Anyone chose XC90 over Q7 and regret it now?

[Ukwide]

Having owned 3 Audi’s and 4 Volvos, they all felt pretty much the same, but once the Audi goes past one year old, the dealership looked down their noses at you and couldn’t be bothered to help when there was a problem.

[Billfolder]

Had the same choice myself. Much preferred the Q7 to drive and even put a deposit down but got messed about by the dealership so switched to Volvo.

Always felt the Volvo was better for the passengers with the third row seats a bit higher for better visibility and the third row aircon available as an option even on momentum. In the Q7 I'd have had to upgrade to an Sline to get 4 zone aircon and there still wouldn't be vents for the third row.

Also pilot assist is standard where as the "touring pack" in the Audi was a 3k option if I recall.

The driver's seat in the Audi seemed a nicer place to be though, and the diesel was very refined compared to a rattling D5. I went for a T5 in the end.

[Duri13]

Originally Posted by Billfolder

Always felt the Volvo was better for the passengers with the third row seats a bit higher for better visibility and the third row aircon available as an option even on momentum. In the Q7 I'd have had to upgrade to an Sline to get 4 zone aircon and there still wouldn't be vents for the third row.

Also pilot assist is standard where as the "touring pack" in the Audi was a 3k option if I recall.

The driver's seat in the Audi seemed a nicer place to be though, and the diesel was very refined compared to a rattling D5. I went for a T5 in the end.

And happy with your choice? I would most likely go with D5, although it is tempting to get T6 (or T8) to get more powerful engine. But with 30.000km/year it does not make much sense (financially).

And when you mention the AC for the 3rd row - do you have it? What do you gain? Air vents in the 3rd row? Or even extra controls (kind of 5-zone AC)? So is it worth it then? I have it in the list but hesitating if there is not enough air already from other vents in the 2nd row...

[gmk666]

The Q7 was on my list (along with the Range Rover Sport) but I chose the XC90 in the end mainly because it's far less 'in your face' than both. Yes, the 3.0TDI is smoother than my D5 and the 272ps version is noticeably faster too. The Audi's cabin felt more upmarket; more 'car' like, although the XC90 feels roomier. But I couldn't get over how intimidating the front grille of the Q7 was. And this is coming from a former RS6 and RS4 driver. There's something about the XC90 that seems 'friendlier' and less intimidating to other road users. Maybe it's a safe family Volvo thing? So in answer to your question, I'm still happy with my decision.

[Deman77]

Originally Posted by Haldex

Agree. But my point when it comes to reliability, in comparison to Asian brands- all European carmakers are average. at best. Buying an Audi because it's "more reliable" may have been a valid argument in the 90s..

It all comes down to how you measure reliability. Generally it’s the number of warranty calls etc. Something really basic. Asian cars generally stick with a generation or two too old gizmo tech which improves their reliability. Also apart from Lexus they do not offer anything that’s luxury so the customers would put up with small annoyances provided the car is driving. Go for top of the range German car customer and you have completely different expectations - imperfection on trim fit or some obscure gizmo not working exactly how they want it too and the car is with a dealer. All car manufacturers are assembling from components that are produced by pretty much the same suppliers. They set different levels of quality and tolerances and choose cheaper or more expensive materials but it makes minimal impact on reliability. Even putting the car together the know how on putting things together gets around so no one is really better or worse - it’s percentage points. It’s more down to misfortune whether you will get everything perfect on your car than what manufacturer you choose. Dealers attitude is more important - volvo has been excellent here. Excluding Tesla which is not a for profit company but an ego project volvo probably has best attitude to sorting out your problems.
Did I wish sometimes I went with Q7 - yes. It’s 6cyl, it’s better put together. But thats about it. Dealers would treat you like rubbish, it’s hideous from all but one angle and even then you need right eheels and colour, now you say engine troubles. Being one of the early adopters for xc90 I had to have lots of things fixed on my car - squeky breaks, clunky air suspension, noisy tyres, draining battery. It was affecting many same age models, it was all fixed whilst I was driving an equivalent spec car, nothing ever really gone wrong apart from that and nothing made my car undriveable. I don’t think a different choice would have been wise looking back. On top of that it’s not an in your fave car and not a natural theft target.

