Nissan X-TRAIL vs Volvo XC90

What's the difference?

For its silver anniversary, the X-Trail in e-Power guise remains better than ever. And the flagship Ti-L makes a convincing, value-packed, well-equipped and enjoyable to drive luxury medium SUV alternative for the family. Its only glaring fault is the omission of a full-sized spare wheel.

But other than that, given the Nissan’s warranty, reputation and the fact that it's still so functional, economical, gutsy and easy to live with, the e-Power remains one of our favourite mid-size SUVs. Our choice would be the Ti, though, chiefly because of its comfier 19-inch wheels.

It’s a credit to Volvo that the XC90 feels like a new car, even with its older underpinnings. This latest update has successfully addressed areas that needed the most attention, namely the multimedia system, interior and exterior design. The electric driving range now feels somewhat old school compared to the numbers some manufacturers can achieve these days. A lot of PHEVs now exceed 100km EV range and buyers are starting to expect that. And setting up the third row takes way too much effort to want to do it regularly. The new Volvo XC90 is a comfortable, engaging and properly premium family SUV and the updates have only improved what was already a solid offering.

For its 2026 facelift, the T33 X-Trail Series II gains a fussy new grille design, different LED lighting elements, reprofiled bumpers front and rear, new colours and restyled alloy wheels.

But, essentially, it looks very similar to the previous model that was released locally back in 2022. Meaning this is a good-looking machine.

Proportionally, as with all previous iterations, today’s X-Trail blurs the fine line between SUV and crossover-wagon in silhouette – much more so than the latest Subaru Outback (that’s classed in the category above) manages.

Dimensionally, it’s bang in the middle of its class: 4690mm long, 2065mm wide (mirrors out) and 1725mm tall with a 2705mm wheelbase. Note, the e-Power rides lower, with 187mm instead of 205mm of ground clearance.

Stepping inside, the X-Trail’s interior presentation is conservative and perhaps dated to some eyes, with its separate central touchscreen and instrumentation displays. But, precisely because of this, it is neither compromised nor frustrating to understand or operate, like the worst of the inexplicably minimalistic single-screen applications beloved by most Chinese brands today. Physical buttons abound. This Nissan is for everyday people and the cabin design reflects this.

Back in early 2015, I attended the international launch of the second-generation Volvo XC90. At the time I thought it was a handsome SUV, with Volvo successfully interpreting what is essentially a big people-hauling box on wheels with typical Scandinavian flair.

There’s been a facelift since then, but this latest refresh brings the XC90 bang up to date.

New elements include a modern take on the 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, and a new bonnet and grille with an updated diagonal logo spread across the car's face. At the rear the only change is slightly darker tail-lights.

The new grille in particular looks great, and with all of the blacked-out elements of the T8 - grille, lower air intakes, parts of the apron, mirror caps, roof rails and window surrounds - it looks quite cool, especially contrasted with the test car's 'Crystal White' paint. It has elevated the overall look.

Inside, Volvo has made big changes, mostly with the dash and console. It retains the familiarity of other Volvos, but is much more in keeping with its new all-electric EX90 sibling.

It still has a horizontal theme, but with cool new vertical air vents. The new multimedia screen fits well into the dash layout, and isn’t over sized. It’s the ideal size at 11.2 inches. There are a few buttons underneath but not many.

The mix of materials used at the front of the cabin includes ‘Grey Ash’ wood, piano black, chrome, metal-look speakers, grey fabric and soft touch as well as hard plastics. It sounds like it would be too much but it works well.

Volvo has always been a leader when it comes to car seats and the new XC90 is no exception. The beautifully designed ventilated charcoal Nappa leather seats look and feel stunning. The tiny Swedish flag is a nice touch, too.

The engine start/stop button and the crystal selector add a touch of glamour to the cabin. Overall, the XC90 feels properly premium inside, still with a Scandinavian bent. Just lovely.

Large and rectangular, the X-Trail is sized and packaged to be used. Nowhere is this more obvious than using the wide doors, with the rear pair opening at almost a 90-degree angle to facilitate entry/egress.

Climb inside, and – as with all three previous-gen versions – there is an abundance of space for heads, legs and shoulders. Occupants sit up fairly high, with easy views afforded by a big windscreen and deep side windows.

Except that Nissan now uses much-better looking and feeling plastics than back then. Nobody is going to mistake the Ti-L for a Lexus, but quality and finish is beyond reproach. No squeaks or rattles to report here.

