Faults:

Minor oil leaks visible at the bottom of the engine block near the oil pan gasket.

Although robust, if it does not receive an oil change every 60,000 km (due to Volvo's mistaken belief that it is "lifetime" fluid), it develops issues such as jerking and serious failures.

Premature wear of ball joints, bushings, and suspension arms due to the weight of the diesel engine at the front.

Brake discs and pads wear out quickly due to the vehicle's total mass.

General Comments:

When it comes to space and comfort, there is no debate; it offers every possible amenity.

It boasts an impressive cargo capacity of 615 liters behind the second-row seats. If these are folded forward, the total capacity expands to 1,837 liters.

All seats, including the third row and the front passenger seat, fold completely flat, allowing for the transport of extra-long items.

The ergonomically designed, exceptionally flexible stitched leather seats extend to the third row, which comfortably accommodates children and adults up to 160 cm tall.

I particularly like Volvo's signature integrated child booster cushion in the second-row middle seat, which slides easily forward to position it closer to the front driver and passenger seats.

Satellite navigation system is controlled via a screen that protrudes awkwardly from the dashboard and, furthermore, does not have a particularly high resolution.

As for the premium sound system, it features 12 speakers and Bluetooth audio streaming. It delivers powerful sound with exceptional clarity.

The 2.4-liter turbodiesel engine is quite dynamic; while it is not the most refined diesel engine, producing considerable noise at low RPM, it offers moderate acceleration and good responsiveness, accompanied by a distinctive, sporty roar.

The D5 engine is mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission that can be used in sequential manual mode, though this makes little sense given the slow gear changes, both up and down.

Where the XC90 truly shines is in its ease of driving. Despite its considerable size, it never feels like you are behind the wheel of a large seven-seat SUV, except, of course, when you need to turn in a tight space; its 13.1-meter turning circle is abysmal.

The speed-sensitive electro-hydraulic steering is light enough to make parking maneuvers easy, yet it firms up gradually as speed increases. Furthermore, thanks to the R-Design tuning, it offers surprisingly quick responses and a good sense of control through the steering wheel.

The R-Design chassis also benefits from firmer dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars, and 19-inch alloy wheels, resulting in less body roll when cornering than one might expect from a vehicle of this type. Downside is that the ride is less smooth on poor-quality asphalt, and larger potholes can cause a jarring reaction inside the cabin.

Safety is another of the car's strong points. It comes with a range of additional safety features, including adaptive lights, motorized headlights that swivel up to 15 degrees to illuminate the road when cornering at night.

It also features roll stability control, utilizing a gyroscopic sensor that monitors the car's tilt angle and rollover risk. In the event of a potential rollover, the system will cut engine power or brake one or more wheels to reduce the risk.

While it may be somewhat dated nowadays in terms of design style, interior finishes, and overall cost-efficiency, it remains a spacious, very comfortable, and quite safe car with reliable mechanics. Though admittedly very expensive to maintain.

Faults:

The pillar cloth cover is torn. I was a few days out of warranty and the dealer refused to fix it :(

General Comments:

This car is great. Very comfortable and reliable, and a great feeling of a city truck. It's not quick, but that's not what you need in a SUV.

The only things that could be improved have been gas mileage, and for sure the hated dealers!