Volvo V90 - MPG, CO2 and running costs

In keeping with the brand’s electrification objective, the Volvo V90 is plug-in hybrid only, which is a similar strategy to the latest BMW 5 Series Touring. On paper, the T6 has a combined fuel economy figure of 353.1mpg, while the more powerful T8 drops to 313.9mpg. Based on our experience with plug-in hybrids, you’re unlikely to get close to those figures in everyday driving, but regular charging should get you better fuel economy than a traditional petrol or diesel car.

The downside of only having plug-in hybrids is that higher mileage users who regularly drive long distances no longer have a diesel option to fulfil their needs. The only option would be to look at the Mercedes E-Class Estate, because not only do you have a choice of either four- or six-cylinder mild-hybrid diesels, but there’s also a plug-in hybrid diesel that’ll provide more electric range than the V90, plus better fuel economy when utilising the engine if you’re unable to charge the battery.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Speaking of the battery, the 18.8kWh (14.7kWh useable) battery in the Volvo V90 affords an electric range of 54 miles in the T6 and 52.2 miles in the T8 version. Both numbers are beaten by the larger battery packs in the BMW 530e and Mercedes E 300 e, with ranges of 57.8 miles and 68 miles, respectively.

Charging up the battery from flat to fully charged using a typical 7.4kWh home wallbox charger will take around four hours with the V90, which is on par with rivals. Volvo offers a longer eight-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty with its plug-in than its rivals. You get a six-year/60,000-mile warranty from BMW, or a six-year/62,000-mile guarantee from Mercedes.

Tax

Business users might be interested in the benefits of running either the T6 or T8 plug-in petrol hybrids, because the low CO2 ratings (18g/km for the T6 and 20g/km for the T8) and over 50 miles of EV range gives a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rating of eight per cent, which is on par with its rivals. The only way of getting an estate with a lower BiK rating is to go for the fully electric BMW i5 Touring.

All versions of the V90 cost more than the £40,000 threshold for the supplementary luxury car tax, adding an additional surcharge from the second year the vehicle is taxed until it is six years old.

Insurance groups

Insurance for the Volvo V90 won't be particularly cheap due to all versions being powerful plug-in hybrids. The T6 starts in group 40, while the T8 is in group 41. 

That’s on par with the BMW 5 Series Touring, but is less than the equivalent plug-in Mercedes E-Class Estate, which is in group 48 in E 300 e form.

Depreciation

Residual values for the Volvo V90 range stand up to its closest BMW and Mercedes rivals. Both the T6 Plus and T8 Ultra versions of V90 are expected to hold on to 50 per cent of their original value after three years or 36,000 miles. That’s slightly better than the 49 per cent of the BMW 5 Series Touring and is greater than the Mercedes E-Class Estate, which is predicted to maintain between 43 to 49 per cent over the same period.

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