xc90 as a teen vehicle?

specepic · Nov 25, 2022

IN the market for a 3rd vehicle for teens in the household (one already driving, the other learning soon)

Was mainly looking at Subaru, Nissan Altima, Accord, etc.

Decent used for those are 18K-25K, New are about 30-35K

Randomly saw a listing for a 2018 xc90 Momentum with 70,000 miles, two owner (first owner appears to have been loaner/dealer vehicle) dealer serviced every time, and has brand new brakes all around. clean carfax.

They want $31,500 at the volvo dealer

How are we feeling about low term relaibility? I know there were issues 2016/2017 (spark plugs, oil consumption, etc.)

We have a 2019 Inscript xc90 at 60000 which we bought the lease out on. It has been good

Thoughts?

Main negative might be mpg and premium gas (Altima gets 40+ mpg hwy!)

31355 · Nov 25, 2022

I’d think a S60 T5 would be less money and better on fuel.

specepic · Nov 25, 2022

*********** said:
I’d think a S60 T5 would be less money and better on fuel.

fair point although we are a very tall family and when we got a s60 loaner it was a tight cabin as i recall

Meiko · Nov 25, 2022

Just be sure you wish to pay for regular maintenance on the XC90---Such as $600.00 battery replacement. I would not be that a concerned with long term reliability, but more so that a teen would/could miss use the self driving features of the car....hmmmm.

31355 · Nov 25, 2022

specepic said:
fair point although we are a very tall family and when we got a s60 loaner it was a tight cabin as i recall

The front seat has basically the exact same dimensions. Someone 7 foot tall can drive a S60.

DFrantz · Nov 25, 2022

The XC90 drives easy and has lots of safety, so from that perspective it's not a bad teen driving car. It's more power than a teen driver would need. The '18 is the slower computer and you can't turn start/stop off for good. Is the '18 you're looking at eligible by age for CPO or is it too old now? Factor in the extension for the CPO and it should be a good car with little concern for the next 5 years.

From a value perspective, I think @*********** is on the right track. How about looking for an S90? They have very spacious cabins, can be had with the T5 as well AWD for safety and less power, and you get the better used car price being a sedan.

CASwede · Nov 25, 2022

specepic said:
fair point although we are a very tall family and when we got a s60 loaner it was a tight cabin as i recall

.
Would be best to check with the teenager for feedback and even take a test drive. Although I will make the final decision I would like the kids to feel responsible to monitor besides enjoy the vehicle rather than just another iPhone to upgrade when the time comes. You may find they like a certain car but don't like the color or materials. The upcoming driver prefers clothe rather than leather as it's not hot in the summer and light interior rather than dark. The more comfortable they are with the car the less chance of having a fender bender besides accident avoidance as in defensive driving.

Since I prefer to work on my own cars I always purchased older cars and ones I'm comfortable working on. Purchased one recently and the teen didn't care for it so purchased another. I'll be driving the initial purchase.

(EDIT) The first car just appeared in our driveway one day. Excuse to wife was to prepare a car early. It was something I liked and hoped the teen would also . Teen shared with me what they didn't like about it and in no way was complaining. The second car again just showed up in the driveway one day and this one the teen liked a lot 😃.
.

specepic · Nov 25, 2022

I understand the rationale for the suggestions about other Volvo models, but my question is more specific to the xc90.

The other models do not have enough headroom

specepic · Nov 25, 2022

*********** said:
The front seat has basically the exact same dimensions. Someone 7 foot tall can drive a S60.

I'm 6 ft 6 and I did not fit at all. leg room is good but poor headroom

DFrantz · Nov 25, 2022

Yeah, the XC90 has the best torso height. The S90 might work yet too, but there are other valid reasons to want an SUV when you're 6'6", it's a long way down and up with the seat!

likeXC90 · Nov 25, 2022

Recommend asking the insurance company what the rates are for the potential vehicles, might (or might not) sway the decision. (I was randomly looking ahead at rates recently and was shocked how much teen coverage was in general.) Good luck!

Wayne T5 · Nov 25, 2022

It would be a fine vehicle if you don't mind the higher repair costs and the occasional dent and ding that a new driver, or other drivers in a high school or college parking lot will bring to the car. I would never suggest a car this large for a new driver but it sounds like you need the room. All that said, I'd probably lean more towards a previous gen XC90 for something like this. It will be around half the price and it will be every bit as reliable as a newer one.

