The following review is for a 2021 Model Year. There may be minor changes to current model you are looking at.

Introduction

The 2021 XC90 is Volvo at its most dapper. With its three rows of seats and an abundance of safety technology, it's also the Swedish automaker's hallmark vehicle. 

Driving that point home is the lengthy list of standard tech features for 2021. New no-cost gadgets include wireless smartphone charging, and two more USB ports. Active-safety gets a boost with standard blind-spot monitors, adaptive LED lights, and front parking sensors. 

Engine options, all based on a 2.0-liter turbo-4, remain unchanged. Base models make 250 horsepower and are the only way to get front-wheel drive with an XC90. T6 versions add a supercharger to the turbo-4 for 316 hp; all-wheel drive is standard. 

The Recharge, which was previously known as the T8, features a 10.4-kwh battery and electric motor. Total output is 400 hp. The plug-in's parlor trick isn't speed, however, but efficiency. XC90 Recharge models can manage 18 miles of all-electric driving and return 27 mpg combined when operating as a hybrid. 

Along with the safety features newly standard for 2021, every XC90 comes with adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and automatic high beams. Optional equipment includes a surround-view camera system and Pilot Assist, the latter being a semi-autonomous feature that lets drivers briefly take their hands off the wheel. 

Crash-test results bear out Volvo's reputation for safety. Five stars overall from the government and a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS are among the XC90's accolades. 

Lineup

There are three flavors of XC90: Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription. The T5 engine comes standard with Momentum and R-Design, while the T6 is optional. Inscription models start out with the T6. The Recharge is available with the R-Design and Inscription. 

The $49,995 Momentum includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and four-zone climate control. Power seats, a power liftgate, and real wood trim are also all part of the deal. 

Moving into the $56,595 R-Design brings sportier design cues such as 20-inch wheels and gloss black trim. Inside, buyers are treated to leather upholstery, Harman Kardon audio, and heated front seats with power thigh extenders. Keeping with the performance theme, seats are more bolstered and the suspension is marginally stiffer. 

Inscription models begin at $64,890 and emphasize luxury over performance. A comfort-oriented suspension, real wood trim, nappa leather, power-adjustable bolsters, and plusher seats that are heated and cooled are all standard. 

Walkaround

When describing the XC90, Volvo throws around terms like tranquil, uncluttered, and calming. They didn't just pull those adjectives out of a hat; the XC90 has a relaxed, confident, handsome demeanor. 

Interior

Swaddled in leather and slathered in wood, the XC90 interior is rich with subtle elegance. As it stands, the XC90 continues to boast one of the nicest interiors in the segment. That's a bold claim in this segment, where the bar has been pushed well into the stratosphere, but we mean it. 

The only drawback we can levy at this interior is the touchscreen, which leaves us pining for faster response speeds and a more intuitive menu layout. Thankfully Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. We recommend using that connectivity to circumvent the frustrating native software. 

At this point, the excellence of Volvo seats is well known, but we'll say it anyway: sitting in the XC90, particularly in the front row, is a treat. The soft leather and thick cushions provide the sort of soft, relaxed sensations of your favorite armchair, but the nicely-sized bolsters keep things from getting too relaxed. 

The back seat isn't quite as sumptuous, unless the captain's chairs are ordered. That cuts down total seating to six but greatly enhances second-row comfort while also improving access to the third row. It would be our preferred configuration. 

Cargo space behind the third row is limited to 16 cubic feet; behind the second row, 42 cubes. With both rows folded there's room for 86 cubic feet worth of cargo. 

Driving Impression

The XC90 is a comfort-minded cruiser, preferring to waltz rather than tango. That's borne out by the relaxed chassis. This isn't some flinty performance SUV, it's a well-controlled ride, especially with the available air suspension that smothers bumps and heaves. With wheels up to 21 inches in diameter on the option books, we consider it $1,800 well spent. 

The base T5 engine does little to inspire us. Its 250 hp is impressive in a car that weighs less than two tons, but the XC90 weighs 4,500 pounds. Consider the T6 upgrade money well spent. The T6 is the same basic engine as the T5 but for the addition of a supercharger. That upgrade is worth an extra 66 hp, for a total of 316 hp. That's the sort of power the XC90 needs. Volvo qoutes a 0-60 mph time of around six seconds, which we find wholly believable. 

The Recharge is the most impressive option here. Plug-in hybrid, 400 hp, 18 miles of electric range, and a 0-60 mph of about 5.5 seconds. It is fast, quiet, and surprisingly efficient. No, it doesn't turn the XC90 into a Prius, but it does give this SUV the economy of a small car. That it pulls this off while returning strong acceleration and passing power is especially commendable. 

Summary

With the 2021 XC90, Volvo has built a flagship SUV that does little wrong. Stylish opulence is found on every trim, and the T6 and Recharge engines back that aesthetic up with ample power and performance. Our irrational side would want to splurge on the Recharge Inscription, but a T6 version is more prudent and hardly less impressive. 

 

-by Anthony Sophinos, with driving impressions from The Car Connection.