Used Volvo XC90 2002 - 2015 review

The Volvo XC90 is a very practical family car and a school-run favourite, yet it’s also a comfortable long-distance cruiser.

That comfort is partly down to supple suspension, but the XC90 also has fantastically supportive seats. And, although the interior looks dated, it’s solid and hardwearing.

The fact that the XC90 has seating for seven adds to its popularity with families. There’s plenty of room for adults in the front five seats, and these all slide and recline individually. However, the third row is best left to kids because leg and head room are tight.

Even when all the seats are in use, the boot should be big enough for the weekly food shop, and the rear seats can be folded into the floor when they’re not needed, leaving enough space for a family’s holiday luggage.

The driver sits up high – as you would expect in a 4x4 – with excellent forward visibility, although the high bonnet makes it tricky to see the front corners of the car, which can make the XC90 harder to manoeuvere in tight spaces.

Don’t expect to have much fun driving the XC90, either. It leans over dramatically when you turn in to corners and the steering is nowhere near as responsive as a BMW X5’s.

The diesel engines sound gruff at low speeds and send quite a lot of vibration through the steering wheel.