2017 Volvo XC90

2017 is the second model year of the SPA-based second generation (2016–), a carry-over apart from T5 AWD becoming available (2016's T5 was FWD-only). The volume gas configuration scored is the T5 AWD, a 2.0L turbo four making 250 hp; the turbo- and supercharged T6 makes 316 hp.

The T5's 258 lb-ft, available low in the rev range, is modest for a roughly 4,650 lb three-row luxury SUV. Six-cylinder German rivals make more.

About 7.6 seconds is leisurely for the luxury class. The T6 and T8 are the quick versions.

Delivery is smooth with little turbo lag, but the four-cylinder sounds strained when worked hard in a big three-row SUV. The stop/start restarts are also noticeable against six-cylinder rivals.

The Aisin eight-speed Geartronic shifts smoothly and picks gears sensibly. Its comfort-biased calibration makes kickdown a little slow.

Every AWD 2017 XC90 is rated at 5,000 lbs, which is competitive for a unibody luxury three-row. The T5 FWD drops to 4,000 lbs.

AWD is standard on the T6 and T8 and became optional on the T5 for 2017. Off-Road drive mode and hill descent control are fitted, but the base T5 is FWD and there is no low range or locking differential.

Pavement-oriented: it has about 9 in of ground clearance (more with the optional air suspension), plus Off-Road mode and hill descent control. There are no skid plates, low range, lockers or off-road trim.

There were three distinct powertrains in 2017: the T5 turbo (FWD or AWD), the T6 turbo-plus-supercharger and the 400 hp T8 plug-in hybrid. That was an unusually broad and electrified choice for the segment at the time.

The 2017 T5 AWD is EPA-rated at 23 MPG combined, one MPG below the 2018 rating and middling-to-weak for a three-row luxury SUV.

22 MPG city is ordinary for the class, since the T5 has no hybrid assist.

25 MPG on the highway is below average for a mid-size luxury SUV.

An 18.8-gallon tank at 23 MPG combined gives about 432 miles, comfortably above the segment floor.

Premium fuel at 23 MPG puts the T5 AWD at the expensive end of the SUV band.

EPA lists premium gasoline for every 2017 XC90 gas powertrain, a real running-cost penalty.

NHTSA never crash-tested the 2016–2019 XC90. This generation's first rating came on the 2020 model, which earned 5 stars overall, so that figure is carried back to the structurally identical 2017.

Every crashworthiness test is rated Good: driver- and passenger-side small overlap, moderate overlap, side, roof strength and head restraints. The XC90 took a 2017 Top Safety Pick but missed TSP+ because its headlights were rated Marginal or Poor.

Standard equipment includes City Safety AEB (vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist and large-animal detection), lane departure warning, run-off-road mitigation, and adaptive cruise with Pilot Assist. Blind-spot detection (BLIS) and lane departure prevention are optional extras. Before the 2018 update made BLIS standard, the suite was strong but not complete.

The standard City Safety system earns IIHS's top Superior rating for vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention. IIHS ran no pedestrian or night test in 2017, so performance beyond that is unproven.

BLIS blind-spot detection with Cross Traffic Alert was available but optional for 2017, per IIHS. It alerts the driver and does not brake.

Pilot Assist provides lane centering with adaptive cruise, and lane departure warning is standard. Reviewers found centering reasonably smooth, but it needs clear lane markings and frequently asks for steering input. IIHS lists lane departure prevention as optional.

Full-speed adaptive cruise with stop-and-go works together with Pilot Assist II steering up to highway speeds. It is smooth in traffic, but following is conservative and it hands back control abruptly when lane markings fade.

No trim offers hands-free driving. Pilot Assist needs continuous steering-wheel input.

None of the three LED headlight variants rated better than Marginal, and the curve-adaptive lamps on XC90s built before February 2017 rated Poor. High-beam assist is fitted to every variant.

The upright glasshouse, low beltline and large mirrors give excellent natural sightlines. The 360° camera is an extra-cost package item on the volume Momentum trim.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable. Lower anchors are only in the second-row outboard seats, and the third row has none. Wide rear doors and the optional integrated center booster help.

The volume 2017 XC90 T5 Momentum is a seven-passenger model. The six-seat captain's-chair layout only arrived with the 2020 facelift.

Front headroom is average for a mid-size luxury SUV, and the standard panoramic roof takes a little off.

The front legroom figure is short for the class on paper, though reviewers don't describe the front row as cramped.

The tall, upright roofline gives generous second-row headroom.

Second-row legroom is mid-pack for three-row luxury SUVs. The individually sliding seats can trade room with the third row.

The standard third row suits children and short adult trips, and the sliding second-row seats ease access. At 31.9 in of legroom it is not adult-usable for long trips.

Space behind the second row is modest for a three-row SUV, though the square, low load floor is easy to use.

The maximum cargo area is large and folds flat.

It has three individually sliding and reclining second-row seats, an available integrated child booster and a flat-folding load floor. Console and door storage are only average, and there is no wireless pad or household outlet in 2017.

