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Air Suspension Worth Getting?

23K views 35 replies 24 participants last post by  Walkabout  
#1 ·
I'm thinking of trading in my S60 for an XC60, and have always thought that the S60 and a 2018 XC 60 that I had as a loaner always had a "hard" suspension (my wife doesn't like the ride on the S60 at all). Is it worth the money to get the air suspension, or, just an unneeded luxury?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I think it’s a subjective thing.

My XC90 from 2016 didn’t have air suspension. It’s the main reason I got rid of it and replaced it 2018 XC60 with air suspension.
It makes a huge difference to me but I’m sure there are plenty of people who can’t tell the difference.
 
#3 ·
I'm new to Volvo, but I love the air suspension. Great riding vehicle. My wife(5 ft. tall) loves the fact it lowers couple inches for easier entry/exit. Worth the money.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I had the same question recently and asked that on a Volvo XC60 FB group..... Some said it was worth it.....a must have..others said nope......Another said it was great, but when it breaks down,it is $$$$$$$ to fix. Sales manager told me this (if u can believe a sales manager,lol) on XC 60s with 19" tires, he says one can do without it.....with 20" tires he recommends it.......I test drove with and without and I couldn't tell much of a difference.....but to be honest, I could not tell you the size of tires on any of the vehicles I tested....All felt similar. I ended up buying 1 with air suspension.....car doesn't arrive for a few more weeks....so time will tell I made a good decision or not. I plan to buy the extended 10 yr warranty from Steingolds. https://www.steingold.com/-vip--extended-warranty.htm
 
#5 ·
Absolutely worth it. We had a loaner XC60 for a few days and the difference was HUGE. My wife drove the loaner one day (not knowing the difference) and asked me what was wrong with the car when she got home.

That said, stop into a dealership and just drive both of them back to back.

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#7 ·
I have mine set to lower for easier entry and exit automatically. My wife and her family are short so I needed running boards on my previous Acura MDX.
I just washed my car for the first time today and it was nice to be able to have it lowered in addition to other benefits others have mentioned.
I went with zero deductible 10 year 100k warranty also. I was going to do steinwold also but because dealer matched and Volvo has a promo to make first payment of 4 year loan we included it in the purchase. We were going to pay cash but we'll just pay it off after Volvo funds first payment as there is no penalty or minimum number of payments. This is like getting an extra 1675 off our purchase.
 
#9 ·
As I was looking to replace the Jaguar F-Pace S I was unhappy with, I drove the XC60 T6 Inscription and found it rather anemic in the engine side and too much body roll. I get it - it's an SUV and the F-Pace is a higher performing SUV. I was going to give up and then read about the Polestar / Air Suspension combo and decided to give it a try.

It's like a whole different car. The handling and minimal body roll with the Air Suspension and 21" wheels combined withe Polestar tuning package is what sold me - I would not have bought the Volvo without those, and so far I am very happy.
 
#10 ·
As I was looking to replace the Jaguar F-Pace S I was unhappy with, I drove the XC60 T6 Inscription and found it rather anemic in the engine side and too much body roll. I get it - it's an SUV and the F-Pace is a higher performing SUV. I was going to give up and then read about the Polestar / Air Suspension combo and decided to give it a try.

It's like a whole different car. The handling and minimal body roll with the Air Suspension and 21" wheels combined withe Polestar tuning package is what sold me - I would not have bought the Volvo without those, and so far I am very happy.
I have the polestar being added to my car when it arrives in a few weeks, excited to see how it drives!!
 
#12 ·
To tell you the truth I think it depends on how long you intend to keep the vehicle. If you are a person that only keeps their vehicle through the warranty period and them replace then I would say get it. If you are a person that keeps their vehicle for long life and high mileage beyond the warranty then I would say don't do it. These systems become electrical nightmares down the line and consume lots of consumer dollars to repair. They are not designed for the life of the product.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I would have to agree with this sentiment... added complication = added headaches in the long term. Of course, this is just conventional 'wisdom' and not from specific experience with Volvo's air suspension, but I ignored this with my previous car, an Audi, and I learned the hard way.

I have it on mine and I like it, but I intend to return the car at lease end and I could certainly live without it.
If you are already questioning whether this is an unnecessary luxury, that may be your answer right there.

On the flip side, you're talking about getting rid of your S60 at the 5 yr mark, roughly the typical point where things start going south, so...
 
#15 ·
It would be nice to have actual data on air suspension systems, particularly their failure rate. Does this exist? Or another answer needed is what preventive maintenance should you have performed to prevent a complete/costly failure? I don't think there is anything of note in the maintenance booklet/guidance.
 
#16 ·
It would be nice to have actual data on air suspension systems, particularly their failure rate. Does this exist?
The oldest vehicles with air suspension are the 2016 XC90s.

