Volvo XC90 VS Lexus LX
Volvo XC90
Likes
- Excellent space and seating options
- Top-notch safety package
- Power of combined engines
Dislikes
- Hard to replicate fuel economy
- Can occasionally feel lethargic
- Some option packages a bit cheeky
Lexus LX
Likes
- Refined
- Comfortable
- Off-road capable
Dislikes
- Hefty price
- 22-inch wheels
- Tyres not suited to 4WD touring
Summary
Volvo XC90
With its new XC90 line Volvo has squashed the stereotype that a luxury seven-seater has to be powered by a lusty V8. We put the hybrid T8 to the test.
We live in a world of stereotypes. All black people can dance, all Asians are good at maths, all Americans are loud and brash. Blondes are dumb, girls are not good at sport, police officers live on doughnuts.
By the same token, BMW drivers don’t know how to use an indicator or read a stop sign, Audi drivers are yuppies, Mercedes drivers are arrogant and stuffy, and Toyota drivers are, well, beige.
Oh, and Volvo drivers are tree-hugging, latte-sipping, doily-loving, hat-wearing geography teachers or dentists who drive boring, conservative cars too slowly in the fast lane, and refuse to let people pass.
Like mud, if you fling stereotypes around often enough, they stick and Volvo has had to work hard here to kill the 'just another Volvo driver' leanings.
It has answered in the best way possible with technically advanced, sharp-looking cars that will continue to be on trend for years to come. With the new XC90 line it has also squashed the stereotype that a luxury seven-seater has to be powered by a lusty V8.
We put the hybrid T8 to the test.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | Hybrid with Premium Unleaded |
| Fuel Efficiency | 2.1L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Lexus LX
The Lexus LX line-up has a solid reputation as off-road vehicles and towing platforms.
And there’s plenty of excitement about the new-generation Lexus LX500d because it’s essentially a tarted-up version of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series – it’s built on the same platform as the 300 and even has that model’s 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbocharged diesel engine and 10-speed auto.
Sure, it’s not as tough looking as the new Prado-based Lexus GX, but if you like your off-roader with more than its fair share of posh trimmings then perhaps a Lexus LX500d is your cup of tea.
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However, with a price-tag topping out at more than $150,000, does this luxury 4WD wagon actually deserve your attention or should you look elsewhere?
Read on.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.3L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.9L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Verdict
Volvo XC907.9/10
This hybrid XC90 is on point with all that Volvo’s flagship offering is renowned for – safety, performance, technology and style -  and allows you to give impetus to your environmental ideals too.
The D5 Inscription remains my favourite in the new XC90 range because of its overall verve but no doubt the Twin Engines will find equal favour especially amongst buyers who spend a lot of time in traffic covering short distances.
Lexus LX7.5/10
The Lexus LX500d is a luxury seven-seat 4WD wagon with a big price-tag to match its full-to-bursting standard features list.
The interior is now more cool than cheesy and as a daily driver and long-distance tourer the LX500d offers very impressive levels of comfort and refinement – and it’s no posh pretender off-road either.
Sure, it’s much more of a city conveyance than a country wagon, but the LX500d is spot-on for those who have a premium SUV on their mind.
Design
Volvo XC90
What’s not to love about a large, chunky SUV with a no-nonsense stance and bold demeanour? One where the sloping lines and angles don’t mess with the feeling of understated efficiency and the sizeable grille and 'Thor's hammer' headlights are complementary rather than a distraction?
That quiet confidence is mirrored in the interior space, too, where the minimalist design brief leaves an uncluttered dash and just a couple of buttons to interrupt a smooth and tasteful canvas.
The cabin really is a beautiful place to be with its large digital driver display and, in our test car, a stylish mix of leather, wood and smart plastics proving to be a winning combination.
Supportive, luxurious sport seats whip up the comfort level and electrical adjustment means it is super easy to settle on a suitable driving position.Â
Not as simple, however, was getting the side mirrors to stay in their set positions, the pesky things assuming a shape shifting personality of sorts every time you switch off the engine. There is evidently some hoodoo combination to get them to behave but as I found with the S90 that particular spell does not feature in my extensive repertoire.Â
Lexus LX
The LX500d, in keeping with its positioning in the luxury slice of the market, is an imposing, premium-looking vehicle.Â
Lexus puts the LX500d’s dimensions at 5100mm long (with a 2850mm wheelbase), 1990mm wide, and 1885mm high (1895mm in the Enhancement Pack-equipped LX500d). This is a big, classy SUV, inside and out, and it’s more than just a 300 Series LandCruiser in a shiny suit.