Aided by a fine driving position, the dash is pleasant to look at and simple to use. A new steering wheel, up-spec digital graphics and updated camera views help keep things relatively fresh.

Yet it is the basics that make this interface so sound. Clear and obvious switchgear for the very effective climate controls (and other vehicle functions) that feel good to the touch, logical menus within the responsive touchscreen, an enjoyably strong audio experience, wireless Apple CarPlay that never dropped out and a sense of no-nonsense solidity. Nissan’s been making cars for almost a century and it’s in the little things that show up big time here.

Likewise, 700km-plus in the front seats over a variety of road conditions reveal appreciable comfort and support. Factor in plentiful storage and sufficient all-round vision, and the X-Trail’s interior is difficult to criticise unless you’re nit-picking. A fiddly gear lever and a one-pedal braking button that’s a bit of a stretch for the driver are about it.

The back-seat area is as fine as we’ve experienced in any mid-sized SUV rival, with the Nissan dutifully ticking all the required spec boxes: USB ports, rear-facing air vents, cupholders within a 40/20/40-folding, sliding and reclining backrests and – in this Ti-L – separate climate control access. And don’t forget how usefully huge those rear doors are.

Further back, the X-Trail’s wagon-esque shape comes into play with a long, wide and flat load area, measuring in at 575 litres VDA (10L fewer than the petrol versions), extending to 1298L in two-seater mode.

But there are two points of contention.

Firstly, given the length of the load area, there are no remote-release handles for the backrests, so the user must use the side doors to lower them. This is an annoyance.

Secondly, and this is more serious, is the lack of spare wheel, period, in the e-Power models like ours. The space is taken up by some of the hybrid tech, resulting in a tyre repair kit instead. Regular readers will know our disdain for such compromises, as these cannot patch up larger punctures, ruin the tyre in smaller ones and are costly to replace. It’s such a rubbish solution.

Our advice is to seek an aftermarket space-saver wheel and jack kit, which do not cost much more than replacing just one ruined tyre and spent repair kit. When will this foolishness end? If Toyota can manage a spare in their RAV4 hybrid, others can as well.

A sour note to finish on an otherwise noteworthy interior experience.

Any dedicated seven-seat family SUV needs to nail practicality and when it comes to the Volvo XC90, there are clear pros and some surprising cons.

One of the many pros is the seats. As mentioned, they look schmick, but are also supremely comfortable and offer the perfect level of bolstering and support. The T8 has a seat adjustment memory function that can be programmed into the driver profiles that also tailors other functions to suit different drivers.

The quality of the materials and build quality of the cabin is largely impressive. Even the damping of the indicator stalk has a feeling of high-end quality.

Volvo’s digital instrument cluster is clear and easy to navigate, once you work out what the buttons on the steering wheel do. They don’t have words on them so it takes a while. The driver’s manual comes in handy for this.

The big story in the cabin is the new 11.2-inch multimedia display. Volvo uses a Google platform and the car comes with Google Services which includes Google Assistant voice control, Maps and Play.

I’m a fan of Apple CarPlay and once I have assessed a car’s in-house multimedia system I often defer to CarPlay. It’s simple and familiar. But aside from using CarPlay to connect once, I used Volvo’s system for the vast majority of my time with this car.

Logging into your Google account means your favourites come up on the map and there is no downside to functionality. If I had the car for longer I would've added Spotify to the system and logged into that, too, but I was happy listening to digital radio on the phenomenal 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

The screen takes some familiarisation, but once you understand the home keys and how to switch between apps, it’s a pleasure to use. It has a clear layout, nice graphics and is responsive. Yes, the air con controls are mostly housed in the screen, but if you tap the lower part of the screen the entire climate menu appears. It is light years ahead of Volvo’s previous screen set-up.

Most functions are housed in the screen, although there are buttons just under the screen for volume and audio on/off, front and rear demisters, hazard lights and a button to open the glove box.

Storage up front is just okay. The console houses shallow cupholders and a handy upright phone holder, as well as the device charging pad. It’s a shame there’s no under console storage, but the transmission tunnel might be too chunky for that.

The shallow central bin houses two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet. Bottle storage is decent in the front door cards.

The panoramic sunroof only has a sheer blind (it’s powered) which is less than ideal in a country like Australia. It’s been fine in winter but I’m curious to know what it’s like in the height of summer.

The second row features manual window blinds to keep your little ones cool.

There’s some back support for the second-row seats but the base is flat. Some of the seat fabric in that row looks like it doesn’t quite fit, but I think that’s the nature of the leather with the intricate designs.

