xc90 as a teen vehicle?

mamba42 · Nov 26, 2022

Yeah for me thinking of an XC90 as a first car for a teen is wild, but to each their own! I had a 1989 Ford Escort as my first car in 2006.

If maintenance costs and MPGs are the main concerns, I would think the XC90 would be further down the list (unless you're working on it yourself). A Toyota Highlander or RAV4 could be a good option for you (a hybrid RAV4 could be around that price and would be both reliable and high MPG).

When it comes down to it if you already have an XC90 and think that would be good for your kid to have too then go for it. That price seems really really competitive.

straight6pwr · Nov 26, 2022

thoughts - lucky kid! we drove old mini vans and rusty jeeps and POS compact american cars.

secondly, I agree with what many have said. the xc90 is a big fat pig of a car and although it is like a tank around you should something happen, its not great for learning driving. visibility is bad, much farther stop distances in dry and especially slippery conditions. there's a lot of seats for friends which can be a distraction for a new driver. itll also eat through tires in an extra hurry if a learning driver is hard on the gas or brake pedal. i wouldnt want to be replacing 20"+ tires any faster than I had to.

if you must a volvo, I'd think a first gen xc60 would be a better choice.
if you want reliable and better gas mileages, get a toyota or mazda.

Blue SUV · Nov 26, 2022

If you're game for the upkeep and maintenance, go for it. Your kids will be driving a Volvo and that alone should give you some piece of mind.

Ultrarunner511 · Nov 26, 2022

Stickygreen said:
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

Yeah, I agree with this. Giving a child a beater is what they should have because life experience warrants it. However, the amount of idiots behind the wheel of larger cars and trucks that are impaired/distracted is growing substantially. I’d want my child to have a chance if something bad occurred. I certainly don’t want them driving a coffin on wheels.

Had a distant friend from high school stopped in traffic. A cement truck driver was texting and slammed into her killing her instantly. I’m not saying a Volvo would have saved her. But the chances will be far greater than a beater 2000 Honda, for example.

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specepic · Nov 26, 2022

McNeo said:
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.

not looking to lease

Mr.phil2u · Nov 26, 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 have a ‘18 XC90 r5 with 70k and really like it. For a young learning driver I would pick a older Altima as they are less expensive to purchase , maintain and repair. I had two daughters learning to drive at the same time and went through quiet a few fender benders and repair.

V50_M66 · Nov 26, 2022

Mr.phil2u said:
I have a ‘18 XC90 r5 with 70k and really like it. For a young learning driver I would pick a older Altima as they are less expensive to purchase , maintain and repair. I had two daughters learning to drive at the same time and went through quiet a few fender benders and repair.

Used Altimas get expensive if the CVT goes out (which they freqently do). I’d get a Camry or Optima or something instead if going down that route

specepic · Nov 27, 2022

V50_M66 said:
Used Altimas get expensive if the CVT goes out (which they freqently do). I’d get a Camry or Optima or something instead if going down that route

Altima has a surprising amt of headroom and great MPG, also pretty comfy on the hwy

Accord more reliable, unsure on headroom, ditto Camry (need to sit in them)

Mr.phil2u · Nov 27, 2022

V50_M66 said:
Used Altimas get expensive if the CVT goes out (which they freqently do). I’d get a Camry or Optima or something instead if going down that route

Our second car is a ‘08 Altima with 83k and runs good. Anything gets expensive with a transmission rebuild.

31355 · Nov 27, 2022

Mr.phil2u said:
Our second car is a ‘08 Altima with 83k and runs good. Anything gets expensive with a transmission rebuild.

….except the Altima has a significantly higher failure rate than most cars with the CVT. It’s really astounding just how many they replace. Even more astounding is how many Infinity (a luxury car brand we are told) has their CVTs go out. Altimas are generally pretty horrible cars unless you are in the most current generations.

JSoLaNo305 · Nov 27, 2022

I don’t see the big fuss in this father wanting one of the safest suv on the road today. If he can afford it and knows pros/cons then so be it. I always say when my 3 kids start driving (currently 12 year old boy and 10 1/2 boy girl twins) I always tell them I’ll get them an suv or van so they can share. Afterwards once they working and making their own money they can get whatever they like/afford.

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SDspeed · Nov 27, 2022

One of our teenagers is driving our old 2016 XC90 T6 Momentum with 80,000 miles. It wasn’t her first car, but it’s her second and we’re about to send it off with her to college in another state. It’s reassuring to us to know that she is driving a relatively safe vehicle.

The main drawback of the XC90 for a new driver is its size. It’s difficult to park in the high school lot and one of the front corners has already been scraped on a parking bollard. But we knew the risk of fender benders and don’t plan to repair minor damage. The higher your kid sits in the chair, the better the outward visibility.

Our kids have had CarPlay in every one of their vehicles - even if we had to install it aftermarket. That’s been very helpful as they learned to navigate.

We have no regrets about her driving this vehicle.

p.rico · Nov 27, 2022

SDspeed said:
The main drawback of the XC90 for a new driver is its size. It’s difficult to park in the high school lot and one of the front corners has already been scraped on a parking bollard. But we knew the risk of fender benders and don’t plan to repair minor damage. The higher your kid sits in the chair, the better the outward visibility.

Not sure how you reconcile the belief of better outward visibility with the difficulty seeing and knowing the edges of the vehicle to the point that accidents have already happened.