The optional 22-inch alloy wheels (part of the $5500 Enhancement Pack) add to the overall polished look.Â
The interior is a classy mix of woodgrain trim, Hazel leather accents, soft-touch surfaces, Shimamoku ornamentation, plush but supportive seating, and even comfortable arm-rests.
Practicality
Volvo XC90
Seven-seaters are a boon for large and growing families, for people who are often carrying the kids’ friends, or if you just want some extra space. The XC90 has the latter in spades with plenty of room for long legs and big heads although the third row is naturally better suited to children instead of adults.
Comforts back there in the third row include air vents and cup holders as well as decently-shaped seats.
Oh, and much greater odds of being able to gulp down those dodgy marshmallows you found at the bottom of the swimming bag before your mother spots you.
There are similar offerings for passengers in the second row – climate control and storage I mean, not marshmallows – with integrated booster seats and two ISOFIX points also adding shine.
The outer seats in the second row slide forward and tip over to facilitate access to the back while both the second and third rows fold flat, individually if need be, to increase the load compartment.
The boot features a pair of sturdy shopping bag hooks, too, which may not raise an eyebrow in your world but are invaluable if you want to arrive home with the box of eggs intact and not crying over spilt milk.Â
Lexus LX
The cabin is a cavernous, plush space and driver and passengers are all generally well served in terms of practicality and comfort.
The tech is simple enough to locate and operate – it was easy enough to get Apple CarPlay working – and the screens are big: the horizontal 12.3-inch multimedia unit upfront, an 8.0-inch screen (to monitor air-con, adaptive air-suspension height, the 4WD system, and other vehicle information), a head-up display, plus a 7.0-inch touchscreen for rear passengers.
Heating and cooling are managed via the climate concierge and everyone can keep themselves as comfortably hot or cold as they like with separate controls.
Storage is only reasonable for such a voluminous interior with a variety of door pockets, cupholders (eight in total), glove box, a deep centre console (with multiple ways to open the lids) as well as map pockets for the second row, cup-holders in the centre fold-down armrest and cupholders for the third row.
The Lexus has a Qi wireless charger and front and rear USB-C charging ports – one up front, two in the second row, and two in the third row.Â
There’s a 12V DC socket (front and rear) and a 220V socket in the rear cargo area.
Power-adjustable seats up front mean the driver and front passenger can dial-in their favourite seating position and these seats are very comfortable. Even the second row is plush, but the third row is not quite at that comfort level.
Second-row passengers have air con and entertainment controls, and an HDMI port.
The sunroof – an Enhancement Pack inclusion – is power-adjustable and allows plenty of natural light in through the top.
The Lexus LX500d has a claimed 174L (VDA) of cargo space when seven seats are in use; 982L when five seats are being used (that’s with each half of the power-folding third row stowed flat at the push of a button); and 1871L when all seats are stowed away (the 60:40 folding second-row seats tumble-fold forward), except for the driver and front passenger, of course.Â
The tailgate has a foot-swipe-to-open sensor (part of the $5500 Enhancement Pack).
Price and features
Volvo XC90
You have a choice of three XC90s – a diesel, petrol and electric/petrol hybrid – each available in three trim levels.Â
With a price tag over $120,000, our hybrid Inscription will take more than spare change to own but does come with a fairly generous inclusions list.
Standard fare features seven seats, tri-zone climate control, 9.0-inch tablet-style multimedia colour touchscreen with 12.3-inch digital driver display, Bluetooth connectivity, USB ports and 12 volt connections, auto lights and wipers, powered tailgate, reverse camera and sensors and an impressive suite of safety systems.
Our car was also equipped with a $3000 'Technology Pack' (Apple CarPlay, 360-degree camera, head-up display, DAB radio tuner) and the $8000 'Premium Pack' with Bowers & Wilkins audio, air suspension and heated seats for front and middle row passengers.
Am I the only one thinking it's a bit stingy to expect you to hand over more for these features in car that already costs in excess of $100,000?
Lexus LX
The seven-seat LX500d is the base-spec in the three-variant diesel LX line-up – below the F Sport and Sports Luxury – but you wouldn’t know it from its price-tag.
The LX500d retails for $157,061 (excluding on-road costs), but our test vehicle has an optional Enhancement Pack (which includes 22-inch alloy wheels, sunroof, hands-free power tailgate with kick sensor, $5500) and has been fitted with a towing set-up (towbar etc, $1545 fitted) pushing its price up to $164,106 (excluding on-road costs).
