Volvo XC90 2020 review: T6 R Design

The XC90 is very smooth for such a large car. There’s a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine which doesn’t sound very big for a car this size, but it’s supercharged and turbocharged, so there is plenty of power.

It got up hills quickly and I also took it on a few highway drives this week so can vouch for the ease of driving long distances. I felt confident overtaking and didn’t have any issues.

The XC90 is very smooth for such a large car.

It also handles well and the steering is great to turn, so attempting even tight parks was possible, despite the size. It has a high definition reverse parking camera and you can also switch views to get a variety of angles - reverse, left, right, front and 360-degree view so you can see everything around the car, too.

There’s plenty of space up the front in the XC90, even with the large panoramic sunroof there is enough headroom for taller passengers and leg space is generous as well. It’s a very comfortable cabin to be in for long periods of time. 

The back was sizeable for my two children, aged six and eight. They had extra space to swing around in this week. I also fit in the second row with almost 30cm of space between my knees and the seat in front of me, so taller passengers will fit in the second row easily. 

And the third row is one of the most comfortable I have sat in. The angle of the seats lodges you in rather ergonomically and I was quite settled back there with just enough leg space.

The third row is one of the most comfortable I have sat in.

Granted, I’m little, so taller adults might find the headroom limited, but kids will be happy back there. You can also move the second row forward and configure the two rows to give more space to either one. 

The boot is a good size for family use. With 314 litres of space with the third row in use, that’s enough for school bags or grocery bags. Even a medium suitcase can fit on the side. We also managed to fit the bulky CarsGuide pram in on the side, which is unheard of for a seven-seat SUV boot. 

Fold the third row flat and boot opens up to a huge 651L which will fit most things a family will throw at it. It easily swallows the CarsGuide pram and you’d be able to load in groceries beside it. 

The boot is a good size for family use.

There’s a load of automation in this model, with power operated front seats, keyless entry, a park brake that turns on and off automatically and a power operated tailgate.

The front seats are heated and for storage there are two cupholders, two small spaces for things like keys and a phone but no Qi (chi) charger. There’s a decent centre storage box and bottle holders in each door. 

Rear passengers get two cupholders in the centre armrest, pockets on the back of the front seats and their own air vents and climate control. 

Standard with this model is a park brake that turns on and off automatically.

The third row has two cupholders and a small storage spot on either side. The air vents are well placed, right at face level and are very breezy which is exactly what you need in this row. 

Getting into the third row is standard, but I found lifting the seats themselves a little heavy and would have appreciated straps on the back to lift them both at the same time, from the boot.

As it stands you need to open the door on one side, put the second row forward and lift the third row seat, then you need to go around to the other side and do exactly the same thing, which is a little inconvenient. 

The boot is a good height and our car's optional air suspension meant you could lift and lower the car with a button.

Safety is Volvo’s forte and there is loads of advanced tech as standard in the XC90, including auto emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection which will be handy when driving along bush roads. Other safety features include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist.

It comes with seven airbags that cover driver and front passenger and side curtain airbags that extend down to the back row. There are two ISOFIX points and three top tether points for kids car seats and has a maximum five star ANCAP rating from when it was tested in 2015.

The Volvo XC90 T6 R Design costs $104,990 before on road costs and extras. This car was fitted with the Premium Pack ($5500), the 'Versatility Pack' ($3000 -  grocery bag holder, rear power folding headrests, compass, 230-volt power outlet in tunnel console, and air suspension) and metallic paint ($1900) taking the total to $115,390.

The Volvo XC90 T6 R Design costs $104,990 before on road costs and extras.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 8.5L/100km on the combined cycle and for us this week it did a best of 13.5L/100km. 

It’s covered by Volvo's three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or 12 months – whichever comes first.