?

SDspeed · Nov 27, 2022

Learning to drive is a process. The size of the XC90 makes it more challenging to learn on, but eventually those lessons stick. My daughter doesn’t sit very high in the chair, but it sounds like the OP’s kid might, which would make visibility less of an issue.

PLE229 · Nov 28, 2022

Agree with comments about XC90 size being primary issue for new drivers. Have seen our neighbors 16yo destroy tires and wheels and dent up most corner panels. In the mentioned price range, have you considered a new base Toyota Corolla Cross? Smaller overall size but should fit taller driver, zero repair bills, low maintenance costs and all the safety features.

TurboV70GLT · Nov 28, 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!)

Please do them a favor get them a P80 chassis with a manual saved my life in a snow storm was a 98 S70 base with a manual might not be fast or stylish but beater first then nice car. Teach them to fix it will last you forever.

Edit- 35mph to a tree and I got out of the car and helped tow it back. It started and went into gear after the crash and drove onto the tow truck. Transmission went into a wagon I picked up for 2500.

nyrhockey · Nov 28, 2022

JSoLaNo305 said:
I don’t see the big fuss in this father wanting one of the safest suv on the road today. If he can afford it and knows pros/cons then so be it. I always say when my 3 kids start driving (currently 12 year old boy and 10 1/2 boy girl twins) I always tell them I’ll get them an suv or van so they can share. Afterwards once they working and making their own money they can get whatever they like/afford.

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Our oldest is only 10, but even though i grew up with a little 2-dr Corolla SR5 as my first car and my wife had a Civic as hers, we'll be getting our kids suvs when the time comes for them to drive.

A few years ago my cousin in her early 20s was stopped at a traffic light in her sedan when she got rear ended by a drunk driver that left her paralyzed from neck down. That was a game changer for me in terms of the type of car to give our kids when they start to drive.

31355 · Nov 28, 2022

nyrhockey said:
Our oldest is only 10, but even though i grew up with a little 2-dr Corolla SR5 as my first car and my wife had a Civic as hers, we'll be getting our kids suvs when the time comes for them to drive.

A few years ago my cousin in her early 20s was stopped at a traffic light in her sedan when she got rear ended by a drunk driver that left her paralyzed from neck down. That was a game changer for me in terms of the type of car to give our kids when they start to drive.

Statistically an SUV has a much higher death rate than a car. Most SUVs I wouldn't dream of owning or having a teenager drive. It's such a myth that SUVs are saver. Good look at the actual injury readings in a Chevy Suburban and compare that to the S60. The S60 is WAY safer. There are only a few instances a large vehicle actual outperforms a smaller, lighter car. Must SUVs just roll over and crush their occupants when the roof collapses in on them. There is literally almost no SUV that has a higher rating than a well-designed Volvo sedan...period.

SDspeed · Nov 28, 2022

Crash ratings can’t necessarily be compared between vehicles with different weight ratings. From the NHTSA website:
Ratings | NHTSA

“Can I compare vehicles from different classes?
Side crash rating results can be compared across all classes because all vehicles are hit with the same force by the same moving barrier or pole.

Rollover ratings can also be compared across all classes.

Frontal crash rating results can only be compared to other vehicles in the same class and whose weight is plus or minus 250 pounds of the vehicle being rated. This is because a frontal crash rating into a fixed barrier represents a crash between two vehicles of the same weight.”

Rear-end collisions also aren’t tested, so while it may be true that a Suburban is not a safe vehicle in a rollover, it is what you want to be driving in a head-on or rear-end collision. If two vehicles with the same mass driving the same speed meet in a head-on collision, they both come to a stop. If instead one of them is much heavier than the other, the heavier vehicle will slow down during the collision but continue to roll forward while the lighter vehicle will come to a stop and bounce backward. Passengers in the lighter vehicle will experience greater deceleration.

So the safest vehicle for its own passengers is a heavy vehicle with a low center of gravity and good crash ratings. Like a Mercedes S-Class for example (4,800 lbs vs the XC90 at 4,500 lbs).

Ultrarunner511 · Nov 28, 2022

*********** said:
Statistically an SUV has a much higher death rate than a car. Most SUVs I wouldn't dream of owning or having a teenager drive. It's such a myth that SUVs are saver. Good look at the actual injury readings in a Chevy Suburban and compare that to the S60. The S60 is WAY safer. There are only a few instances a large vehicle actual outperforms a smaller, lighter car. Must SUVs just roll over and crush their occupants when the roof collapses in on them. There is literally almost no SUV that has a higher rating than a well-designed Volvo sedan...period.

I’m unsure how a rear end collision, a front end collision, or a t-bone collision in a smaller, shorter, and lower vehicle is statistically safer. See where your body sits in your S60 compared to the front bumper of that Chevy Suburban. That is not an ideal place to be. Roll over? Sure. Although the roof strength is greater in an XC90. And there’s more survival space in a larger car, like the XC90, especially when trying to exit the seats through the side windows, for example.

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xc90 as a teen vehicle?

mamba42

straight6pwr

Blue SUV

Ultrarunner511

specepic

Mr.phil2u

V50_M66

specepic

Mr.phil2u

31355

JSoLaNo305

SDspeed

p.rico

SDspeed

PLE229

TurboV70GLT

nyrhockey

31355

SDspeed

Ultrarunner511

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