Volvo XC90
FINAL REPORT If you or your employer has the cash, SUV is truly brilliant
OVER the past year, I’ve run two different versions of our current favourite large SUV, Volvo’s XC90. First came the D5 diesel; then after six months, I swapped into this T8 plug-in hybrid model.
So which is better? Sadly, it’s not clear-cut and depends how you’re going to buy it – or more to the point, who’s going to buy it.
If your company is stumping up the cash, then the plug-in hybrid is the one to go for. Thanks to its part-electric, partpetrol powertrain, it claims (emphasis on ‘claims’) 134.5mpg and 49g/km of CO2.
However, the outdated and unrealistic official fuel economy tests weren’t designed for cars with plugs, and clearly don’t relate to efficiency in the real world. This is where we all drive – not in a laboratory – and my overall mpg figure was a disappointing 38. 2mpg. The official figures for the diesel, on the other hand, are 49.6mpg and 149g/km – or in my hands, only 33mpg.
So what does that mean? Those absurd official figures for my T8 R-design mean that you’ll save a fortune in company car tax. For the current tax year, you’ll pay £1,779 to the Treasury as a higher-rate earner.
If you’ve already opted for the diesel, you’d better sit down at this point because your company car tax bill on a D5 Inscription will be £6,015. That works out at an extra £353 per month for business users who choose the diesel. It’s the same as you’d save on the plug-in hybrid – assuming your company is willing to stump up the £12,505 extra for the T8 (and enjoy a tax benefit itself).
It’s a saving that’s hard to ignore, but if it’s your money buying the car, I’d save the up-front cash and go for the diesel. As much as the T8 is a delight to drive – it’s quiet, especially for the 21 miles on electric power – the D5 will go further between fill-ups and that list price saving will allow you to indulge in plenty of options. In that area, Volvo has learned from its premium rivals.
But whichever version you choose, the XC90 remains our pick of the big SUVS; it’s the car the new Land Rover Discovery has to beat, and it’ll have a tough time doing so.
Like most owners, I didn’t really test my car over rough terrain, but on tarmac, the car rides comfortably, and there’s plenty of space inside for my family of five. The two extra seats in the large boot are reasonably adult-friendly and add flexibility, too.
Sadly, though, there are bits of Volvo that are still in the past. The dealer handover wasn’t especially impressive, while towards the end of my tenure, the infotainment touchscreen became temperamental and there was a trim rattle in the rear. But whichever version you choose will be a great family SUV, and I’ll miss having one on my driveway. Lots.