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Volvo XC90 vs Audi RS Q3

What's the difference?

VS
Volvo XC90
Volvo XC90

$53,990 - $92,900

2021 price

Audi RS Q3
Audi RS Q3

$107,750 - $124,850

2023 price

Summary

2021 Volvo XC90
2023 Audi RS Q3
Safety Rating

Engine Type
S/C & T/C 4CYL, 2.0L

Turbo 5, 2.5L
Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded Petrol

-
Fuel Efficiency
8.5L/100km (combined)

8.9L/100km (combined)
Seating
7

5
Dislikes
  • Hybrid battery could be bigger
  • Media screen is overly busy
  • Charging cable storage bag seem an afterthought

  • Front seats tricky to get in and out of
  • Sizeable turning circle
  • Only six airbags
2021 Volvo XC90 Summary

The last time I reviewed a plug-in hybrid Volvo I pretty much got death threats. OK, not quite, but my review and video of the XC60 R Design T8 made some readers and viewers very angry and they even called me names, all because I never charged the battery. Well, there’ll be no need for me to flee to a safe house this time, because not only did I charge the XC90 R-Design T8 Recharge I’m reviewing here, but I plugged it in nearly all the time I wasn’t driving it. Happy now?

I say nearly all the time, because during the three-week test of this plug-in hybrid XC 90 we took it away on a family holiday and didn’t have access to power and you’ll most likely face that situation too as an owner.

So how was the fuel economy of this big seven-seat SUV PHEV over hundreds of kilometres and being used as a family workhorse? The result blew me away and I can see why people were so furious with me in the first place.

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2023 Audi RS Q3 Summary

Is 10 years long enough for a special birthday celebration? When you're a kid, hitting 'double figures' is a pretty big deal, and Audi's obviously in the mood to make some noise because it has lit the candles on a limited 10th anniversary version of its compact SUV rocket ship, the RS Q3.

Only 555 examples of the 'RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 years' will be produced for worldwide consumption, with Audi Australia capturing a batch of them and sending one our way for a brief blast as the fiery five-cylinder starts filtering into dealerships.

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Volvo XC90 2023 Audi RS Q3

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