Easing off the drink
Luxury SUVs can be thirsty brutes, but plug-in hybrid tech means these fancy used 4x4s could be surprisingly sparing on fuel
Price today
£37,000*
Volvo XC90 T8 R-Design List price when new £66,645 Available from 2015-present
Price today
£39,000*
BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport List price when new £66,665 Available from 2019-present
With seven seats at the ready, practicality rules supreme with the XC90:This X5 has an excellent official electric-only range and a smooth six-cylinder engine
*Price today is based on a 2020 model with average mileage and full service history, correct at time of writing
BMW X5
1 Temperature controls are easier to use on the move than the XC90’s touchscreen, but we’d prefer knobs to buttons
2 Digital instrument panel can show a greater variety of information than the XC90’s. It could be clearer, though
3 Switchable ambient lighting is standard; you can choose from six different colours to highlight the interior
Photography:Will Williams
VOLVO XC90
1 In R-Design trim, the XC90 gets a leatherettewrapped dash and door tops, finished with contrasting stitching
2 Climate controls are accessed via the central touchscreen, which is much smaller than that of the X5
3 The XC90 has some plush materials, but its knobs and switches don’t feel quite as satisfying to use as the X5’s
With lower noise levels and a more supple ride from its standard air suspension, the X5 is the better cruiser
BMW X5
Both cars offer strong acceleration, but the XC90’s engine has to be worked harder before it gives its best
VOLVO XC90
IT DOESN’T TAKE Albert Einstein to figure out that a tiny Hyundai i10 city car will cost substantially less to fuel than a humongous Hummer SUV. Big cars mean big bills… or at least they tend to.