Stickygreen · Nov 25, 2022

Mazda CX-5 ‘17 and up…as reliable as Honda or Toyota, better crash test ratings (including new side impact), super low maintenance costs, fun to drive with some semblance of road feel.

A 7 seater for a teenager is asking for trouble, especially with the added liability of inevitably driving their friends around.

Pioneer4x4 · Nov 25, 2022

specepic said:
IN the market for a 3rd vehicle for teens in the household (one already driving, the other learning soon)

Was mainly looking at Subaru, Nissan Altima, Accord, etc.

Decent used for those are 18K-25K, New are about 30-35K

Randomly saw a listing for a 2018 xc90 Momentum with 70,000 miles, two owner (first owner appears to have been loaner/dealer vehicle) dealer serviced every time, and has brand new brakes all around. clean carfax.

They want $31,500 at the volvo dealer

How are we feeling about low term relaibility? I know there were issues 2016/2017 (spark plugs, oil consumption, etc.)

We have a 2019 Inscript xc90 at 60000 which we bought the lease out on. It has been good

Thoughts?

Main negative might be mpg and premium gas (Altima gets 40+ mpg hwy!)

I guess you know your teens better than anyone. I would have loved to had something like that available to me when I was a teen! If this is something that they will eventually inherit, and either pay towards or whatever, if they don't like it, it won't matter. All I know is
1 - I wouldn't buy any of those others, period. (Not my cup of tea at all)
2 - I wouldn't buy a premium brand used without CPO or something.
My teens all got common domestic brand cars (1 of each, a Ford, a Chevy, and a Jeep), all with very high miles and all ended up just fine. If you don't get something dirt common (ease of repair/cheap parts (junkyard)) then be prepared to have money aside for "the teenager effect", but back to my first sentence "you know your kids" better than any of us.

p.rico · Nov 25, 2022

Pioneer4x4 said:
I would have loved to had something like that available to me when I was a teen!

For real. I got a $300 '84 Accord (in 1999).

McNeo · Nov 25, 2022

Horrible decision to get a luxury car as your first lease, but you know your own kids better than others. My first lease at 18 was a Kia Optima, I loved the car. Trust me there will be moments when the vehicle will get scratched up or possibly even worse. Teens regardless of maturity level(s) will scratch and beat up that XC90 more than you can count it is not a small SUV by any means as I'm sure you already know. If you are dead-on stuck on Volvos might as well get a used S60 T5 (2019+) SPA platform or an XC40 (2020+) if stuck on the SUV side otherwise get a beater and have them work their way up to nicer things in life.

31355 · Nov 25, 2022

specepic said:
I'm 6 ft 6 and I did not fit at all. leg room is good but poor headroom

I find that really surprising because my brother-in-law is that height and has plenty of headroom. There’s not much difference between the two cars. You might wanna sit in one again and make sure you really know it’s not big enough for you. If the S 60 didn’t have enough headroom for you you just eliminated 90% of every car on the market

V50_M66 · Nov 26, 2022

I learned to drive on a P2 XC90 and hated it. I’d look into something smaller. Learning to drive in something big is quite overwhelming. I agree with others - my 6’ 9” uncle fits fine in my XC70 (same interior space as an S60 or V70 from the same era), so double check that you don’t fit in an S60. Make sure the seat is all the way down if headroom is a challenge.

likeXC90 · Nov 26, 2022

Pioneer4x4 said:
I would have loved to had something like that available to me when I was a teen!

p.rico said:
For real. I got a $300 '84 Accord (in 1999).

First car was a P.O.S. $500 sedan that died because the oil pan gasket failed, but boy did I get my money's worth out of that car [emoji39] That thing had horrible acceleration and swayed on bridges from the wind. Kept me outta trouble!

Stickygreen · Nov 26, 2022

Different world we live in now, with many more 5k+ lb trucks/suvs/EVs on the road. So if I could afford to, would definitely put my child in something more modern & substantial than the bare bones old 5spd Camry that I learned to drive in.

if not a newer cx5, I’d consider a 1st gen xc60 or if prefer even older, would go with a mb/bmw/volvo from the ‘90s or ‘00’s

xc90 as a teen vehicle?

specepic

31355

specepic

Meiko

31355

DFrantz

CASwede

specepic

specepic

DFrantz

likeXC90

Wayne T5

Stickygreen

Pioneer4x4

p.rico

McNeo

31355

V50_M66

likeXC90

Stickygreen

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