Compare the2024 Volvo XC90VS 2023 BMW X5 xDrive45e

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC90 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC90 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC90 and X5 xDrive45e have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC90 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X5 xDrive45e’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC90 offers an optional built in child booster seat. It’s more crash worthy than an added child seat because of its direct attachment to the seat. BMW doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the X5 xDrive45e. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC90 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC90 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC90’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The X5 xDrive45e’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the XC90 and X5 xDrive45e have rear cross-traffic warning, but the XC90 has Braking Intervention (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The X5 xDrive45e’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the XC90 and the X5 xDrive45e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo XC90 is safer than the BMW X5 xDrive45e:

	XC90	X5 xDrive45e
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	137	209
Neck Injury Risk	27%	34%
Neck Stress	252 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	567/631 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	217	342
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	35%
Neck Stress	177 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	383/334 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

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

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volvo XC90 is safer than the BMW X5 xDrive45e:

	XC90	X5 xDrive45e
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	51	72
Hip Force	255 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	209	308
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	383 lbs.	796 lbs.

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

The Volvo XC90 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The X5 xDrive45e is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC90 for 1 year and 4000 miles longer than BMW pays for maintenance for the X5 xDrive45e (4/40,000 vs. 3/36,000).

Reliability

The X5 xDrive45e’s redline is at 7000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The XC90 has a 6000 RPM redline.

Engine

The XC90 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 66 more horsepower (455 vs. 389) and 80 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 443) than the X5 xDrive45e’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 T8 Extended Range running on electricity gets better mileage than the X5 xDrive45e running on electricity (59 city/57 hwy vs. 47 city/54 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the X5 xDrive45e running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
XC90
	AWD	2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/27 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
		2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
X5 xDrive45e
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	19 city/22 hwy

The XC90 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 32 miles. The X5 xDrive45e has to start its internal combustion engine after only 31 miles.

Both the XC90 and X5 xDrive45e have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The XC90 (except XC90 Recharge) has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The XC90 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Tires and Wheels

The XC90’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X5 xDrive45e’s optional 40 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC90 offers optional 22-inch wheels. The X5 xDrive45e’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The XC90’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.7% to 48.3%) than the X5 xDrive45e’s (47.2% to 52.8%). This gives the XC90 more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the XC90’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the X5 xDrive45e’s (39.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC90 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 xDrive45e (8.8 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the XC90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The XC90 w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 1.6 inches higher than on the X5 xDrive45e (9.9 vs. 8.3 inches).

Chassis

The Volvo XC90 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 1050 pounds less than the BMW X5 xDrive45e.

The design of the Volvo XC90 amounts to more than styling. The XC90 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the X5 xDrive45e (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the XC90 get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The front step up height for the XC90 is 3.7 inches lower than the X5 xDrive45e (15.8” vs. 19.5”). The XC90’s rear step up height is 4 inches lower than the X5 xDrive45e’s (16” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

The XC90’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5 xDrive45e.

	XC90	X5 xDrive45e
Third Seat Folded	35.6 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.1 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	85.7 cubic feet	71.2 cubic feet

The XC90’s cargo area is larger than the X5 xDrive45e’s in every dimension:

	XC90	X5 xDrive45e
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	21.8”/49.6”/80.3”	n.a./40.7”/70”
Max Width	54.7”	49”
Min Width	44.5”	44”
Height	35”	31.5”

The XC90’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5 xDrive45e’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Payload and Towing

Standard Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC90 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The XC90 has a much higher standard payload capacity than the X5 xDrive45e (1210 vs. 996 lbs.).

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the X5 xDrive45e, the XC90 Ultimate has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC90 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 xDrive45e only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC90 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo XC90 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X5 xDrive45e.

The XC90 has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 xDrive45e doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Volvo XC90, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.

Motor Trend selected the XC90 as their 2016 Sport Utility of the Year. The X5 xDrive45e has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC90 as the 2016 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The X5 xDrive45e has never been chosen.

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