Exploring the vibrant streets and iconic landmarks of Washington, D.C. is a breeze in the Volvo XC90, thanks to its… spacious interior and elegant styling that complements the city’s refined atmosphere. Families and groups will appreciate the roomy second- and third-row seating, making it an ideal choice for weekend outings to the Smithsonian museums or drive-in tours of historical sites. The XC90’s precise handling ensures that navigating the often-busy city streets remains smooth and manageable, while the available plug-in hybrid powertrain offers an eco-friendly alternative that fits well with the environmentally-conscious mindset prevalent in the area.
However, the XC90 might not be the best choice for city dwellers who frequently contend with tight parking spaces or congested urban environments. Its larger size could make maneuvering in crowded areas challenging, and its higher profile may be less practical for those who prioritize compact vehicles for city driving. Yet, if you value comfort, style, and versatility in an SUV that enhances your D.C. experience, the XC90 is certainly worth considering.
Quality throughout. I really love the quiet ride that is also stiffer than what others typically want. My 2022 XC90 Recharge has 21" wheels and will use 19" wheels with snow tires for the New England winter. I have upgrades providing heated seats from and back and a heated steering wheel. The upgraded Harmon Kardon stereo is wonderful. It looks fantastic in Denim Blue. The blond leather … seats are insanely comfortable. Driving around on PURE electric power is enjoyable. I have only had it for a few days, but I am getting about 33 mpg in city/highway combination driving. I have spent quite a bit of time, hours, getting to know all of the features and capabilities and I am not 100% confident that I have the right transportation for me. I even implemented wireless CARPLAY and updated the internal navigation with the latest maps using Volvo's MacBook application and a USB stick. I find that some of the reviews for this car are off a bit as I enjoy aspects that in many cases are listed as CONS. Anyway, I am a very happy owner at this point of a truly luxurious 7 passenger SUV powered by an amazing 400HP powerplant and a perfect 8-speed transmission.
My build has the Climate and Advanced packages a very useful integrated booster seat. I also have the 21" 5-spoke wheels and the Harmon Kardon sound and the Protection Package Premier.
I added the towing package that has a electrically powered hitch that pivots making it invisible when not in use. You have to see it to believe it. The dealer did the installation and did a perfect job at Volvo of Keene in New Hampshire.
UPDATE -- It has been a few months now. XC90 has 12,600 miles after driving it across country and back and using it for almost all of our driving around home. Overall, I get about 28mpg. Not bad for a 5000 lb SUV. Volvo will keep increasing the range of the EV capability so the next time, things will be quite a bit better. The newer version called extended range, the one out now, can go 30 miles in PURE mode and that would be better for me, but that's life.
Everything else is as perfect as when I bought it. No problems at all. Oil change was done at 10k by the dealer at no cost. I totally enjoy driving it especially in the snow. All tech works and it has met all the expectations that I had for it. I would get much higher overall mpg if I did not take lots of long trips, but that has nothing to do with the vehicle.
Update: At 20k the SUV has no issues or problems. Will go to dealer next week for 20k service.
In summary, I look forward to my next Volvo. This one performs exactly as advertised.
Update at 2 years old with 32000 miles - No issues, runs same as new.
Update at 3 years old with 45,000 miles. The hybrid heater failed and needed to be replaced under warranty. The special battery that powers Volvo On-Call failed and was replaced under warranty. Both were completed without issue. No other problems and I continue to service the vehicle at the dealership at the 10k interval. Hopefully the units that failed won't fail again.
Update at 50000 miles. All is well. No problems.
