Compare the2026 Land Rover DiscoveryVS 2026 Volvo XC90

The Land Rover Discovery’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Volvo XC90 does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Discovery and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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 and driver alert monitors.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Land Rover vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 50 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Land Rover higher than Volvo.

As tested in Car and Driver the Discovery Gemini/Tempest 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid:

Both the Discovery and the XC90 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Discovery’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The XC90 T8 doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

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

The Discovery 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 Discovery’s brake rotors are larger than those on the XC90:

The Discovery stops much shorter than the XC90:

For better traction, the Discovery’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the XC90 (285/40R22 vs. 275/45R20).

The Discovery offers an optional 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 front and rear suspension of the Discovery 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.

For greater off-road capability the Discovery has a 2.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XC90 (11.2 vs. 8.8 inches), allowing the Discovery to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Discovery’s minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the XC90 w/Air Suspension (11.2 vs. 9.9 inches).

The front grille of the Discovery uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC90 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Discovery has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, .4 inches more rear legroom, 3 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.6 inches more third row headroom, 1.6 inches more third row legroom and .2 inches more third row shoulder room than the XC90.

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

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Discovery’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The XC90 doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Discovery’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the XC90’s (5952 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Volvo XC90 is only 5000 pounds. The Discovery offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Discovery 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 Discovery’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.

The Discovery has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Volvo doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the XC90.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Discovery’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 Discovery 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 Discovery is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the XC90, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Discovery offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the XC90.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Discovery equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The XC90, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Land Rover Discovery empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

The Discovery’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The XC90 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.