USED Volvo XC90 4x4 (02 - )

My car

I have had my Volvo XC90 for two and a half years and the Car looks good on the outside but please done be deceived by the good looks. I was told that the car has Transmission Problems from 30,000 Miles but I refused to beleive it as it was a Volvo and they are VERY VERY RELIABLE.

Alas, it proved not to be true. At 40,000 Miles my car started having Transmission Problems and Volvo tried to cure the fault but could not. I have taken the car to many "Volvo Specialists" and I have ben told that they would NOT fix it as it was a gearbox problem and there is no apparent solution at the moment even if the gearbox is taken apart. Volvo mentioned to me to fix the car will cost me £5000.00 but that is still no guarantee the gearbox will work properly.

Overall, I am extremely disapointed and angry with the car and Volvo themselves

My car

I have recently bought an XC90 R Design. It returns 32.5 mpg on my commute into Birmingham city centre-- 5 miles local traffic then stop start m6 for another 18 miles. It has "sports suspension" which controls body roll very well and combined with the 25.5 cm wide tyres makes the car handle extremely well on B roads (I was surprised by this). Interior is spacious and all seats except the drivers fold making for a massive load bay. Middle row room is great for the wife and new born baby.( I m 6ft 3 and and can sit cross legged in boot so might install a baby changing facility!)

stereo good, seats comfy - and mp3 disk functionality works well.

only gripe relates to handbrake - foot operated and pull release is clunky - would be better with the VW passat push button system system.

autobox smooth and kicks down well ( quite quick) - would be better though if 6th gear could be selected earlier for economy and held without changing down to allow the car to cruise on tick over. ( tick over is very low at 600rpm ish.)

overall - i like it having had a few audi cabriolets and rep mobiles previously.

My car

I have had an XC90 D4 SE from new since July 2004 and it has now done 40000 miles. Other reviews have extolled the many genuine virtues of the XC90 but frankly this car has been ruined for me by the ghastly D5 engine. This is possibly the roughest and least refined car I have had since I had a 1.8TC Morris Marina. It has a lumpy idle, terrible boom periods at motorway speeds and the driving mirror becomes blurred with vibration under load at anything less than 1600 rpm. Motorway cruising has to be done at exactly 2450rpm as any more or any less results in unpleasant resonances. Venturing to 2900 rpm is similar to being inside a washing machine on a fast spin cycle. When it returns to idle, the engine mounts sound like they are loose. The dealer says there is nothing abnormal about the car, although they did find that the rear engine mount had split. Replacing it did not improve matters. I have driven other Volvos with the D5 engine (including the 183bhp version) and frankly they are all pretty dreadful. This is shame because despite its refinement being similar to a Cornish ore crusher, the XC90 D5 is very economical, regularly returning 33mpg on urban driving. I was recently mailshotted by the dealer with a "Good News" promotional offer. Eagerly I called the number given, hoping that the "good news" would be that Volvo had at last dumped the D5 and fitted the excellent diesel V6 from the Discovery. No such luck.

My car

I have owned this car for just over 2 yrs and use it regularly for long runs in Europe as well as the daily commute in the UK. I regularly return 31 mls per gal. Cabin comfort is excellent and the stereo satifies the needs of my teenage daughters - who consider themselves expert on car ICE.In the first year a rear drive shaft had to be replaced as well as the battery. Whilst in France in both 06 and 07 the air con struggled to cope with 40 degree heat.It took my local Volvo dealer 5 attempts to complete a fix traced to a leak behind the dashboard.[compensated by free second year service] Since then no problems. A complete tyre change at 18K - but saved a fortune by trawling the internet - I recommend this approach rather than going to only local tyre dealers.Design faults are few - the fog lights are placed too low down by the drivers right knee, and the diesel engine mated to the geartronic box can make quick exits from side junctions a heart in the mouth manouvre. Apart from that, the best car I have ever owned.