Feature

New BMW X5 45e vs Volvo XC90 T8: infotainment

Want a luxury SUV but can’t stomach the fuel and tax bills? One of these plug-in hybrids from BMW and Volvo might be the answer

Infotainment systems

BMW X5

We’ve long said that BMW’s infotainment system is the best in the business, and the X5 doesn’t change our mind one bit. It’s controlled by a rotary dial between the seats or via the 12.3in touchscreen and comes with sat-nav, DAB and wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, although not Android Auto. The menus are easy to navigate, the graphics are crisp and it responds promptly to inputs.

advertisment

Volvo XC90

At 9.0in, the XC90’s touchscreen is much smaller than the X5’s and nowhere near as responsive to commands. In addition, some of the icons are quite small, making them tricky to hit on the move, while the menus can be confusing. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are packaged as a £300 option, but they’re displayed only on the bottom half of the screen, so they aren’t all that easy to see at a glance.