[isleaiw]

I think the 6 cylinder v 4 cylinder diesel pretty much makes the decision for me. I also prefer the MMI interface in the Audi to the touchscreen in the Volvo.

But only you can decide. I was looking at XC60 v Q5 and others and eventually went for an SQ5 - and haven’t regretted the decision once. I would happily choose the Q7 next time - but the SQ7 is frighteningly expensive (except compared to Cayenne and Bentayaga with which it shares components...)

On the safety front, not sure there is enough in it to make a call...

[MaDProFF]

I nearly bought an SQ5 once, really great car, as soon as I sat in it it just felt perfect. I did not buy one in the end as I knew it was at its life end before a major update, and was still expensive.

[Quacker]

I had a Q7 and now an XC90. I don’t miss the Q7 at all. I didn’t have the latest model but would have one but the Volvo does everything it did and the brand ethics through and through are superior at Volvo. Audi dealers repeatedly tried to gouge me with unnecessary parts or repairs, culminating with them inspecting a blowing fuse for the seats as being ‘to burnt out motors that are not serviceable but we’ll do you a special offer on a new seat of £1000 plus fitting plus VAT. A local mechanic sorted it in two hours with a bit of insulating tape.

The Volvo dealer is excellent.

If I go for another Q7 next time, it will be a year or two old and bought from a local independent specialist, not through the choice of two main dealers, the closest and most crooked being 50 miles away.

Beware, Audi main dealers seem to assume their customers to be idiots and, in my experience will try their very best to upscale service invoices needlessly by substantial amounts. Mercedes dealers appear to be of the same ilk according to a friend who has a GLS but also runs a large retail industrial equipment business with several of his own workshops and mobile service vans. He is disgusted at what they try to get away with. Things he wouldn’t dream of trying on with his own customers, who tend to be more technically knowledgable than average.

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by isleaiw

I think the 6 cylinder v 4 cylinder diesel pretty much makes the decision for me. I also prefer the MMI interface in the Audi to the touchscreen in the Volvo.

But only you can decide. I was looking at XC60 v Q5 and others and eventually went for an SQ5 - and haven’t regretted the decision once. I would happily choose the Q7 next time - but the SQ7 is frighteningly expensive (except compared to Cayenne and Bentayaga with which it shares components...)

On the safety front, not sure there is enough in it to make a call...

Six or four makes absolutely zero difference to me. Adequate power, torque and the driving experience is what matters and I don’t miss the v6 in the Q7 one bit.
That isn’t the decisive factor for me. The overall ownership experience is what I like with the Volvo. It is far more satisfying than the frustrating tyre-gobbling Q7 ever was.
In fact I would go as far as to say that if I didn’t need seven seats, which I don’t, I find my C-RV automatic as satisfying to drive even though it lacks the power. It lacks little else of consequence if truth be told and my last one had absolutely zero issues in 65,000 miles and was only half way through its second set of tyres. The Audi are sets of tyres every 10 to 12k miles and was driven in a similar fashion. Pity that they no longer sell the CRV with a diesel or the excellent 9 speed automatic. Glad I bagged one in time.

[Billfolder]

Originally Posted by Duri13

And happy with your choice? I would most likely go with D5, although it is tempting to get T6 (or T8) to get more powerful engine. But with 30.000km/year it does not make much sense (financially).

And when you mention the AC for the 3rd row - do you have it? What do you gain? Air vents in the 3rd row? Or even extra controls (kind of 5-zone AC)? So is it worth it then? I have it in the list but hesitating if there is not enough air already from other vents in the 2nd row...

I'm very happy with my choice, the car is used to ferry around 7 people on short trips, usually 6-7000 miles a year so diesel did not make sense for me. The D5 definitely feels more effortless to drive due to the extra torque over the T5, but I prefer the refinement of the T5 over the diesel.

I got the 7 seat comfort pack which includes third row air con. It means there is an extra air con compressor powering the ventilation in the third row. There are two additional vents in the C pillars by the third row seats. I just felt that the extra air on the face will reduce travel sickness in my children and it seems to have worked. There are no separate controls for the third row, you simply turn it on and off using sensus. The temperature and fan settings for the third row are an average of the first and second rows according to the manual.