So I've been waiting 9 months for my Suburban...which definitely sucks but we have a spare car so it's not that big of a deal. However, I see this Volvo the other day and was blown away. The owner walked up to me and told me it was the best car he's ever owned. It's the Volvo XC-90 Recharge Inscription; his is a 2021. The 2022 is a hybrid plug in that gets 40 miles on the battery before gas kicks in. I live 1 mile from work and everything I do is within 7 miles from my house. I would love the Suburban, but in a year my oldest will be driving as well...so we may not need that big of a car. And I can get the Volvo pretty much right away. However, the old adage is haunting me: It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it (as far as room is concerned)

Opinions on Volvos would be so welcome, especially if you have an XC90

2021 Volvo XC60 T6 Inscription. If a turbocharger is good and a supercharger is better, then having both is 316 HP more better! Volvo fit and finish is excellent. Heated seats, front and rear.. AC in the Glove compartment to keep drinks cool. Paint is flawless. Only one minor complaint...software updates must be done at the dealership (map updates can be done at home). This is our 3rd Volvo (2012, 2015 and 2021) with ZERO issues. Our dealership is really good (McCLarty Volvo Little Rock)

If we needed the space, we would have gone for the XC90.

I've got a 2017 XC90 T6 Momentum which makes it middle of the road between the T5 and the Inscription (there is a higher "excellence" tier) so I can speak to the car but not the recharge powertrain.

Short version: I dig it.

I bought new Tahoes in 2015 and 2018. They were nice vehicles that I enjoyed owning. I've always liked Volvo products and the XC90 (and V and S 90s) and after buying a used 911, decided I wanted a more refined SUV than the 'hoe. I spent a few months looking for one and traded my 2018 Tahoe for a used 2017 XC90 (with fewer miles than my Tahoe) in the Fall of 2020.

Mine is fairly well optioned. I don't have the HUD, but I do have the electrically heated windshield (you can't have both). I think Volvo does seem really smart things and the heated windshield is a big one for me in the midwest, especially since the Volvo lives outside (garage space is reserved for my Cayman and 911). I really like the safety features including Pilot Assist self-driving. It's no Tesla autopilot, but it is a big step above adaptive cruise. I get on the interstate to go to work, turn it on, keep a hand on the wheel, and the car does 95% of the work. I also dig the auto bending headlights but wish that the high beams were bending (they are in my Cayman).

The infotainment (Volvo's Sensus) is pretty intuitive and well laid out. I prefer having climate control buttons to having it in a screen, but the climate control stuff is easy to access. I particularly like their Android Auto/Apple Carplay integration, which takes advantage of the vertical screen orientation to give you access to your phone but not locking you out of the infotainment stuff. That was unintuitive in my Tahoes and is to some extent in my wife's Honda. They do give you some media controls via physical buttons and steering wheel controls. My biggest complaint with Sensus is that it needs a minute to boot up before it is smooth. It's a little sluggish right after you start the car.

Ride quality is very good, but my comparisons are the last gen Tahoe and sports cars. The newer Tahoe/Suburban with independent rear suspension is probably a step up from its successor but I don't have a comparison to the Volvo. Seats are comfortable in the first and second row. Plenty of room. The third row is small, as they tend to be. I've never used mine other than sitting back there in the dealer's lot.

Even though you're talking about the recharge, I'll hit on the gas version. It drives fine. Acceleration and stuff is fine. Mileage at 20-23ish in mixed driving is fine. I choose and repeat that word deliberately. They are asking the 2.0L four cylinder to do a lot in a vehicle this size. The combination of super and turbo charging gets it there but I question if a bigger engine would have been a better choice all around.

Volvo's four year, 50,000 mile warranty is excellent. I had a fuel pump issue and auto bending headlight motor failure at 49k and literally the last 30 days of the warranty and Volvo fixed it with no hassle. That has been my only service experience with the car other than oil changes.

My last bitch about the car is that the only way to get remote start is via an app subscription. I think you get a few years free buying new, so that did not apply to me. It's silly to me and I think it's a disappointing decision.

For the last 20+ years I have only owned Volvos. I really like them. My wife has xc60 T6, I have S80 T6, one of my daugter has S60 another has 245. Before my S80 I owned 850. Best cars I have ever owned. I would recommend one with turbo. I prefer buying them about 4 to 5 years old with 2 or 3 years left on warranty. Most of depreciation happens in first 4 years. I believe a 4 year old Volvo is better than most brand new cars.