In terms of space, there’s ample leg, toe and headroom, and the rear backrests recline for extra comfort on long trips. The bases roll forward and back and the seats are split 40/20/40.

Kids will likely fight over who has to sit in the middle seat because the combination of an intrusive transmission tunnel and the rear of the front centre console protruding into the space means it is not a great seat.

Occupants have access to chest and knee-level air vents, heated seat and digital climate controls, map pockets, two USB-C ports and a central fold-down armrest with a fiddly cupholder mechanism. The rear doors will only house small, narrow bottles.

Accessing the third row of the Volvo is challenging. For starters, to move the second row seats forward you need to use the lever at the top of the seat and the roller under the base to move them. And they are heavy seats. That leaves just enough of an aperture to get into the third row.

But first you have to raise the third row. Sadly there’s no lever in the boot area to quickly raise or lower the third-row seats. You have to either climb into the boot and reach for the lever at the top of the seats, or reach through the back door and try and raise them that way. And again, they are heavy.

It is a deeply unintuitive system and leaves you exhausted and frustrated. Especially when you consider other seven seaters have a much more functional and lightweight third-row arrangement.

Once in the third row, it’s clear it is for humans with tiny legs only. It is not a space appropriate for six-foot tall men like me, even for short distances. You do get ample headroom, air vents, cupholders and storage boxes on either side that open up to show a kid-friendly spider web design with a friendly looking spider. Cute!

The seats fold flat into the boot floor and the loading lip is level with the floor so loading heavy or long items should be a breeze. You can adjust the air suspension from the boot to lower the height further which is always a handy feature.

It comes with a solid cargo blind but you need to remove it if you want to raise the third row. When putting it back in, it catches on the third-row seat belts, so it’s not the best design.

In terms of boot features, the Volvo comes with a household charging cable that is housed neatly under the boot floor in a stylish bag. Many PHEVs and EVs still don’t have a dedicated spot to house a cable so you have to take up boot space with a chunky cable bag. Good job, Volvo.

It has a powered tailgate, a few nooks and a pair of 5.0kg hooks. However, it doesn’t have a spare wheel of any description. Just a tyre repair kit. This is due to packaging restrictions, but it’s never an ideal solution.

In terms of space, the Volvo can swallow 640 litres of cargo with the second row up and 301L with all three rows in place. That latter figure isn’t bad compared to some seven-seaters.

The pre-update XC90 soldiered on for 10 years and Volvo has, at various points, offered multiple powertrains, including a diesel. Not anymore.

Volvo now offers just two distinct powertrain grades for the XC90, the B5 Bright mild-hybrid from $104,990, before on-road costs, while the T8 plug-in hybrid I am testing tops the range at $130,990.

There’s an increase in cost over the pre-update versions of about $5000 for the B5 Bright and $2600 for the T8 PHEV, but the XC90 remains more affordable than rivals like the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE for equivalent grades.

On top of that, the Volvo is the only dedicated seven-seat premium plug-in hybrid SUV on the market.

The B5 Bright comes standard with a decent amount of gear including Google Services, keyless entry, a power tailgate, 12.0-inch digital driver’s display, wireless charging, powered front seats with heating, cooling and memory functions, wired Apple CarPlay and a new 11.2-inch digital touchscreen with over-the-air updates.

It also gets four-zone climate control, heated rear seats, a 360-degree camera and a crystal gear shifter by Orrefors.

Step up to the T8 PHEV and you gain a 19-speaker Bowers and Wilkins audio system, a panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel and more.

There is a lot of standard gear packed into both XC90 grades. It can’t match the value of rivals like the Lexus RX and Genesis GV80 but it offers better value than some of those European rivals.

The X-Trail e-Power system is not a traditional hybrid set-up.

Instead of having an electric motor(s) and small battery assist an internal combustion engine (ICE) that does the driving (as per a Toyota hybrid), this one’s the other-way round: an ICE solely charging a larger battery that feeds an electric motor(s) that powers the driven wheels. No plugging in required. This is the essence of an EREV. The Holden Volt famously relied on such a system nearly 15 years ago.

In the X-Trail e-Power’s case, a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine making 106kW of power and 250Nm of torque is mated to a 2.1kWh battery, inverter and an electric motor on each axle (front: 150kW/330Nm - rear: 100kW/195Nm), for a combined 157kW and 525Nm, distributed to all four wheels.

That’s a lot more than the 135kW and 244Nm that the regular 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and CVT set-up can muster.

Two powertrains are available in the new XC90, both with all-wheel drive.

