Cars/Volvo/XC90

Volvo XC90 — Buyer's Guide

Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.

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Volvo XC90 overview

With 92,927 currently licensed in the UK, the Volvo XC90 is one of Britain's well-known cars.

Euro NCAP awarded the XC90 5 stars in 2015, with 97% adult occupant and 87% child protection scores.

Annual running costs are estimated at £3,035 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £253/month or 38p/mile.

Theft risk is rated moderate at 6.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles.

NCAP Safety

2015

Monthly Cost

£253

est. annual total

New From

£64,000

Safety rating

Euro NCAP tested the XC90 in 2015 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.

Adult Occupant

97%

Child Occupant

87%

Pedestrian

72%

Safety Assist

100%

Safety recalls

There are 45 known DVSA recalls affecting the Volvo XC90. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.

R/2025/517

On affected vehicles the front left seat bolts may not have been torqued according to specification which could reduce the occupant protection in an impact.

Build dates: 2016-03-15 to 2025-09-01

R/2025/211

Affected vehicles may experience a temporary loss of braking functionality after coasting downhill with ‘B’ mode selected or when using One Pedal Drive. This could potentially lead to a collision.

Build dates: 2019-07-24 to 2025-06-11

R/2025/117

On affected vehicles the High Voltage (HV) Battery may have a manufacturing defect which could cause the battery cells to overheat when the HV Battery is fully charged. In a worst-case scenario there is a risk of fire when the vehicle is parked up with a fully charged HV Battery.

Build dates: 2019-04-29 to 2021-11-29

R/2024/446

The rod connecting the brake pedal to the brake booster may not have been assembled correctly. The final torque might not be according to manufacturing specification due to deviations in the equipment. If the rod does disconnect the mechanical connection between brake pedal and brake booster cannot be guaranteed. In the worst-case scenario if the rod disconnects the brake pedal function cannot be guaranteed

Build dates: 2019-05-28 to 2020-02-05

R/2024/124

The screw joints for the seats and seat-belts may not have been torqued to the correct specification which means in the event of an impact insufficient protection will be available.

Build dates: 2022-08-23 to 2023-07-09

+ 40 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.

Running costs

Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Volvo XC90 are estimated at around £3,035 per year, or £253 per month.

Fuel

£0

/year

Road Tax

£195

/year

Depreciation

£2,585

/year

MOT

£55

/year

Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.

Electric specifications

Battery

18 kWh

Range (WLTP)

45 mi

Motor

107 kW

143 bhp

Drive

AWD

Depreciation

Starting from £64,000 new, a Volvo XC90 typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.

AgeRetainedEst. ValueLost
1 year75%£48,000−£16,000
2 years64%£40,800−£23,200
3 years56%£35,900−£28,100
4 years50%£32,300−£31,700
5 years46%£29,750−£34,250
6 years43%£27,650−£36,350
7 years41%£26,000−£38,000
8 years39%£24,700−£39,300
9 years37%£23,450−£40,550
10 years35%£22,300−£41,700

Theft risk

The XC90 has a theft rate of 6.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated moderate compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.

How common is the XC90?

There are currently 92,927 licensed and 6,604 SORN XC90s in the UK (99,531 total). This makes it a common vehicle on UK roads.

Frequently asked questions

How safe is the Volvo XC90?

Euro NCAP awarded the XC90 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2015. It scored 97% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 72% for vulnerable road users, and 100% for safety assist features.

How much does a Volvo XC90 cost to run?

Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old XC90 are estimated at around £3,035 per year (£253/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.

Are there any recalls on the Volvo XC90?

There are 45 known safety recalls affecting the XC90. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.

Is the Volvo XC90 likely to be stolen?

The XC90 has a theft rate of 6.2 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated moderate compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.

How much does a new Volvo XC90 cost?

A new XC90 starts from around £64,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.

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