USED Volvo XC90 4x4 (02 - )

My car

I bought an Volvo XC90 D5 Exec auto 2 years ago this month. I managed to get nearly £9k off the list price, happy days! Firstly, I will say that this is not really a drivers car but as a family car I really do think it ticks the boxes. I find the interior of the car functional and very comfortable, we added removable TV's in the back for the children to watch on long journeys and everyone has been happy. Sound system is good and teh air conditioned / massaging seats are fabulous. In the snow and floods we have had no problems, the servicing has not highlighted any faults todate. We manage to get average of 28mpg for day to day driving and it delivered 32 mpg driving through France last summer, with cruise control set at 79mph. Down side for me is the turning circle, which is poor. In my opinion you don't buy a car like this for running costs, as you know from the outset, it's going to be expensive. You buy it for all the family reasons, and it can't be faulted for that. We regularly have 6 or 7 in the car, with a mix of adults and children, with nor problems. I have had many "drivers" and this isn't one of them. I have had a few "family" cars and this is it. If I don't keep it for 10 years, it will only be because I've bought a new one. Look around before you buy, there are some massive deals to be had.

My car

Don;t know where some people are getting these figures from re mpg unless they are driving the T6 petrol derivative. Mine is a D5 Auto and returns 32mpg minimum. On original tyres after 18500 miles and still got over 3mm tread left.

Went for the rear dvd screen option. Absolutely wonderful and keeps the grandchildren entertained. Would I buy another Volvo? Too right I would.

My car

The only thing going for this car is the space inside which is very good.Although rear seats in boot are only for kids at best. Thats as far as it goes. Engine is boomy,will shake your bones through the steering wheel, remind me of a tractor! it rattles and is totaly underpowered. Gearbox is usless and dangerous in my mind especially when pulling away from roundabouts it can take a good second for the car to move off.

Fuel economy is for a lack of a better word diabolical. For the last 6 months i have averaged between 21 and 24 mpg. I have had the car for 2 years and the best i could achieve was 28 and that was on a 400 mile motorway run, pretty awful, get used to seeing the fuel light on, i reckon 300 miles to a tank. No point putting your foot down in this car all you do is burn fuel and go nowwhere fast.

I have an executive model yet ride is extremely harsh, handling...... well there is no handling its awful.

turning circle will drive you insane, getting in and out of multi storey carparks is near impossible, you have to continually use reverse to improve your angle of entry/exit, or be prepared to leave bits of your body work behind. Car is very dificut to park being so large, get used to have multiple dents in your doors from other users bashing there door against your to get in and out of car parking bays.

tyres to replace are a joke £1400 for 4 tyres 14k miles. total joke. i really hate this car thats why im getting rid off it. i will never buy volvo again

My car

When buying this car we were looking to meet 3 criteria : Safety, reliability and cost of ownership. As you would expect from the Volvo brand.

I always felt that this was a safe car, and was very comforted to know my family would be protected should a collision occur. When it came to reliability we feel very very let down. We bought the car as a 1 owner second hand car with 60,000 miles at 3 years old. In the two years of ownership we had to replace 1 anti-roll bar (front), 1 steering column (£700+), the rear suspension shocks (£1000+) and at the time of sale the rear parking sensors were playing up (£300) and the throttle swirl valve was showing on the diagnostic check as needing immanent replacement (£400). On top of that a set of brake discs and pads required £600 and a middle of the road set of tyres £650 !

Add to that road tax of £450 + a year...... and this car was turning into a money pit!

Nice comfortable car for motorway cruising perhaps, with 40+mpg easily achievable..... but for normal everyday town driving and school run a figure or 28-29 mpg is just too poor at todays diesel prices!

Not a great ownership experience overall.