Great summary. I have had XC90 T8 for 3 months now, and the ride quality with 21-inch wheels (especially in the rear seat) is not great without air suspension. Road noise is also noticeable on rough surfaces. These are the only gripes I have so far, and I'm aware of these before the purchase. The powertrain is super smooth, and stupidly fast when both ICE and the electric motor are operating, while handling is not bad. I'm coming from a 2013 Mazda CX5, so the bumpiness of the ride is similar (slightly better in the Volvo, and it feels more premium & composed for sure). CX5's steering feel is slightly better, but volvo is more European-like & more premium overall for sure.
CX9 actually rides better with the 18-inch wheel I test-drove a few years back, steering feels more direct too, which has always been the strong case for Mazda. CX90 has always been my top choice since the news came out 2 years ago, but couldn't wait for that long, and the implementation of its PHEV seems to be a little disappointing to me after the CX60 reviews are out (very low electric-only range: 36 km vs 56 km in Volvo), and its power delivery isn't smooth based on the few European test drives in the CX60.
Other 3-rows I've driven:
1. Last-gen Pilot, feels like a boat, with very generous space, but too utilitarian (no sense of luxury at all).
2. 2022 MDX Tech 3.5 v6 - very lethargic, slow low-speed pick-up, noisy cabin, piano-black trim everywhere, doesn't feel premium at all. 3rd row is small, smaller than cx9.
3. Didn't drive, but rode in a 2022 Toyota highlander plat hybrid. It tries to appear premium, but it's an econobox car in general.
4. BMW X7 - nice, but pricey with options
Cross off the Aviator, XT6 after lurking on their forums. Had I spent enough time on the Volvo forum before the purchase, I might cross off XC90 as well... So far it's been good, met/exceeded my expectation so far. But I always have a soft spot for CX90 hence why I'm in this forum.
CX9 actually rides better with the 18-inch wheel I test-drove a few years back, steering feels more direct too, which has always been the strong case for Mazda. CX90 has always been my top choice since the news came out 2 years ago, but couldn't wait for that long, and the implementation of its PHEV seems to be a little disappointing to me after the CX60 reviews are out (very low electric-only range: 36 km vs 56 km in Volvo), and its power delivery isn't smooth based on the few European test drives in the CX60.
Other 3-rows I've driven:
1. Last-gen Pilot, feels like a boat, with very generous space, but too utilitarian (no sense of luxury at all).
2. 2022 MDX Tech 3.5 v6 - very lethargic, slow low-speed pick-up, noisy cabin, piano-black trim everywhere, doesn't feel premium at all. 3rd row is small, smaller than cx9.
3. Didn't drive, but rode in a 2022 Toyota highlander plat hybrid. It tries to appear premium, but it's an econobox car in general.
4. BMW X7 - nice, but pricey with options
Cross off the Aviator, XT6 after lurking on their forums. Had I spent enough time on the Volvo forum before the purchase, I might cross off XC90 as well... So far it's been good, met/exceeded my expectation so far. But I always have a soft spot for CX90 hence why I'm in this forum.