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 are now a host of rival luxury SUVs aimed at those with children, including the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery. So, this second-generation XC90 comes packed with even more features that are designed to make family motoring safer, less stressful and more entertaining.

On top of this, while its predecessor could be bought with petrol or diesel power, the latest car is also offered as a plug-in hybrid, called the Volvo XC90 T8.

This T8 model combines a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0 engine with an electric motor for official CO2 emissions of just 49g/km, and can get you 25 miles into your journey before it needs to burn any petrol.

Just as crucially, the T8 retains its third row of seats, whereas natural rivals such as the Q7 E-tron have to forfeit theirs in order to make space for the all-important batteries.

Is the Volvo XC90 a better all-rounder than its rivals, though? And is the T8 really the best version, or would you be better off choosing one of the much cheaper diesels?

That's what we'll be exploring in this review. Or, alternatively, if you'd like to know how much we can save you on a new Volvo XC90, thanks to the What Car? New Car Buying service, click here. It could potentially be thousands.