2026 Volvo XC90 Review: An Aging Luxury SUV That Still Impresses

Exterior Design and Updates

• 🎨 The 2026 Volvo XC90 maintains an attractive exterior design, largely unchanged for 10 years, due to its clean and simple aesthetic.
• 💡 Updates for the 2025 model year include a restyled front end with a grill featuring lines in different directions and an updated Thor's hammer headlight design.
• taillights climb the side of the car and up the rear window, a signature Volvo design element.

Interior Quirks and Materials

• 🐑 Despite its luxury price point (over $80,000), the XC90 features wool-blend seats (30% wool, 70% recycled plastic) as a humane alternative to leather, offering heating and cooling.
• 💎 A notable interior feature is the crystal shifter made by Urifors, which has a nice weight and the company's seal imprinted within.
• 🎛️ Unique controls include a dial for engine start instead of a button and a slider for the sunroof operation.
• 📦 A hidden storage compartment is located in the driver's footwell, while the traditional glove box opens via a button press.

Infotainment and Technology

• 📱 The infotainment system features a large, vertical touchscreen that is intuitive and crisp, supporting Google Assistant, Google Maps, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
• ⚠️ Climate controls are integrated into the infotainment screen, requiring multiple taps and menu navigation, which is considered a drawback.
• 📸 Easy access to the camera system via a home screen icon is a convenient feature for parking.
• 🗺️ The gauge cluster screen offers a full-screen map but lacks significant configurability for other displays like music or phone.

Seating and Cargo Space

• 💺 The second-row seats offer good legroom but can feel narrow, and the middle seat is less usable due to the floor hump.
• ❄️ Rear passengers benefit from climate control, heated seats, sunshades, climate vents, and dual USB-C charging ports.
• 🥤 A drawback in the rear is the limited cup holder placement, only in the center armrest, leaving the middle passenger without drink storage.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The third row is best suited for children or smaller adults on short trips, lacking charge ports but including cup holders and a storage compartment with a hidden spider detail.
• 📦 The cargo area behind the third row is surprisingly spacious, with additional underfloor storage and grocery bag hooks.
• ⚙️ Notably, the seats do not fold power-folding, and the cargo area has a 12V power port instead of a household outlet.

Powertrain and Driving Experience

• ⚡ The XC90 comes standard with all-wheel drive and a hybrid 4-cylinder engine, with the T8 model being a plug-in hybrid offering around 30 miles of electric-only range and a combined output of 450 horsepower.
• 💨 Driving the XC90 reveals a surprisingly light and manageable feel for its size, with direct steering and responsive handling.
• 🤫 The ride quality is smooth and quiet, though not as refined as some newer rivals like the Mercedes GLE, possibly due to its sportier suspension tuning.
• 🚀 The T8 powertrain provides strong acceleration, with minimal turbo lag and potent mid-range power for passing.

Final Thoughts and DougScore

• 🏆 Despite its age, the XC90 remains a compelling and competitive midsize luxury SUV due to Volvo's consistent updates.
• 💯 The 2026 XC90 receives a DougScore of 58 out of 100, indicating it is still an excellent, albeit aging, option against newer rivals.