Volvo XC90 B6 Ultimate review: A last hurrah?

The Volvo XC90 has, since its redesign in 2014, been one of the biggest SUVs on European roads. It has been a hugely popular model, thanks to the spacious interior with 7-seats, smooth engine options and a fuss-free design. While much of the attention is on the forthcoming Volvo EX90 – expected to launch in 2024 – the addition of the B6 mild hybrid brings a boost to the incumbent model, paired with Ultimate trim.

I drove it for a couple of weeks, including a longer excursion across Europe, to get a feel for what might be something of a final act for Volvo’s large SUV as we know it.

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The Disconnekt Downlow

There’s no questioning the sense of refinement that the Volvo XC90 brings with it. It’s comfortable, there’s loads of space with that 7-seat option or a huge boot when the third row is folded flat. It’s quiet too, with minimal road noise entering the cabin.

The suspension handles broken roads with ease, while the all-wheel drive system brings a sense of stability on the road. The B6 mild hybrid petrol offers loads of power with 300hp, while the 6.7 second 0-62mph time certainly feels fast. There is a touch of lag when you put your foot down, however, so it doesn’t leap away from the lights.

The interior tech has embraced Google, running Android Automotive with Google Maps navigation by default and Google Assistant ready to accept voice commands. But the screen is a little small by modern standards, a reminder that this interior dates from 2015, and there’s a big change coming in the form of the Volvo EX90 later in the year.

See here on Volvocars.com from £77,640

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Volvo XC90 fun stuff: Design, interior and technology

The Volvo XC90 is a familiar sight on UK and European roads. Since its launch, it has been one of the largest SUVs that you can buy, dominating roads with its elevated ride height and creeping around tight corners in multistorey car parks. Certainly, when you’re behind the wheel of the Volvo XC90, you feel like you might have reached the limit of what European roads can accommodate.

That’s part of the appeal though: there’s room to spare, with the third row actually being comfortable for an adult, and it’s a veritable playground for kids or the dog. You can see why the XC90 is a regular fixture on the school run, with well-healed suburbanites choosing it over the Range Rover or BMW X7 – it’s just a little more understated than some of its rivals, but it has all the space.

The Ultimate trim, naturally, lives up to its name, delivering a sumptuous Nappa leather interior with heated and ventilated seats incorporating a massage function in the front, while the Bowers & Wilkins sound system gives it a lift too. The boot capacity at 608 litres (in five seat mode) is huge, allowing easy transportation of your dog, Christmas presents, a weeks’ worth of camping gear – whatever you need really – while the panoramic roof increases the feeling of spaciousness in the interior.

The central 12.3-inch display is perhaps a little small by modern standards; it was first introduced on this interior in 2015 and while that minimalist interior seemed revolutionary at the time, it hasn’t changed in this latest model. In contrast, however, the forthcoming Volvo EX90 (the fully electric sibling to the XC90) will have an entirely different loadout with a 24-inch screen, which perhaps puts the XC90 in its place.

Notably, the Volvo XC90 uses Android Automotive, with Google’s connected apps providing search and mapping. This feels like a home from home if you’re an Android phone user, and the whole system is an easy set up just by scanning the QR codes on the screen and then logging in via your phone – it just takes a few taps.

If you’re an Apple user you don’t need to be perturbed as it supports Apple CarPlay, but only the native system fully utilises the heads-up display. Using Google Maps on the native system gives the best experience however – although it supports the Waze app, this is limited to showing navigation just on the central display and not the driver display.

Google Assistant is very welcomed. This offers all the functions you’d expect – like music, calling, and navigation – but can also control aspects of the car, like turning on the seat heating. It’s all simple enough to use, but as I said, the display now feels a little small.

Volvo XC90 essentials: The drive, performance and handling

SUVs have gained popularity because of that elevated driving position – and the XC90 is one of the biggest on the road. You’ll be exchanging nods with Range Rover drivers, as you coast about the place. There is adaptive suspension on the XC90, but you don’t get control of this when you’re driving, it’s perhaps a little odd that you park the car, lock it, and then the suspension lowers itself, hunkering down as though it’s going to sleep.

Volvo doesn’t offer driving modes like you might find on the Audi Q8 either, it’s very much a case of twisting the start knob and getting on with it. There are a couple of settings to adjust the characteristics of the drive, but most of the time, you’re left to your own devices. The mild hybrid arrangement here shouldn’t be confused with the plug-in hybrid option offered elsewhere in the range: mild hybrid engines simply harvests some of the spare energy to power other systems, rather than giving you any sort of independent electric driving range.

The Volvo XC90 rides high and of course you feel that when cornering. Although body roll is minimalised, faster cornering won’t be too popular with your passengers – it’s just not designed to be driven like a race car. That’s also apparent from the accelerator pedal and I found some lag in putting my foot down and getting a response. That’s particularly noticeable at roundabouts: you go to pull away, there’s a slight delay, you press harder, the gearbox catches up and you leap away faster than you planned.

There’s no shortage of power on the B6 model, with 300hp resulting in a 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds. That’s not going to break any records, but it feels fast when you’re sitting behind the wheel of something the size of a stately home. The suspension does a good job of dealing with broken roads, while Volvo cites 30mpg, I got close to averaging 27mpg, which isn’t bad on a model this size.

There is loads of safety tech on board as you’d expect from a Volvo. You might want to switch off the lane keep system when driving on UK roads because it really doesn’t like you drifting over the centre line, but the Pilot Assist – which is a level 2 autonomous driving system – is really easy to engage and controls things like speed and distance from other vehicles. I found it really reliable and useful when driving, making those long motorway drives a breeze.

The emergency braking engaged a couple of times, stopping the car when I was reversing into a parking space and it thought I was going to hit something. That said, the 360-degree camera system is really useful on a car this size, as the XC90 is, realistically, larger than most European parking spaces.

Should I buy a Volvo XC90?

Volvo’s big rival comes from within: the Volvo EX90 is likely to be the model that big SUV owners look to when considering an upgrade, but it may well make the Volvo XC90 look affordable by comparison, as the EX90 will start at £96,000. The arrival of the EX90 also makes the Volvo XC90 interior look dated with its huge display, but when compared on price, the XC90 is going to remain more affordable. However, the Volvo XC90 is certainly still worth your attention, remaining one of the biggest and most comfortable SUVs on the road.

Recommending the Ultimate edition is a little harder however. While the enhancements that it offers do boost the experience, it does come at a cost – over £75,000, making lower spec models an easier recommendation at near £10k less.

FAQs

What are the drawbacks of the Volvo XC90 B6?

The XC90’s drawbacks include a smallish infotainment screen, slight acceleration lag, and a very expensive Ultimate trim level. While the engine has no electric range, there is plenty of power.

How does the XC90 B6 compare to the electric EX90?

The Volvo EX90 is more modern with a much larger infotainment display. It is also fully electric, but is much more expensive than the Volvo XC90.

How does the interior compare to its rivals?

Volvo takes a slightly more minimalist approach to its interior. The Ultimate trim pictured here is really plush, with Nappa leather seats, but the Audi Q8 and BMW X7 – its closest rivals – have interiors that feel slightly more technical and sporty.