Source: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/volvo/xc90/2020/performance
The 2020 Volvo XC90 offers respectable performance. The SUV feels agile and composed around turns, it yields good fuel economy by segment standards, and its optional T6 and T8 engines have sufficient muscle. That said, the base T5 engine is underwhelming, and the SUVs ride quality can be brittle when equipped with the optional larger wheels.
Acceleration and Power
Volvo offers the 2020 XC90 with three powertrain options. The T5 has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine that puts out 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 has a turbocharged and supercharged variant of this engine with 316 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The T8 hybrid pairs that twin-charged engine with two electric motors to generate 400 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque.
The XC90 T5 comes standard with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional for the T5 and standard with the T6 and T8 engines. All models have an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Most critics agree that the T5 engine has sufficient power for everyday driving, but little more. The more powerful T6 and T8 setups give the XC90 snappier acceleration, as well as better passing power at highway speeds. The transmission functions well overall, though it occasionally hesitates to downshift.
The XC90 T5 with front-wheel drive gets 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway (20/27 mpg city/highway with all-wheel drive). The XC90 T6 gets 18/26 mpg city/highway. The XC90 T8 gets a combined city/highway rating of 27 mpg, and it can travel for 18 miles using only battery power. The EPA rates this plug-in hybrids efficiency at 55 MPGe.
Handling and Braking
The XC90 feels composed and well-balanced around turns, its steering is quick, and its brakes provide assertive stopping power. The XC90 rides comfortably on rough roads, especially when optioned with the adaptive air suspension system. However, the available 22-inch wheels give the XC90 a much stiffer ride quality. Stick with the 19- or 20-inch wheels.