Volvo's front seats are consistently praised for long-distance comfort and support. The second row is comfortable and the third row less so.

On the Momentum's 18-inch wheels the ride is compliant with good body control. The 20–22-inch wheels on upper trims make it busy over broken pavement. Air suspension is optional.

Wind and road noise are well suppressed at a cruise, but the T5 four-cylinder sounds coarse when worked hard.

The Momentum has standard four-zone automatic climate and heated front seats. A heated wheel, heated rear seats and heated windshield come in the Climate package; ventilated and massage seats are on the Inscription. Volvo On Call adds remote climate.

MY2017 is the second year of the SPA-based second generation (2016–), a carry-over year ahead of the MY2020 facelift; the entry point is the T5 FWD Momentum with the 250-hp 2.0L turbo four.

The T5 AWD Momentum is the representative gas volume configuration; T6 and Inscription versions plus option packages push typical stickers into the mid-$50Ks.

Sources diverge widely; the earliest SPA-generation years drew the most repair complaints (infotainment, electrical, air suspension), so a blended figure slightly above the 2018's is used, with 3 years of free scheduled maintenance offsetting early costs.

XC90 residuals run below the luxury-SUV average; the 2017's fifth year (2022) coincided with inflated used prices, which kept it from falling further, and today a 9-year-old T5 Momentum is worth under 30% of its sticker.

Volvo's New Vehicle Limited Warranty runs 4 years/50,000 miles, the luxury-brand norm.

Volvo offers no extended powertrain term in the US; engine and drivetrain are covered only under the concurrent 4 yr/50,000 mi warranty.

MY2017 XC90s include Volvo Complimentary Factory Scheduled Maintenance for 3 years/36,000 miles plus 4 years of unlimited-mile roadside assistance and a Volvo On Call trial, which matches BMW and beats Lexus and Mercedes.

$48,945 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (44% retained, or about $21,536) leaves about $27,409 in depreciation. Add the projected $8,200 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $35,609 in total.

Every source rates the 2017 XC90 below average. J.D. Power gives it a Quality & Reliability score of 61/100 ('Fair'), well under the 2018's 74, and a predicted reliability of 2.5/5. Consumer Reports has given the second-generation XC90 its lowest reliability rating every year since the 2016 redesign. As the second year of a new platform, 2017 is the worse of the early years.

In the years around 2017, Volvo ranked in the bottom third of Consumer Reports' brand reliability ranking. It also sat below the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). Its later VDS results have stayed weak. Overall that is a lower-third multi-year record.

2017 has the heaviest recall record of this generation's early years. The scored gas trim is covered by six NHTSA campaigns, four of them involving restraint systems: curtain-airbag mounting bolts, the front passenger belt buckle stud, the third-row belt pretensioner, and second-row belt bolts. A seventh campaign, for an AC drain leak that can wet the airbag electronics, also applies. None involves the powertrain or fire risk, but repeated safety-system recalls put this year at the bottom of the typical band.

The 2017 volume trim is the T6 AWD. It pairs a 2.0-litre Drive-E four that is both turbocharged and supercharged with the Aisin eight-speed automatic. The transmission is proven. Early Drive-E engines drew owner complaints about oil consumption and the supercharger, and a heavily stressed small engine in a heavy three-row SUV has a mixed long-term record. That is a mixed history, not a known failure.

The cabin is a segment benchmark. Real wood and metal trim, Nappa leather on upper trims and the Orrefors crystal shifter (Inscription) put it level with or above the X5, GLE and Q7, with hard plastics only in low-touch areas.

Reviewers find the body assembly tight and the cabin quiet. However, J.D. Power's owner-reported quality score is only 61/100, and several 2017 recalls trace to assembly faults: belt bolts not tightened, a loose buckle stud and a mis-installed AC drain hose. Owners also report frequent Sensus and electrical glitches on early SPA-platform cars. That puts it at the floor of the generally-solid band.

Volvo's US retailer network covers metro areas well but is thinner than BMW's or Mercedes-Benz's, so rural owners may face long drives for service.

Repair costs run above the segment norm. Parts come mostly through dealers and from Europe, and the independent aftermarket is thinner than for Lexus or Acura rivals. A 9-year-old twin-charged 2017 is long out of warranty, so owners pay these costs themselves.

Every 2017 XC90 uses the same 9-inch portrait Sensus touchscreen, and no larger screen was offered.

Sensus is clean and tablet-like, but it buries climate and other common functions in touch menus and is slow to boot. 2017 cars run early Sensus software, which predates the redesigned version Volvo introduced for 2018. Updates come only at the dealer.

Phone projection was not standard on the 2017 XC90. Apple CarPlay, and from the 2017 model year Android Auto, came only in the optional Smartphone Integration package, and both are wired only.

Sensus Navigation and voice controls are standard and maps get free MapCare updates. The command-style voice control feels dated, so most owners use phone projection.

The 10-speaker base system is decent, a 14-speaker Harman Kardon is on upper trims, and the optional 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins is excellent.

A 12.3-inch digital driver display with map view is standard on every trim, though it is less configurable than German rivals' clusters.

