Buying new XC90 D5 2011
 

Hello all,

I am looking at a couple of XC90s to purchase from the year 2011. I see one with the picture of armrest box and it only has "AUX". Do XC90s not have usb playback option? The models i am looking at, have screens for the rear passengers so i am guessing that they have the higher version of stereo provided by volvo? I was hoping for carplay or usb playback option to be in these cars since my 2010 BMW 3 series all these.

Any tips or anything to look out for, will be appreciated.

Cheers

RSE (Rear Seat Entertainment) is independent of the type of stereo system fitted. Standard Euro RSE is a single DVD player in the center console, with RCA AUX IN on the center console facing the rear seat.

RSE can play through AUX channel to have sound through speakers

If USB interface is fitted, check for USB socket in glovebox

No carplay options exist for these cars.

Thanks for the reply. What can you do with the USB? Can it read off an iphone? Also is it used to update navigation maps as well (this is what my BMW used to do with the USB in glovebox). What about the bluetooth streaming audio?

The 2011 model will play from usb and an iPhone/iPod when connected to the usb socket via the appropriate lead to the usb socket in the glovebox. It has Bluetooth but not audio over Bluetooth (2012/13 cars had this). Apple car play came many years after 2011. The sat nav is updated by a dvd that loads onto a hard disk this is located under the drivers seat. The rear screen entertainment was optional and played via a dvd in the central arm rest.
The 2011 models were the first to have the Euro v diesel (200 PS)

I didn’t think Apple CarPlay was a BMW option until 2017!

The bluetooth and USB steaming in the XC90 works pretty well - it’s what I have in my 2012 model. You can adjust the volume and advance through tracks all from the steering wheel, from Amazon music as well as Apple music. I haven’t tried with Spotify.

Aside from muting the volume during directions there’s no interaction between the navigation and stereo. They aren’t integrated units as they might be in Mercs or BMWs or later Volvos.

Sorry, i meant usb playback. I see other '11 and '12 volvos with Carplay (S60, XC 60 etc) though so i thought they'd have it in XC90 as well

There's a reasonable amount of interaction between nav and stereo:

The nav reduces the volume (doesn't mute it) of the front speakers during voice instructions

The voice comes out the driver's door speaker only, (or center speaker if a surround system is fitted). This way the passengers are less bothered by the voice.

The nav also issues a Ding if other higher-priority audio signals such as Telephone or Traffic Announcements are occurring.

The nav voice comes through even when the stereo is turned off.

Not on mine. If I'm streaming music from my iPhone and the stern navigation lady gives directions or has something to say, it pauses (essentially muting) the playback during the issuing of instructions.

My 2005 does this on CD play back (I use a Dennison so iPhone) but when on radio it does just reduce the volume as Swiss states above. It can’t really pause radio where as it can with the other functions.

Great feedback

So the nav:

• Pauses inputs that it can pause (iPod, iPhone, CD) when issuing voice instructions
• Reduces volume on inputs that it cannot pause (Radio) when issuing voice instructions
• Issues a DING on inputs that have higher priority and are currently active (Traffic Announcements, Telephone)

I must verify the pausing vs reducing volume on my car, I've never noticed the difference (and now I feel like I've missed something...)