2024 Volvo XC90

The 2024 Volvo XC90 Has Grown Old Gracefully

It’s usually easy to identify runout models from their dated design, yet Volvo’s evergreen XC90 shows no signs of fading away. In its final model year, the biggest car yet to emerge from Sweden still has amazing grace across its minimalist lines. The adoption of family DNA like those Thor’s-hammer headlamps has kept the XC90 looking fresh externally, and things get even better inside…

Is the 2024 Volvo XC90 Luxurious?

It’s rather special. The doors shut with a reassuring thud that provides the first indication of an exceptionally strong safety roster. As you settle into hugely comfortable seats that range from synthetic leather to exquisite (yet stain-resistant) wool blend, all is well. Effective use of natural materials extends to available timber and metal dash and door finishes, while an Orrefors crystal gear lever provides an unusually decadent focal point. Even base XC90s incorporate heated power-adjustable front seats and a big sunroof alongside a tactile portrait touchscreen.

Not only are cabin materials of the highest possible quality, they’re also used effectively. The dash is dominated by a portrait touchscreen which handles most of the vehicle’s controls, leaving a single row of knobs and dials for the most important climate and volume settings. Studied minimalism makes this a calming place to spend time, while effective packaging maximizes space. Even third-row occupants won’t complain, with light fabrics and plenty of glass accentuating reasonable space capacities. We’d praise the available second-row captain’s chairs more highly if they weren’t more expensive than the standard three-seater bench, but they’re a great option if your traveling party is usually an even number.

The 2024 Volvo XC90 is Composed but No Driver’s Car

You wouldn’t expect a three-row SUV to provide track day thrills, and so it proves. The XC90 is an old high-sided design, majoring on comfort more than dynamics. (If sharp handling is a priority, your local BMW dealer would be delighted to discuss an X7). Volvo has focused on comfort and refinement, with a mature ride across the range and minimal noise. Fitting 20 or 21-inch wheels makes the optional air suspension a worthwhile upgrade, but you won’t be joggled around without it.

Performance varies by model, but even the entry-level B5 is punchy, mating permanent AWD and an eight-speed automatic transmission with a 250-hp turbo-4 that’s been mildly enhanced for 2024. The B6 combines turbocharging and supercharging to give this three-row SUV some serious hustle, allied to a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 lb. It’s harder to justify the price uptick for the Recharge plug-in hybrid, even though its 455 hp output includes up to 33 miles of all-electric range. It's a fine choice, albeit a costly one.

The 2024 Volvo XC90 Benefits from Peerless Safety

We’ve come a long way from the days when the list of Volvo virtues started and ended with safety. Yet the Swedes haven’t forgotten about the importance of protecting their passengers, even as areas like style and performance have risen up the agenda. The XC90 is about as safe as cars get. It has top scores from both the NHTSA and IIHS and even its reversing camera is unusually well-defined. The automatic emergency braking can detect pedestrians and cyclists, the exterior LED lighting is adaptive, and even base models incorporate blind-spot monitoring and active lane control. There’s also a standard PilotAssist system that can manage power, braking, and steering for short stints – the perfect way to reduce fatigue during long drives.

Does The 2024 Volvo XC90 Get Good Fuel Economy?

If you can forgive its hefty purchase price, the XC90 Recharge’s combined figure of 27 mpg is impressive for a car of this size. The B5 and B6 return 24 and 23 mpg respectively on the combined cycle – not enough to justify a Greenpeace bumper sticker, but decent for a vehicle of this size and weight.

Is the 2024 Volvo XC90 A Good Car?

Considering both its vintage and the all-new XC90 waiting in the wings, the current model is nothing short of amazing. Cars this old shouldn’t be this talented, or feel this fresh. It’s only the prospect of an imminent replacement that prevents us from giving the current-generation XC90 an unqualified recommendation. Yes, the Recharge model is very expensive, and no, this isn’t a driver’s car. Yet those are mere croutons of complaint in an otherwise perfectly judged soup.

The XC90 is pleasingly understated inside and out, with a gorgeous and impressively comfortable cabin augmented by mature road manners. It’s spacious for half a dozen adults, generously equipped even in base Core guise, powerful with any engine, and cossetting on long journeys where all that standard driver assistance tech comes into its own. This feels more like a new model than an outgoing one, while the crystal-and-wool Ultimate model brings Range Rover luxury for less than $85,000. We can only speculate how Volvo will up the ante with the next-generation XC90.

2024 Volvo XC90 Alternatives

Rivals have struggled to surpass the XC90’s achievements, but competition in the seven-seater SUV sector remains fierce. Audi’s outgoing Q7 is also on its valedictory lap, while BMW’s X7 looks older than both, despite being the newest of the three. Other large luxury SUVs include the Acura MDX and Jeep Wagoneer, while Rivian’s R1T and Mercedes-Benz’s EQS are pricier all-electric competitors.

Source: The Car Connection