I have towed a Lexon EB with our 04 D5 (163bhp) Geartronic XC90 for the last couple of years. I think its a great tow car, very stable and makes light work of towing. However our van is only 1350kg MTPLM so not much of a challenge I suppose!! I really like the load carrying ability within the large cargo bay and, even tho I didn't expect to, I have found the 7 seats very useful. When towing I generally get around 27mpg which I think is OK for such a heavy vehicle fully loaded and a caravan. With the AWD and a good set of winter tyres you can cope with almost anything
As with all Volvos some parts and repairs can be expensive and main dealer rates are high but I use an independent Volvo specialist and have had no real problems or major expenses.
Not sure what year you are looking at but some issues to note are: 06 (pre facelift) some All Wheel Drive faults caused by a weak spline shaft into the bevel gear, some early 185bhp D5 engines had a DPF problem and check the road tax group as for a couple of years engine design did not keep up with government policy. For more detail have a look at http://www.volvoforums.org.uk .
The XC90 is not an off road 4x4 but it is a comfortable and secure drive and I really do like mine even tho I know it is getting a bit dated - perhaps that's why it suits me!!!!
------------- Alan F
KIA Niro PHEV
Bessacarr e562 Motor Home
Thanks for your reply. Looking at an 04 SE model. Not sure how mpg round town as not drive an automatic before. Did test drive this one and it seemed a big sluggish maybe because not used to driving auto. What do you think?
If you do get 1 change the gearbox oil. Volvo say there a sealed for life unit & dont need it changing. This is rubbish & i would change it every 40/50000miles. It makes the gear changers smooth & slick. & it pulls alot better. Its a special oil (JWS 3309). My xc70 as done 190.000miles & the gear shifts are sweat as a nut.
Thanks for your reply. Looking at an 04 SE model. Not sure how mpg round town as not drive an automatic before. Did test drive this one and it seemed a big sluggish maybe because not used to driving auto. What do you think?
Hi Sonja, same year as mine. MPG around town is generally low 30s with long runs getting up to 38+. I'm not sure what you are used to driving but the XC90 is a heavy car and does encourage a very 'relaxed approach' - it does accelerate like a glacier when pulling away from the lights!!!! However I don't see this as sluggish but well worth getting it checked. Are you buying privately or through a dealer? If private then suggest a professional vehicle check, in either case a complete and up to date service history is vital. I would not want to give up the advantages of the automatic gearbox for a gain in mpg but this is a personal choice.
I agree about checking auto box oil - I think Volvo do suggest a change at 84000 miles or more regularly if towing in extreme conditions.
Good luck with your search
------------- Alan F
KIA Niro PHEV
Bessacarr e562 Motor Home
We have an XC90. Generally we think of it as my wife's car, but I drive it occasionally and always when we're going camping. Ours is a two year old D5 Geartronic. There are lots of things we like about the car, and one or two that we don't.
Likes: comfort, build quality (no rattles), versatility of seats, towing ability (though I only currently tow a 750kg trailer, but I've also towed a 1000kg folding camper, and the XC handled that much better than the XTrail we had previously did).
Dislikes: large turning circle (though I haven't driven other 4x4s this size so don't know if it's any worse), flimsy rear tailgate, lack of anywhere to put anything when driving eg a drink / sunglasses etc, and yes, I would describe the progress from standing still to be sluggish. The drive does feel like a bus sometimes, not that I've driven a bus but you know what I mean. One review I read on a motoring website suggested that this engine feels a bit dated, and I'm inclined to agree.I suppose I'm comparing the XC to the Merc Vito van I previously used (similar external dimensions, but felt nippier to drive and had nice big door stowage and a really tight turning circle), and also my Merc E class estate which although it's a car(and not a 4x4), does have a large diesel engine which doesn't feel like a lump, and although it's about the same length as the XC, it's much easier to manoeuvre and park.
Would I have another XC90? Well probably. We got a good contract hire deal on this one, and if we can get the same deal then yes, we'll have another. I'll consider a Disco too, but doubt that the deals available on those will represent such good value.
As for the manual / auto question: for us it's autos all the way now.
Hi Thank you all for this info. We have a 2.0 Diesel toyota avensis verso (7 seats) I love this car but if we want to change to a bigger van then this is not heavy enough to tow (our van is now 18yrs old so a lot lighter than the newer ones). The XC90 we test drove was from a dealer but not tried any other car yet to compare and have always had manual cars. Will have to look into a bit more. I like the 7 seats as comes in useful for football and grandparents! thanks again to everyone who has replied. Sonja
We have been towing with our XC90 for about 2 years now. 185HP 2.4D auto 6 speed. I find it has plenty of power for our Bretagne (1480 MPTLM) and teh stability is excellent. 4wd is great (esp in the snow before Christmas).
The load space is very good, and the flexibility of 7 seats for us was a must (3 kids). Running costs are not as good as I had hoped, but mostly it is used for round town, school run and towing, so we dont give it a chance for good MPG really. When I ran it as my main car, i could get average of 32MPG out of the trip computer on long ish runs, but I think towing we get more like 25.
Having said that, I love it. Not as flexible as our previous grand voyager, but better built, less thirsty, FAR more reliable and much nicer to drive. Would definitely have another.
We tow with a 56 plate XC90 and it is very comfortable and easy especially with the geartronic box.Normally I just leave it in Auto mode and on motorways use cruise control. Did the return trip to Spain and averaged around 24 mpg.
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Topic: XC90 Volvo