If you search the forum, 4C w/ air suspension has been mostly reliable. Most common issue is a compressor failure in cold areas due to freezing water vapor ($1,300 including labor). There have been a few air bag failures (unlikely) with a replacement cost around $1,500/corner.
 
#18 ·
First, we went with the 2016 XC90 with the air suspension and it was worth the difference in ride for both of us, so we definitely decided the same for the 2018 XC60 R-Design and haven't regretted a thing! For us, the ride is much more comfortable and feels firm, as well! Bottom line, it's a personal preference and we suggest that you tested before taking the leap, as it's been said, the opinions and suggestions are great on both sides of the fence!!!

Serg ;)
 
#19 ·
Test drove with and without. Couldn't feel the difference and even found air suspension an unnecessary annoyance. Bought without 13 months ago and never thought about it until seeing this post. Never had any comfort issues driving without air suspension thus far and never have to deal with the side effects, so quite happy to not have bitten into the marketing spam.
 
#20 ·
I bought Air suspension seeking for better riding comfort, but the suspension is as hard (at least) as the regular one. May be wonderful for those who squeeze car possibilities cornering and so, but I do not enjoy such entertainment. Ability to increase height for offroad riding is very interesting, provided you do offroad. Lowering the car for entry/exit is relatively interesting, if you have disabled users, but it takes very long to lower the suspension when you stop, and the process is interrupted if any opens a door. So 80% of the occasions people are out and the car has not lowered.

So, buy it if:
1) Do offroad
2) Like sporty driving
3) Tow something

Do not buy if what you want -- as it was my case :-( -- is more comfort
 
#21 ·
Air suspension on XC60 T8 is softer than XC90, to the degree that I prefer to the lower and firmer position for driving. The default height gives obvious side rolls. This way, the easy in/out is also much quicker because the car is already lower and only takes a second to lower down further.

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#22 ·
Nice but not necessary. I have it & think the ride feels a bit more planted, especially in combination with the Polestar. I'm glad I have it but could probably live without it & am concerned about repair costs down the road.
 
#24 ·
Test drove an XC60 without and with, back to back, over the exact same roads. I carefully noted each bump and road blemish. With the standard suspension, the big bumps were jarring, and I felt the rattle on washboard roads. With the air suspension, big bumps were muted, and the washboard roads smoothed out. That made up my mind.
 
#26 ·
Bumping a two year old thread. I got a good deal on a '21 T8 Inscription but it is missing three options: Air suspension, Lounge, and B&W. Of the three, the air suspension is what I feel is missing while the other two are nice to have.

My dealer is not able to source a air suspension 21 but if he did, the price would go up considerably. Since I'm getting such a good deal on this one (80% off MSRP) I figured it is not a life changing issue. Coming from a GX460 with the air suspension, it is nice for off roading and towing. However, the GX rides like a truck (because it is) and XC90 is not exactly a real off roading machine. I have a 19" boat which is the only thing that we tow and the lake is 10 minutes away. If my towing needs change, I guess I will have to look at other options.
 
#30 ·
I love my air suspension and will wouldn’t buy a daily driver without it even if it was significantly discounted but I’m sure there are other drivers who wouldn’t notice the difference.

The XC90 non-air suspension version was so terrible I sold my XC90 t8 inscription within a year so I have strong feelings about it :)

The XC90 was also very noisy at highway speeds even after they added the extra insulation in the pillars and the doors.
 
#33 ·
YMMV. Everyone else has largely covered it. I'll add that I absolutely love it. I wanted some clearance because I spend a lot of weekends in Tahoe driving in the snow and dirt but I also like to feel planted in the city and on the highway, which most of miles are driven. Air suspension ride height adjustment is the best of both worlds aside from just being better suspension in general.

EDIT: saw this was a necro and realised i can't delete, oh well!
 
#34 ·
So, my new T8 was supposed to be home delivered tomorrow. 6 seater Pine Grey with Blond interior, climate, advanced, and protection package. Since it was being transferred in from another dealer and just came in last night, I wanted to go to the dealer today and check it out and ensure everything was as it should be--especially before they installed that expensive trailer hitch.

I show up and the car is beautiful. I open the door and it is a seven seater. FTF! That defeats the purpose of getting a new vehicle, I need the pass-through. Ugh, so frustrating. Dealer is scrambling trying to find a replacement but with all the incentives going on, they are not staying on lots. I said, since I am here, let me take this one for a spin and see how "bad" the suspension is. I drove it around pretty hard and I really don't fault it. It is certainly more compliant than the air ride suspension in our GX460 which we have been using as the family vehicle for years or my DD Alfa Romeo Giulia QV.

That being said, he is seeing if he can find a replacement. I found one a bit far away with the lounge and the air package but it loses the advanced package. I don't care for the HUD but I do like the 360 cameras. Do you think that's a better build? Can you retrofit the 360 cameras later?