Sensus software is updated only at the dealer through VIDA, and only map updates arrive over the air. No update adds features.

Volvo On Call covers remote start, climate preconditioning, lock/unlock and locate. There is no phone-as-key, and the service needs a subscription after the trial.

The volume Momentum has USB-A ports only, with no wireless pad, no rear USB-C and no household outlet. A 12V outlet is the rear power source.

Keyless entry and ignition and a hands-free power tailgate are standard on the Momentum, and Volvo On Call adds remote start. There is no phone-as-key.

A rearview camera and rear parking sensors are standard. The 360-degree camera and front sensors require option packages.

A head-up display is available across the range, but only as an option or in a package.

Wide rear doors, three individually sliding second-row seats, an available integrated booster and a kid-usable third row make family logistics easy. LATCH is only Acceptable, and the third row has no lower anchors.

Every crash test is Good, and City Safety AEB, Pilot Assist and lane departure warning are standard. Blind-spot monitoring was optional for 2017 (Vision package) and became standard only for 2018. Weak headlight ratings held it to Top Safety Pick rather than TSP+, and NHTSA never rated the 2017 model.

Four-zone climate, standard heated front seats, comfortable front and middle rows and about 430 miles of range make it a strong family tourer. Rear device charging is thin, and luggage space with all seats in use is limited.

Light, precise steering, a smooth eight-speed and excellent visibility make it easy in traffic. Climate controls buried in Sensus and the abrupt stop/start add friction.

The T5 AWD returns 23 MPG combined, which is reasonable for a three-row luxury SUV, but it needs premium fuel and repair costs run above average.

Good visibility and standard rear sensors and camera help, but it is a long three-row SUV with a 38.7-ft turning circle, and the 360 camera is optional.

A 5,000-lb tow rating handles a small camper or boat, though the 250-hp T5 works hard at that load. The flat-folding cargo area helps, but this is a luxury family SUV, not a work tool.

Early second-generation XC90s have below-average reliability and above-average repair costs, and the luxury cabin isn't suited to hard use.

It has roof rails, cargo tie-downs and a dealer tow bar, but no household outlet or other work-oriented features.

Excellent seats, a quiet cruise and Pilot Assist with adaptive cruise make it a capable mile-eater, and about 430 miles of range is strong. Pilot Assist wanders on faded markings, and the T5 drones on grades.

AWD on the volume T5, about 9 in of ground clearance, hill descent control, optional air suspension and a 5,000-lb rating handle gravel roads and toys. The base T5 is FWD, and there is no off-road hardware.

The second and third rows fold flat into a large, square load bay. Roof rails are standard and a tow hitch is available.

It is secure and well controlled for its size but not engaging. The BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE are more fun to drive fast.

The steering is precise but very light, with little feedback.

The brakes are easy to modulate day to day, but instrumented stopping distances trail German rivals.

The 250-hp T5 is smooth with little turbo lag and the eight-speed shifts cleanly. It feels stretched in a 4,600-lb SUV (about 7.6 s to 60 mph), kickdown is slow and stop/start restarts are noticeable.

It is quiet at a cruise, but the T5 four-cylinder sounds coarse and out of place in a luxury SUV under hard acceleration.

The turning circle is middling for a three-row SUV, and the large optional wheels widen it by about a foot. The figure is unchanged across the pre-facelift second generation.

The driving position is commanding and highly adjustable with excellent visibility, let down by the Sensus screen taking over climate and other functions that deserve physical controls.

It is pleasant and comfortable, but the volume T5 is merely adequate and the chassis is tuned for comfort rather than sport.

Even the T5 Momentum includes leather, a panoramic sunroof, power liftgate, LED headlights, the 9-inch Sensus touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, and City Safety AEB, with a third row standard; Android Auto was absent, and premium audio and some driver aids stayed in packages.

A three-row luxury SUV starting under $47K undercut comparably equipped Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE/GLS, though the four-cylinder-only lineup gave up performance per dollar to six-cylinder rivals.

Three trims (Momentum, R-Design, Inscription) across T5 FWD/AWD, T6 AWD and T8 plug-in hybrid powertrains, 5-, 6- or 7-seat layouts, plus the four-seat T8 Excellence flagship. That gives a wide ladder from under $47K to over $100K.

About 31,000 US sales made it a steady mid-pack seller among luxury three-row SUVs, well behind the Lexus RX and BMW X5, and down slightly from its 2016 launch-year peak.

Volvo's safety and Scandinavian-design image was rising on the back of this model's revival, though it trailed the German brands and Lexus on prestige and resale.

As a still-fresh, in-demand model in its second year, the XC90 saw modest discounts plus lease specials and loyalty offers rather than heavy cash incentives.

MY2017 was only the second year of the all-new 2016 SPA generation, with modern platform tech and no redesign risk; it was among the newest designs in a class where the GLE and X5 were late in their cycles.

Riding the generation's 2016 award sweep and an IIHS Top Safety Pick, it was widely praised for design, interior and safety; reviewers dinged the busy touchscreen and four-cylinder refinement, so it was not always the comparison pick.