Compare the2025 Rolls-Royce CullinanVS 2025 Volvo XC90

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan 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.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Cullinan helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The XC90 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Cullinan and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan weighs 737 to 1725 pounds more than the Volvo XC90. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Cullinan comes with a full 4-year/unlimited-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The XC90’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires sooner.

Rolls-Royce pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cullinan for 1 year and unlimited miles longer than Volvo pays for maintenance for the XC90 (4/unlimited vs. 3/30,000).

The Cullinan has more powerful engines than the XC90:

As tested in Car and Driver the Rolls-Royce Cullinan (base engine) is faster than the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder:

The Cullinan has 5 gallons more fuel capacity than the XC90 (23.8 vs. 18.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Cullinan has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XC90. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

For better stopping power the Cullinan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XC90:

The Cullinan stops much shorter than the XC90:

For better traction and acceleration, the Cullinan has larger standard rear tires than the XC90 (285/40R22 vs. 275/45R20). The Cullinan’s optional rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the XC90 (295/35R23 vs. 275/45R20).

The Cullinan’s standard 285/40R22 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the XC90’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cullinan has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 20-inch wheels are standard on the XC90. The Cullinan’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 22-inch wheels optional on the XC90.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Cullinan can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The XC90 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Cullinan has 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 Cullinan uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the XC90, which uses coil springs in front and transverse leafs springs in the rear. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Cullinan offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Volvo doesn’t offer an active suspension on the XC90.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Cullinan’s wheelbase is 12.2 inches longer than on the XC90 (129.7 inches vs. 117.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Cullinan is 1.4 inches wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than on the XC90.

The Cullinan handles at .83 G’s, while the XC90 B6 Core pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Cullinan Black Badge executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XC90 B6 Ultra (26.6 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Cullinan is quieter than the XC90 B6 Core:

The Cullinan has 8.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC90 (112 vs. 103.8).

The Cullinan has 3 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more rear headroom and 5.9 inches more rear legroom than the XC90.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Cullinan when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the tailgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The XC90 doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Cullinan has a much larger cargo volume than the XC90 with its rear seat up (19.8 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

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

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cullinan to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the XC90.

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

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Cullinan’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The XC90 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Cullinan has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the XC90.

The Cullinan has standard massaging front seats. Massaging front seats cost extra on the XC90, and are only available on the XC90 Ultra. The Cullinan also offers optional massaging rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging second row seats aren’t available in the XC90.

Both the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and the Volvo XC90 have a standard Qi wireless phone charging system in the front seat. To easily keep personal devices charged in the rear seat, without cables tangling and wearing out, the Cullinan also has a standard wireless charging system in the rear seat. The XC90 does not.

The Cullinan’s optional Automatic Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The XC90 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.