Aside from riding in DaBigBR’s XC90 (which is a really nice ride), I have limited experience. At work, I stopped a woman driving an XC40 Recharge the other day, I don’t know the particulars but hers was a full electric and did about 230 miles per charge and she raved about it.

I saw someone on Reddit that once said his experience with Volvo was they either couldn’t go a month without seeing a shop, or would run a million miles. I think many consider them a high quality vehicle, myself included.

When I saw the title it reminded me of a buddies Volvo I hated to drive, I'd put it in reverse sometimes instead of first.

R 1 3 5
...2 4...

The R belongs under the 5 damn it!

I’m on my 4th volvo wagon, current wagon is A 2018 V90 T6. Best car I’ve ever had. 53,00 miles trouble free, great seats for my bad back and holds both my German Shepherds. I added a hitch for my 1up USA bike rack as well. My one complaint is fuel tank size, at 15.9 my range isn’t that great.

I have the exact vehicle you’re looking at, well almost. Our is an early 2022 before they upped the electric range (ours is like 21 miles full electric I believe). Otherwise it’s exactly what you are looking at - 2022 Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription, denim blue with amber leather. The interior quality is every bit as nice as my 2015 BMW M3 and my 2018 Mercedes G550. I would say the build quality is right up there with my 2019 Land Cruiser. It is incredibly quiet and the most comfortable drying vehicle I’ve ever owned, it really is the best road trip car ever in my opinion. I would highly recommend this vehicle and I’m really glad we bought ours.

Good to read the positive comments. I’ve been curious ever since Volvo was bought out by a Chinese company.

I owned an older S60R and generally liked the car. Some of the best seats I ever sat on in a vehicle. Repair parts and services that could only be obtained at dealer were over priced by my notion, in particular the parts. I live in small town Mid West and dealers were few and far between.

Had a 05S40 -- drove it about 170k miles until the motor mounts gave way. What I remember most about the car is the seats -- very comfortable for a long drive, and an easy choice for long drives. Car was reliable and did everything I needed.

Great cars, we’ve had three of them. Downside- repair costs and they seem to have their share of lemons. We were lucky enough to get solid cars but I have seen some frustrating stories. I’ve been toying with getting another Volvo lately as we recently moved and have a dealer around the corner and a good indie repair shop in town.

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Recharge Inscription

I own a 2021 XC90 Recharge Inscription. Great car! I purchased my fully loaded vehicle during the pandemic when prices were still reasonable and cars available. This purchase was intended to replace a 2011 XC90 V8. The difference between the two cars is remarkable. There is so much useful technology in the 2021, which improves safety and handling. The hybrid feature is good for running errands locally. The braking and acceleration are better than the 2011 (more refined). The 2021 came equipped with a retractable hitch already wired. Recommend adding the Polestar package at time of purchase. Polestar is a software package which adds refinements to vehicle performance through software modifications. Be advised there is a learning curve to understanding and using the car's features.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I have 3 kids, 10, 12 and 14. We are super active and love the room, of my past 3 suburbans; however I feel like we are using less and less of that extra space. Gone are the days of AYSO with a wagon, tent, and chairs. Now we have club games and just bring chairs. Still on the fence...

Currently on my fifth Volvo.

This one the XC40 R design in glacial silver.

Surprising amount of room and comfortable seating all around for a small car.

Volvo seats. Most comfortable seats in any car bar none.

If you're considering something smaller than the "Burb", I'd more inclined to see what Lexus has to offer that fits your needs.
My Volvo experience is too old to be valid now, I worked for a very large dealer for about a decade and owned a number of them, but not recently.
European cars in general seem to make some nice vehicles but the downside still seems to be as they age, their service requirements and costs are where they fall short. Not that there are not exceptions or that any can't be a lemon in any brand.
Once you take out those outliers, I still hear the same stories from friends that own them. Higher costs and service issues.
Another factor is how long you usually keep them. If it's never over sixty to a hundred thousand miles, those issues are less important. Just check the resale history to see where each falls from that standpoint too.

I don't know of another plug-in hybrid in this size SUV. The 2023 Honda Pilot will have a hybrid option; the Highlander has a hybrid.
Some brands such as Mitsubishi are of no interest to me.

My father in-law has one and he loves it. Not my cup of tea for styling but a great vehicle. He also drives very local and rarely runs in gas.

I see prices START at $64,000. That would buy a lot of gas even at today's prices.