The B5 Bright comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with 48-volt mild hybrid assistance offering 183kW of power and 350Nm of torque. It can dash from zero to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds.

The version I’m testing has a 233kW, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid system that uses a 107kW electric motor and an 18.8kWh, 400-volt battery.

The total system output for the T8 PHEV is 340kW and a meaty 709Nm. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission. It can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in a brisk 5.3 seconds.

Requiring 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, the e-Power drinks from the more-expensive bowser. It also comes with a capless filler, saving clean hands from handling dirty caps. How European of this Japanese SUV!

Nissan reckons the e-Power averages 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which translates to 139 grams/km of carbon dioxide emissions. The Urban rating is just 6.4L/100km and Extra Urban returns 6.0L/100km.

In contrast, the petrol CVT AWD’s corresponding numbers are 7.8L, 10L and 6.5L, respectively.

Out in the real world, over 700km of at-times very demanding driving, we managed a tad under 6.9L/100km – which is what the trip computer also calculated – while, driven more frugally – it dropped to under 5.5L/100km.

That’s impressive stuff, meaning you can expect around 800km between refills even if you don’t care about fuel economy, and over 1000km if you do.

The mild-hybrid XC90 B5 Bright has an official fuel use figure of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which is on the thirsty side, although it is a 2.5-tonne SUV.

Officially, the XC90 T8 Plug In Hybrid sips just 1.8L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, but as with any PHEVs, unless you charge your car religiously and never drive far enough to deplete the battery, that figure is extremely hard to achieve.

I charged the car regularly using my home wall charger (two to three hours for a full charge) and the fuel gauge barely moved.

After a week of mixed driving my final fuel economy figure was 3.4 litres per 100km, which isn’t too bad.

The XC90 T8 has a 3.6kW onboard charger and a Type 2 plug so it’s only capable of AC charging. It is not compatible with a DC source so no fast charging on the go.

The official electric driving range according to Volvo is 77km, which feels a little old school compared to the many PHEVs landing on the market now that have an EV driving range in excess of 100km.

The offical figure also seems somewhat optimistic because the most I got on a full charge was 60km. Anecdotally, I have heard it can get up to 70km after a charge, it just didn't get there in my time with the XC90.

So, what's the X-Trail e-Power like?

Well, as it turns out, it marries really well with the Ti-L flagship, because it is a smooth, refined and sophisticated powertrain experience.

It's an EV first, and even though the petrol engine fires up and charges the battery regularly, pausing the electric dream for a few moments, it isn't noisy or buzzy, blending in with the general road, tyre and wind noise at speed. The ICE’s intervention is seamless, though it does rev away at a pre-set constant speed. That varies according to load and conditions, at between 2400rpm and 4800rpm.

That’s the theory. In practice, the X-Trail e-Power’s performance is one of its greatest attributes.

As with all good EVs, this one’s silky smooth and quiet as it zips away from standstill, whooshing forward with a determined, even lively, attitude. Turn the (cumbersome) driver selector to 'Sport' mode and the throttle response reacts accordingly, for rapid point-to-point performance. Give the 1900kg Nissan it’s head on a long empty road, and this thing can be downright fast. Hauling around 83kW per tonne, we recorded a 0-100km/h sprint time of seven seconds flat.

And here’s the thing. When the battery starts running low, there’s no shortfall in performance as you find in many PHEVs that feel neutered at this point, since the peaky little engine is feeding electricity back into the battery that drives the motors. It’s all so effortless.

Speaking of recharging, a single-pedal function provides a noticeable amount of braking off-throttle, collecting that otherwise wasted energy back into the system. It won’t bring the car to a full stop, though, and is not adjustable as per many rivals’ paddle-shifter-actuated systems. Maybe a suggestion for the next-gen model.

Underneath is a Renault/Nissan/Mitsubishi Alliance platform, complete with struts up front and a multi-link rear suspension set-up, imbuing the X-Trail with a solid, dynamic European flavour. The steering is light yet nicely weighted, for a sense of connection and balance.

It isn’t quite as agile through fast corners as, say, a Mazda equivalent might be, as the e-Power is a bit too top-heavy to be considered sporty and athletic, but there’s control and grip for days. No doubt the Ti-L’s 20-inch Michelin Primacy tyres help here. And, at highway speeds in teeming rain, the AWD grip feels reassuring.

