The Volvo XC90 has always been a go-to moniker in the mid-size luxury SUV segment for those who value comfort and luxury more than anything else. This three-row SUV ticked all the right boxes when it comes to the comfort factor and what made it even more attractive is due to its value-for-money pricing. Even though the second-generation moniker has been in production since 2015, it still is a top pick of the lot as it doesn't have too many compromises under its belt.
Offered for a base selling price of $56,000, the 2022 Volvo XC90 comes with the same opulent cabin with premium materials and all the relevant tech and features you would expect at this price point. Two gasoline powerplants are offered, and there is also a PHEV variant that can cover 36 miles on electricity alone. It received quite a lot of additional features and comes with updated optional packages too. Competing with the Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, and Genesis GV80, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Volvo XC90.
10 Cabin Is Supremely Luxurious
Being part of the luxury mid-size crossover SUV segment, the interior quality and refinement are expected to be top-notch in the XC90, and thankfully it doesn't disappoint one bit. The interior comes packed with premium materials all-around, and the buyers are going to appreciate the classy design language as well.
The Nappa leather upholstery feels supremely comfortable and elegant. Other premium touches such as the crystal gear shifter, a healthy dose of leather with contrast stitching on the dashboard and door cards, and a perfectly contoured steering wheel add to the classiness too. The entire cabin has soft-touch materials and the cabin build quality is top-notch.
9 Reasonably Spacious Interior
The 2022 Volvo XC90 doesn't get any changes in terms of interior space when compared to the outgoing model year, and that is not a bad thing. The older model years of the second generation XC90 were quite synonymous with their spacious first and second-row seats. The Nappa leather upholstery and airy cabin were also much appreciated.
Even though these qualities have been carried forward unchanged, we wished it had a more spacious third row. The shoulder room of 46.9" for the third-row seat makes it very claustrophobic. The under-thigh support and legroom are disappointing too. The cargo capacity of 12.6 cubic feet is mediocre at best, however, it can be improved by folding the rear two rows.
8 Gets A Powerful PHEV Powertrain
The 2022 Volvo XC90 comes with three plug-in hybrid trims, and it is quite a lot more powerful than the regular T5 and T6 engines on offer. Offered for a base MSRP of $71,900, the XC90 Recharge comes with 455 hp and 523 lb-ft of torque producing 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine mated to dual electric motors.
The 0-60 mph is done in just 4.5 seconds and the XC90 Recharge has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. The impressive low-end torque provided by the dual electric motor coupled with a fast shifting 8-speed automatic and AWD drivetrain makes the XC90 Recharge a hoot to drive on the freeways.
7 Even The Base 2.0-Liter Engine Is Peppy
If you do not feel like spending more on the plug-in hybrid trim for getting that extra bit of performance and fuel efficiency, the regular T5 engines are going to be more than adequate for a daily driver. Put your foot down from the standstill and the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine mated to the 8-speed torque converter automatic does move without any fuss.
The T5 engine offers a decent 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, and it can be had in both FWD or AWD drivetrains. It takes 7.5 seconds to do 0-60 mph as well. However, Volvo also offers the same engine in T6 nomenclature and this comes with a better tune of 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. This helps the XC90 to do better acceleration times as well.
6 Could Have Been More Fuel Efficient
With the turbocharged inline-4 engine under the hood for the regular gasoline-powered variants, we expected the fuel efficiency figures to be excellent for the 2022 Volvo XC90. However, 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highways offered by the T5 with FWD drivetrain were very comparable to the rivals that came with inline-6 engines under the hood.
Get the AWD variant of the T5 trim, and you are looking at 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highways. The more powerful T6 variants did a combined gas mileage of 22 mpg as well. The tank capacity isn't the best of the segment and that results in a slightly mediocre tank range as well. However, the XC90 Recharge offers 66 mpge and is the one to get if you are concerned about the gas mileage.
5 Perfect Pricing For A Luxury SUV
Launched at a base selling price of $56,000, the 2022 Volvo XC90 does manage to undercut most of the segment rivals in terms of pricing. Both the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne are much more expensive than the XC90 and both of them do not come with similar features and tech list as standard too.
We also like the performance and driving experience offered by the Volvo and the PHEV Recharge trim comes at an almost identical price to that of the Porsche Cayenne's base price. All the optional packages and features aren't ridiculously priced like that of the Porsche as well.
4 Tablet-Like Touchscreen Infotainment System
The 9" Sensus Connect touchscreen infotainment system comes as standard for all the trims, and it is integrated vertically to the center of the dashboard. There are no hard buttons and knobs anywhere and that would require some time to get used to. However, you are not going to be disappointed in terms of the features list and interface it offers.
The standard features include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, Sensus navigation pro, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 10-speaker audio system. You could also opt for the Harman Kardon premium audio system for an additional $800 as well.
3 Comes Loaded With All The Safety Tech
Being a Volvo, you do not need to worry about the safety techs and build quality as they are quite synonymous in both regards. This 2022 moniker comes loaded with many standard driver-assistance techs such as forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning.
If you opt for the Ultimate variant which costs an additional $13,200 more than the base price tag, you get even more standard features such as adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera, and road sign information system. The 2022 XC90 also received a 5-star rating in the NHTSA crash test and the top safety pick + title in the IIHS crash test.
2 Gets A Long List Of Upgrades
The 2022 Volvo XC90 gets quite a bit of upgrade from the outgoing 2021 model. The base Momentum trim comes with a few more interior and infotainment features as standard. All the trims offer a redesigned rear silhouette with minor tweaks to the bumper and a hidden exhaust.
The optional Advance package gets a 360-degree camera, head-up display, and a superior air purification system. The PHEV trims offer a superior electric-only range too. Apart from that, some of the features have been trimmed down as well.
1 Sharp Braking Performance
The 2022 Volvo XC90 gets a 4-wheel disc brake setup with 13.6" front rotors and 12.6" rear rotors. This helps the car to anchor down from high speeds without any major effort. It could do the 70-0 mph braking in around 180 feet as well.
The XC90 comes with all the relevant braking features such as ABS with EBD, brake assist, hill hold control, hill descent control, and automated emergency braking. In comparison, the BMW X5 managed to do the same in a lesser 160 feet, making it the best of the segment in terms of braking performance. It gets all the relevant braking features too.