Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge Review

Practicality and Boot Space

The XC90 is a big car – almost five metres long and over two metres wide, so it’s hardly surprising that it’s as practical as they come. Even with all seven seats up it has 316 litres of boot space, which extends to a colossal 1,816 litres with everything folded away.

There’s bags of space in the cabin, while the clever seating layout allows it to be used a five, six or seven-seater – perfect for larger families.

Technology

It’s not as fresh as it once was, but the main infotainment system is still quite cool to look at, occupying a portrait tablet-style screen in the centre of the dashboard. When it was launched it felt pretty cutting-edge, but it’s now start to tail off a little bit; it doesn’t offer quite as much functionality as rival offerings. That said, it’s still easy to use and superbly responsive, while smartphone integrated systems such as Apple CarPlay are integrated into the car’s standard tech so there’s no clunkiness. Volvo’s new breed of owner is much younger than in the past and the brand’s focus on technology emphasis this.

Safety

One area where Volvo hasn’t cut any corners – nor could it ever – is in the field of safety, something for which the Swedish brand has long been a byword. It will come as no surprise, then, to learn that the XC90 scores top marks in Euro NCAP testing nor that it comes with a comprehensive package of driver assistance systems, while some features that the likes of Audi and Land Rover charge extra for are standard in the Volvo.