Speaking of big wheels, the ride is surprisingly okay. Firm but never unyielding or crashy over bumps, the electrified Nissan is comfortable enough. The Ti e-Power’s smaller 19-inch rubber reveals a more supple and isolated ride experience, and without any dynamic degradation, so that’s what we’d choose. And they’d be less prone to occasional tyre drone to boot.

Finally, there’s the X-Trail’s overall suitability to Australian roads from an ADAS point of view. Working away in the background, the Ti-L’s driver-assist tech does not bombard you with unsolicited buzzes or sudden jolts of the wheel. Once, the auto emergency braking (AEB) did gently activate at speed through a heavily-trafficked curve, and the lane-departure light regularly blinks discreetly away, but never to a bothersome, distracting degree. And meanwhile, some Chinese companies question the need for Australian road tuning. Fail.

Overall, then, the latest X-Trail e-Power remains enjoyable and even enriching vehicle to live with, being both a mainstream family car and grand touring SUV. In this context, the sub-$60K pricing seems like a bargain. This Nissan deserves to sell better.

For a tall, large and heavy SUV, the XC90 has an excellent driving position. You feel hunkered down in the driver’s seat; it’s almost sporty!

Those healthy power and torque figures translate well on the road. It is properly quick off the mark and picks up pace rapidly when already at speed. You do need to work out the trigger point for the accelerator because if you give it too much it feels a little like a slingshot.

The transition between the electric motor and the petrol engine is noticeable, but it’s still smooth. It’s not harsh or clunky like some hybrids and PHEVs. Similarly, the eight-speed transmission is so smooth it rarely makes its presence felt. It's a lovely match for this powertrain.

On that, the cabin is incredibly well insulated. It’s a hushed ride at any speed. Again, you’ll hear the engine kick in but it has a nice note so that noise is welcome.

The powertrain has several driving modes including 'Pure' (EV only), 'Power' (for added performance) and 'Hybrid'. Hybrid is the go-to and 'Auto' allows the system to determine when the petrol engine kicks in. This is the best everyday mode.

Volvo understands the XC90 is more than just family transport and has engineered it in such a way that it offers a surprising level of dynamism.

It’s flatter in corners and bends than you expect of a car of this size and weight. It has a balanced chassis, likely helped by the air suspension, with minimal body roll and little lateral movement inside. Impressive.

It has enough grip on looser surfaces, aided by the all-wheel drive set-up.

The ride quality is more composed and refined at higher speeds, regardless of the road conditions, managing potholes and the like quite well. Volvo has tweaked the suspension tune as part of the update for this very reason.

At lower urban speeds, it’s not quite as calm. You’ll feel speed bumps and potholes and it's a little jiggly on rough surfaces. The low profile (275/35 R22) tyres are partly to blame here.

With that said, it’s not enough to dampen the overall XC90 drive experience. It is a lovely car to drive, whether cruising on freeways, country road blasts or city commuting.

Its underpinnings might be 10 years old, but the XC90 feels as fresh to drive as many of its rivals.

Volvo’s reputation for safety is hard to beat, so as expected the XC90 comes with a solid list of standard safety gear.

The safety tech includes auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, vehicle and cyclist detection, low-speed rear AEB, blind-spot monitoring with a cross-traffic alert and a ‘Run-off road Mitigation system’ that uses steering and braking to edge you back into the lane.

It also gets a front and rear collision warning, traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping aid, tyre pressure monitoring, post-impact braking, an adjustable speed limiter and more.

One thing it doesn’t have is an ANCAP crash safety rating. It was awarded a maximum five stars back in 2015 but that rating has expired and Volvo says there are no plans for the car to be re-tested.

At the time of publishing, Nissan offers a 10-year, 300,000km conditional warranty if you choose to service your car at an authorised Nissan dealer. That's up from the brand’s regular five-year, unlimited kilometres and it leads the industry now.

Nissan has also extended X-Trail service intervals from 10,000km to 15,000km annually, while offering capped-price servicing as well as roadside assistance for the first five years.

The first five annual services cost $399 each, then are $565, $392, $562, $470 and $725 for years six to 10, respectively.

Finally, as of January this year, there were 177 Nissan dealer outlets throughout Australia.

The XC90 is covered by Volvo’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. These are similar terms to other premium brands in Australia.

Buyers can opt for one of two capped-price servicing packs, costing $2380 for three years and $3870 for five years.

This pricing is a little more than the BMW X5 but quite a bit more affordable than the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The Swedish brand used to have a reputation for over-priced servicing but it’s sharpened up its offer considerably in recent years.

Volvo has around 40 dealerships located across Australia and conducts its servicing in-house at the dealer.