As standard the LX500d features list includes a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Bluetooth), a 25-speaker Mark Levinson sound system, heated and ventilated power-adjustable seats, woodgrain steering wheel trim, 8.0-inch multi-information driver display, four-zone climate control, 7.0-inch touchscreen and separate control panel for rear passengers, multi-terrain monitor with panoramic view, and 20-inch alloy wheels (but, as mentioned, our test vehicle has the Enhancement Pack with 22-inch alloy wheels).
It has a digital rear-view mirror, adaptive variable suspension with low, normal and two high settings, as well as full-time four-wheel drive, a low-range transfer case, locking centre differential, and a variety of driving modes (including off-road modes) and driver assistants.
Exterior paint choices include the no-extra-cost Onyx, or options such as Liquid Metal, White Nova (F Sport models only), Sonic Quartz (not available on F Sport models), Titanium, Graphite Black, and Khaki Metal (on our test vehicle), all of which incur an extra cost.
Under the bonnet
Volvo XC90
Naturally, there is much to be said about a V8 engine, as available in previous XC90s; superlatives in the main, but the combination 'twin-charged' four in our T8 is hardly struggling for words of praise either, especially from buyers who are not only environmentally aware but have the means to add action to ideology.
This plug-in hybrid is powered by a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers 235kW/400Nm to the front wheels, blended with a twin-battery 65kW/240Nm electric motor on the rear axle, that improves the economy and range of Volvo’s signature offering.
They can be used alone or in combination, with the torque figures and actual performance varying accordingly. Volvo suggests that on electric power only, you would be good for 30km, perfect for average city commutes, although we couldn’t muster more than 24km during our test week.
A charging connector that suits most household power sockets is a handy advantage, meaning you can recharge in your garage, or at work – anywhere really, that you can sidle up to an electric socket. Charge time is usually around four hours.Â
The 2.0-litre petrol engine with its turbocharger, and supercharger, and of course superpowers (made that last one up), is a handy unit given the XC90’s bulk, and has a willing accomplice in form of a silky smooth eight-speed transmission.
Lexus LX
The Lexus LX500d has a 3.3-litre V6 twin turbo-diesel engine, producing 227kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm between 1600-2600rpm.
It has a 10-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, a permanent all-wheel-drive system, low-range transfer case and a lockable centre diff.Â
It also has six on-road drive modes – including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+ and Custom – and off-road drive modes.
The V6 is an impressive fit in this behemoth, but even though this is a smooth-shifting SUV, there’s a leisurely, rather than lively, overall feel to how the engine and auto work together.
Because it is so hefty – with a listed 2690kg kerb weight – the Lexus does need a bit of heavy right boot to get going off the mark and during overtaking moves.
Efficiency
Volvo XC90
Well, technically, in automatic hybrid mode you should be, if official figures are to be relied upon, returning figures of 2.1L/100km.Â
Real life rarely works like that though, with our readings closer to 7.6L/100km. Still credible for a 2.3 tonne SUV, although interestingly, we managed 6.0L/100km in the 2.0-litre diesel.
Lexus LX
The Lexus LX500d seven-seater has a listed fuel consumption of 8.9L/100km on a combined cycle.
Our actual fuel consumption on this test, from pump to pump, was 12.2L/100km. Note: our test included a lot of low-range 4WDing.Â
The LX500d has an 80-litre fuel tank – so, going by that on-test fuel consumption figure, you should be able to get a driving range of almost 656km from a full tank.
Driving
Volvo XC90
Thanks to semi-autonomous technology, this XC90 can pretty much drive itself, although taking your hands off the steering wheel for more than 20 seconds will very quickly remind you of the law.
So, provided you touch the steering at those regular intervals and the road is clearly marked, this car can stay within its lane in city confines, follow confidently behind the car in front, braking, accelerating and stopping when necessary.
It is less confident on narrower poorly marked or inconsistently edged roads, but that doesn’t detract from the wow factor, and in all honesty has more to do with our infrastructure problems than Volvo’s technical wizardry.
The thing is that even though this car can carry out most of the mundane functions of driving, it has such a sense of ease about it that you will want to drive yourself.
In slow, stop-start city commuting the electric engine comes into its own, allowing you to shuffle along without troubling its petrol wing man. You have to remember to recharge when you get to the office or back from the school run, however, or it sort of defeats the purpose.
The petrol unit, with a more than competent eight-speed transmission to facilitate performance, sticks fastidiously to the task, although it can sometimes feel a tad lethargic.
It is hard to find fault with the petrol and electric engines working in unison, a combined peak torque of 640Nm giving you all the oomph you need.
