Volvo XC90 review

The original Volvo XC90 was something of a trailblazer. Big, graceful and with seven seats as standard, it was heaven-sent for well-heeled families who’d been crying out for an upmarket way to ferry around people and paraphernalia.

Naturally, it sold by the bucketload. However, there's now a host of rival luxury SUVs aimed at those with large families, including the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery. So, to up the ante, the latest Volvo XC90 comes packed with even more features that are designed to make family motoring safer, less stressful and more entertaining.

Confusingly, the XC90’s entry-level turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engines are both badged B5. Both use mild hybrid assistance to reduce CO2 emissions and give a little performance boost, too. If you want more power at your disposal, there’s always the B6 petrol, which adds a supercharger to the mix.

To go one step further, there's also a plug-in hybrid model called the Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge. This combines a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-litre engine with an electric motor for really nippy acceleration, yet official CO2 emissions are as low as 63g/km, and you can expect up to 25 miles of pure electric motoring in real-world driving.

Is the Volvo XC90 a better all-rounder than its rivals, though? And is the T8 the best version, or would you be better off choosing one of the much cheaper engines? That's what we'll be exploring in this review.

And when you're done researching, head over to our New Car Buying Service to see how much you could save on dozens of cars, including the Volvo XC90.