Compare the2023 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2023 Volvo XC90

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC90 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota 4Runner has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XC90 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the 4Runner and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota 4Runner is safer than the Volvo XC90:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the 4Runner 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC90 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4Runner’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 4Runner’s reliability 54 points higher than the XC90.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4Runner first among midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The XC90 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 84 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volvo is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Volvo is ranked 18th.

The 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6 produces 23 more horsepower (270 vs. 247) and 20 lbs.-ft. more torque (278 vs. 258) than the XC90 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XC90 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The 4Runner has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the XC90 (23 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the 4Runner has larger standard tires than the XC90 (245/60R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Volvo XC90 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the XC90; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The 4Runner has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The XC90’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The XC90 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the 4Runner uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC90, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

For better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the XC90’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XC90 (9.6 vs. 8.8 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The 4Runner is 4.8 inches shorter than the XC90, making the 4Runner easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 4Runner TRD Off-Road is quieter than the XC90 B6 Core:

The 4Runner has 24.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC90 (128 vs. 103.8).

The 4Runner has .4 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room and 10.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the XC90.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the XC90.

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The XC90 doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XC90’s (5000 vs. 4000 pounds).

The 4Runner has a much higher standard payload capacity than the XC90 (1625 vs. 1210 lbs.).

The 4Runner has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the XC90 (1700 vs. 1210 lbs.).

The engine in the 4Runner is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XC90. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The 4Runner’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The XC90’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the 4Runner has standard extendable sun visors. The XC90 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The 4Runner is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XC90 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 4Runner is less expensive to operate than the XC90 because it costs $490 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 4Runner than the XC90, including $378 less for a water pump, $27 less for a muffler, $106 less for front brake pads, $44 less for a starter, $50 less for fuel injection, $106 less for a fuel pump, $194 less for front struts and $781 less for a power steering pump.

The TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The XC90 has never been chosen.

The Toyota 4Runner outsold the Volvo XC90 by almost four to one during the 2022 model year.