Used Volvo XC90 2003-2014 review

To get your head around the seven-seat interior of the Volvo XC90, you need to think MPV, not SUV. Open the split tailgate and you’ll find a flat cargo area with 615 litres of volume up to the second row of seats, or up to 1837 litres with them folded flat. 

Two sections lift up from the boot floor; the rearmost conceals a battery and a first aid kit and individual back rests for the third-row passengers seats fold out of the front half. Once these are locked in place, you pull one of the two loops to locate each seat bottom, the whole process taking less than 20 seconds. 

The seats are really easy to fold

Matt Burt

Executive Editor, Autocar

If passengers in the second row slide their seats right back, legroom for adult third-row passengers is minimal, but children will still be fine. Crucially, there’s still a usable 500mm of boot length left in this configuration.

The second row comprises three seats, all of which move fore and aft independently. The outer seats have Isofix mounts and the centre seat slides forward so that a child can sit almost between the front seats. 

There’s a bolster cushion and the rear centre console box can be removed. And optional roof-mounted headphone sockets are available for rear passengers. 

Up front, the dash architecture is similar to the V70’s and S80’s. All our testers found it easy to locate a good driving position, but the impressive comfort levels were let down by unsupportive seats during cornering.

One can’t escape how dated the XC90 feels nowadays. Its rivals have moved the game on in the luxury and comfort stakes, although the XC90’s hard-wearing look may still appeal to certain customers in this class looking for a 200,000-mile workhorse.