The twin engine XC90 is nicely balanced, easy to manoeuvre and an excellent cruiser. You can occasionally feel its weight around tight corners but that is to be expected.
The brakes took a bit of getting used to as the car initially uses regenerative braking to capture energy, but then stops quickly as speed drops. It's a bit of a surprise, but easy enough to accommodate.
Lexus LX
This Lexus feels tighter and better controlled than previous iterations on sealed surfaces, but it’s still a big rig so it’s no surprise when body roll continually creeps in, with this hefty SUV revealing wallowing tendencies even at optimal ride height.Â
The suspension set-up – adjustable dampers, double wishbones at the front, a four-linkage rigid axle at the rear, stabiliser bars front and rear – irons out any major issues, but, even with consistent support from the adaptive variable suspension, it’s not perfect.
Steering is light and precise and adds to this posh 2690kg beast’s overall feeling of low-key composure.
This is a very nice cabin in which to spend time as NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels are kept to a minimum.
As mentioned earlier, the drive modes include normal, eco, sport and each adjusts throttle response, engine outputs, and gearshifts to suit the driver and the driving conditions.
Now for a few on-road niggles…
The brake pedals feel too spongy in their action – from stomp to stop – but the ventilated disc brakes front and rear do manage to wrench the Lexus to a controlled halt when needed.
The V6 and auto work well together, and though that transmission remains a smooth shifter, 10 gear ratios still seem like too many to me but, alas, that’s the way of the world.
To the off-road portion of this test…
The LX500d is a great open-road tourer but it does reveal some flaws when it comes to 4WDing – but more about those later.
As well as its robust mechanicals, the Lexus has off-road-capable Cruiser underpinnings with dirt-biased tech thrown into the mix as well.Â
There’s plenty of glass around so driver-to-track visibility is fine, steering feels light but takes on a clinical precision during low-speed, low-range 4WDing.
And ‘clinical’ is exactly how the Lexus continues to feel off-road – with multi-terrain select driving modes offering auto, dirt, sand, mud, deep snow, and rock options; with a multi-terrain monitor and panoramic view helping you ‘see’ everywhere on the track; with active height control helping you to lift the vehicle’s body in order to improve off-road angles at the push of a button; and don’t forget about downhill assist control, hill-start assist, crawl control, and off-road traction control.
The danger is that – with so much tech working away at making everything so easy and safe – the driver feels completely removed from the off-road experience. The LX500d isn’t the only culprit, not by a long shot; most of the current crop of off-road vehicles are increasingly offering a sanitised, hyper-controlled version of 4WDing rather than the visceral experience many of us know and love. I’m old and grumpy, sue me.
Our test vehicle has all-season Dunlop Grandtrek 265/50R22 112V tyres, which are fine for sealed surfaces, but they’re not at all suited to the demands of low-range 4WDing in tough conditions, even more so on these 22-inch rims.
Unbraked towing capacity is 750kg, braked towing capacity is 3500kg. The LX500d has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3280kg and a gross combination mass (GCM) of 6780kg.
It has a full-size spare tyre and that’s mounted under the rear cargo area.
Safety
Volvo XC90
It is no secret that safety features are one of the foundations of the Volvo ethos. It was after all Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin who invented the three-point seat belt in 1959 which turned out to be the most important safety device ever created.
Instead of cashing in on the patent, and in keeping with their guiding principle of safety, Volvo shared it with other car manufacturers which has of course resulted in untold lives being saved.
This XC90 boasts other marvellous safety inventions, including blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, AEB, pedestrian detection and a rear collision system. An extra $2600 will give you the 'Intellisafe' system which includes adaptive cruise control, semi-autonomous 'Pilot Assist' and lane keeping assist.
Lexus LX
The Lexus does not have an ANCAP safety rating as it has not been tested.
Safety features include 10 airbags (driver and front passenger: front, knee, side; rear: side), AEB with pedestrian detection and daytime cyclist detection, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera with rear camera washer, adaptive cruise control, road sign assist, blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, tyre pressure warning system, and more.
Ownership
Volvo XC90
Warranty is three year/unlimited kilometres with free roadside assist for that period.
A 'SmartCare' service program gives you fixed-price servicing for up to five years/75,000km for $4075.
Lexus LX
The Lexus LX500d has a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Capped-price servicing applies for three years or 60,000km, whichever occurs the soonest.Â
Service intervals are scheduled for every six months or 10,000km intervals with each appointment costing $495 a pop over that period.
Lexus Encore benefits – including a loan vehicle during services, service pick-up and return, as well as valet parking offers and fuel discounts – are standard for new Lexus owners.