wheel drive, leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, a 10-speaker stereo, a panoramic moonroof, four-zone automatic climate control, GPS navigation, rain-sensing windshield wipers, 19-inch wheels, and advanced driver aids like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping steering assistance. We’d be happy to drive this one. But you can also upgrade to the B6 and Recharge powertrains (we’ll get to those later), and the Plus and Ultimate trim levels add standard and available amenities that include 14- or 19-speaker stereos, an adaptive air suspension, genuine leather upholstery with ventilated and massaging front seats, and 20- or 21-inch wheels. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Timeless Elegance

The 2016 XC90 introduced Volvo’s current design language, and even as the brand’s oldest model, it still looks modern, fresh, and beautiful. This timelessly elegant luxury SUV is classy without being ostentatious – never overly flashy but never dull. 

This design language means slim “Thor’s hammer” headlamps, concave waterfall grille, taillights that stretch vertically alongside the generously sized rear windshield, and a proudly boxy shape that doesn’t pretend this SUV is a sports car. Even the brand-new EX90 looks pretty much like this XC90, just with sharper-edged headlights and taillights (in addition to a blacked-out grille to shout “I’m electric”). The XC90 won’t turn heads anymore like it did when it was new. Volvo has sold so many of them since 2016 that no one will know whether yours is brand-new. And some folks will prefer something sportier or more dramatic-looking. But we remain big fans of the XC90’s design. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Knockout Interior

The XC90’s interior also remains a knockout after all these years. The infotainment system’s 9-inch touchscreen has gotten less impressive over the years, but traditionalists will love how it’s built seamlessly into the dashboard rather than perched up on the top. Volvo was also an early pioneer in simplifying the control layout for a minimalist elegance. And the XC90’s interior materials remain outstanding. 

We also like how the Google-based infotainment system allows quick searches through its GPS navigation, and it also supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system can also turn the digital gauge cluster into a map view. But the touchscreen starts to look like an old computer once you have to dig into its menus. And we’ve spent years wishing for bigger cupholders and more cabin storage. But the overall vibe of the XC90’s interior remains contemporary without turning too cold. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Family-Friendly Space

Many luxury SUVs look great but offer surprisingly little interior space for their size. That’s not the case with the 2024 Volvo XC90, which delivers a roomier cabin for passengers and cargo even than some mainstream-brand vehicles. This crossover makes it easy to remember Volvo’s early reputation for building high-end family-friendly station wagons. 

You wouldn’t confuse the XC90’s three rows of seats with the roominess of a minivan – or an Acura MDX, Cadillac XT6, or Lexus TX – but you can squeeze adults into the third row better than in a similarly sized European rival. It’s intelligently configured to make the most of its not-massive footprint, letting you juggle legroom across the three rows to fit everyone – or to stretch out when there are fewer people. Cargo space is also above average for a mid-size luxury SUV at 15.8 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, 41.8 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.7 cubic feet with both rear rows folded down. Towing capacity is a decent 5,000 pounds as well. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Choice of Economical Powertrains

As we mentioned, the XC90 has a choice of three partially electrified powertrains. In the base B5 and midlevel B6, this electrification is more PR than a true hybrid experience. A tiny electric battery supports the 2.0-liter gasoline four-cylinder, providing a bit of acceleration boost as well as a smoother stop-start system that shuts the engine off at idle. The engine is turbocharged in the 247-horsepower B5, while the 295-hp B6 also adds a supercharger. Both XC90s are economical for three-row luxury SUVs, averaging 24 mpg and 23 mpg, respectively, in EPA testing. 

The top XC90 is the Recharge, a plug-in hybrid with a whopping 455 hp. It’s not only quick, but it’s also economical: The EPA rates it at going up to 32 miles using only electricity and then averaging 27 mpg once the range is used up and the gas engine switches on. Our XC90 Recharge test vehicle hit the estimated 32 miles per charge but averaged a mere 24 mpg when operating on gas. Unless you’d drive less than 32 miles most days or are attached to having the speediest XC90, it might not be worth its price premium. The B6 engine costs about $4,000 more than the equivalent B5 model, and the Recharge costs roughly $13,000 more. A plug-in hybrid is a great solution for the right customer – someone who can use it as an electric car most of the time but wants the convenience of gasoline for longer trips – but choose carefully before spending so much. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Comfortable and Easy to Drive

Mid-size crossovers like the BMW X5, Audi Q7, and Acura MDX are delicious sporting machines, cargo-carrying corner-carvers. That’s not the XC90’s game. Still, its composed suspension and relatively modest dimensions keep it more agile than some other rivals. Families may wish for a gentler ride over bumps – we blame some stiffness on our test vehicle’s 21-inch wheels – but it’s never disastrous and it’s appropriately quiet. 

Meanwhile, when you need to get up to speed, Volvo estimates that the B5 can scoot to 60 mph in a respectable 7.3 seconds, the B6 cuts that to 6.4 seconds, and the Recharge needs just 5.0 seconds. The latter is as quick as the electric EX90, but it needs to burn gasoline while achieving that feat.

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Top Safety Status

The 2024 Volvo XC90 earned the highest grade of Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This reflects exemplary performance in even the IIHS’s newest, most challenging crash tests and collision-avoidance evaluations. The XC90 isn’t the only mid-size luxury SUV to hit this mark, but this aging Volvo still outperforms some newer rivals. The XC90 also earns five out of five stars in testing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

It’s also packed with advanced safety and driver-assistance technologies – nearly all of which are standard equipment on every model. These include forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert, a lane-departure warning with lane-keeping steering assistance, and adaptive cruise control. The main extra-cost add-on is a surround-view parking camera. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Competitors to Consider

The XC90 strikes a middle ground of luxury between the more luxury-focused Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Mercedes-Benz GLE and the more family-focused Acura MDX, Cadillac XT6, Infiniti QX60, and Lexus TX. 

Volvo delivers a top tier of elegance and build quality with more space than those European rivals. Not only do they all cost more than the XC90, but they’d each force you into an even more expensive model for this much room. (The X5 no longer offers even the vestige of a third-row seat.) Still, the Volvo doesn’t have the same gee-whiz dashboard or the same sporty handling as the Audi or BMW, and each is available with a silky, powerful six-cylinder engine. Meanwhile, while we generally prefer the Volvo’s luxury experience to the other models we listed here, each of them beats it in some areas of practicality and everyday ease of use. We’d also shop the XC90 against the similarly opulent but less economical, three-row-spacious Genesis GV80. Finally, if you aren’t focused on three-row seating, we’re also fans of the serene five-passenger Lincoln Nautilus. 

2024 Lexus TX 350 ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Family-Friendly Luxury

Even after all this time, the 2024 Volvo XC90 proves that families don’t have to settle for second-tier luxury. We have nitpicks about aspects of the XC90, from its cupholders to its ride quality to its infotainment menus. But every luxury SUV has some drawbacks. 

With its excellent powertrains, graceful design, beautifully finished interior, and long list of high-end amenities, the XC90 continues to stand out as a top luxury SUV. And with its usable third row and above-average cargo room, the whole family can enjoy this experience better than in a flashier or faster rival. 

2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge ・ Photo by Brady Holt