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Used 2006 Volvo XC90 2.5T 4dr SUV (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A) Consumer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
67 reviews
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5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Used Car Value

cjbluedevil06, Sophia, NC, 12/16/2013
updated 11/22/2021
Volvo XC90 2.5T 4dr SUV (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
162 of 164 people found this review helpful

I purchased my XC90 2.5T in March of 2013 with 74K miles. It is the third Volvo that I have owned and is by far my favorite. I traded in my 2004 S60 to buy the XC90. Many people say that the 2.5T engine is underpowered, but I feel that its 208hp feels peppy and is perfectly matched to the transmission. The handling feels confident and the seats are very comfortable. As far as cargo spaces is concerned, I am pleased. Fuel economy is decent for a vehicle of its size. I average about 17 in town and 23-24 on the highway. The cabin is quiet and the interior is composed of high quality materials. My vehicle has the optional navigation system, which is nice, but inputting information can be an annoyance. Update** 2016 It is now three years later and I will say that buying a used XC90 was a great decision. I now have 111K miles on my XC90 and I have been impressed with the reliability of the vehicle. I recently visited the Volvo dealership for regular scheduled maintenance (replacement of the timing belt and drive belt) and spent about $750 for that service. When the dealership completed the maintenance inspection during the visit, they were unable to find anything that needed to be replaced or repaired. They key to buying a used Volvo is to ensure you buy it from a Volvo dealer and research the maintenance history of the vehicle. Aside from buying tires and having oil changes, the most I have spent on the vehicle has been for the timing and drive belt service. I have not had a single issue. It is my hope that I am able to put 200,000 miles on my XC90. Once I am done with this one, I do plan on buying another XC90 or an XC60. When it comes to safety, reliability, and quality, I find it hard to beat. It is an excellent road trip vehicle and is the perfect size to accommodate passengers and cargo. I do wish the fuel economy was a little better, but I do have to keep in mind that for a 2006, it falls in the more fuel efficient range of most SUV's for that time. As a final note, if you are looking for a used XC90 for whatever reason, it is best to stay away from the T6 (2.9 liter I-6 cylinder turbo engine) variants made from 2003-2005 and the V8 engines. The 2.5T's (I-5 cylinder turbo engines) were discontinued in 2006 and did not suffer from the transmission issues of the T6 and V8 engines. The years 2007+ models with the 3.2 I-6 cylinder engines are also very reliable. I mentioned this in my review a three years ago, but it bears repeating since I can't stress it enough :-) 5/13/2019 Long Term Update Overall, my XC90 2.5T has continued to be reliable and I love it as much as I did when I first bought it. I am now at 136,900 miles to date. Additional repairs since my last update (written above three years ago) include a new alternator, one new motor mount, and new Variable Valve Timing Hubs (Expensive!!!). Overall the only expensive unexpected repair since buying the vehicle in 2013 has been the Varible Valve Timing Service. (I expected I would have to replace the alternator at some point). I would buy it all over again. The rest of the costs have been spent on maintenance (new gas cap, proactive replacement of my mass air-flow sensor, and Ignition coils, and cabin air filter, all which I replaced myself). Just as a note, I actually got my parents to buy a XC90, a 2005 2.5T with 80K miles a little over a year ago. My parents love! It has been consistently reliable. Mine is Front Wheel Drive and theirs is All Wheel Drive. If you are on the market for a used XC90, I would suggest skipping the AWD versions all together unless you absolutely need AWD. It is another point of maintenance that can become expensive and my parents started experiencing issues with their AWD. This is typical and not a surprise. Their vehicle is still reliable despite that issue. I intentionally selected a FWD version to eliminate that point of maintenance and I am happy I did! Even after 13+ years, I still get people who are so surprised my Volvo is the age that it is. I attribute that to it being in such great condition (paint, interior, leather, etc). When I took my vehicle into my new mechanic for the first time for an oil change he said “Wow! Your car looks brand new underneath!” And then when he put it out on his lot waiting for me to pick it up, two people stopped by his shop asking if my XC90 was for sale. :-) since he also sells vehicles. Long Term Update* I’ve upgraded to a 2014 XC90 3.2 AWD Platinum with 80k miles, but this XC90 2.5T lives on with 152k miles. When I purchased my 2014, my aunt liked this 2.5T so much I gave it to her. It is still very reliable and has not required any significant repair recently. She has taken several road-trips without any issues! I am still impressed at 15 years old. The dealer wanted me to trade it in on the 2014, but I declined since the car is still in such great shape! I decided it had to stay in the family!

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

xc90 work car

Richard Fryman, Grove City, OH, 03/21/2016
updated 04/03/2018
Volvo XC90 2.5T 4dr SUV (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
45 of 45 people found this review helpful

I bought it mostly for work and trips to Florida. So far a great car, plenty of get up and go. The spacious interior and driver conforts were just what I was looking for. Now I have put 60K miles on it, I still very much like this car. A few Maintenance issues that took i care of myself but most people would have taken to a shop.( Struts,brakes,timing Belt And Plugs\coil Packs) At 156000 And Take It On Long Trips Frequently. Very Reliable And A Pleasure To Drive. Does Very Well In Snow.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Value
3 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

The Best Family Midsize SUV

Chad Dimatulac, 05/30/2006
Volvo XC90 2.5T 4dr SUV (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful

After having a new baby, my wife and I went looking for a better SUV with 3rd row seating. We had looked at Land Rover LR3 and Lexus GX470 but we settled with the Volvo XC90. Besides the excellent safety features of XC90 that my wife had strongly leaned-on, it had better gas mileage 17 city-23 hiway, smartly engineered 3rd row seating setup/folddown, middle seat booster conversion feature, premium sound, wider screen DVD (8.5in), ULEV-2 engine, and a luxurious ride. This is an all-weather and light off-roading vehicle with luxury that is more fitting to a family. The way this SUV is built - it's a best buy for a reasonable price. But then there really is no price for safety for your family.

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3.75 out of 5 stars

not so sure about this car

Cleen, 10/12/2010
Volvo XC90 2.5T 4dr SUV (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
27 of 30 people found this review helpful

Bought this car used from the local Volvo dealer. With only 38,000kms on it & half the price of a new one it seemed like a no brainer. It also came with the entertainment package & third row seating. I want to love this car. I think it is the best looking SUV out there. It handles beautifully it's unassuming & overall a great family vehicle. But. I can't get over how loud the engine is, and how poorly it accelerates. Go up a slight incline it sounds like the transmission is slipping. Coming down a decline, it does the same thing and clunks into gear. It really bothers me. I keep thinking it has transmission problems. Also, at 2500 rpm it revs really loud! It's being traded in for an LR4.

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5 out of 5 stars

Loving my XC90

Marietta B, Porterville, CA, 06/10/2020
Volvo XC90 2.5T 4dr SUV (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 5A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful

We bought our Volvo in 2005 Brand New 2006 model. It has been 15 years with 218,000 miles. I love love this car. The only major expense was replacing the timing belt @120,000 and airflow sensor. I bought another car in the interim while saving for another XC90 and asked my son which car he wanted for his wife and new infant, he have a choice between our Honda Pilot and the XC90...He chose the XC90. So, I am confident that he will at least be safe and comfortable. Just FYI I Only have to change oil once a year and the insurance is always between $600-$790 per year.

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