177mph

Seems odd becuase the load leveling on the GX470 is only in the rear - nothing to do with the front suspension. There have been reports of driveshaft clunks - but most of those have been addressed.

Travis

Yep, probably driveshaft clunking now that I recall. Dunno if she ever got that resolved though.

NEK

You might also consider that the current XC90 will be replaced fairly soon. I don't know whether the new version is simply a revision or is a full-fledged replacement. I don't know where the GX470 stands.

For what it's worth, I'd go with the Lexus for sure. Volvos are good cars, but Lexuses (sp?) are currently the best, or darn close. I think you'll enjoy the Lexus more than the Volvo and when it comes time to sell or trade it, the Lexus will probably be a better value.

-NEK

Edward

Can't speak to the other choices, but my brother has the XC90 in a turbo5, and this is our tow vehicle for my trackmeister as well as his daily driver. It is a superb car in every way: handling, utility, stability, reliability --I can only expect (hope?) that the v8 by Yamaha only adds to the goodness. Also pretty decent mileage and very kid friendly if these points matter to you. BTW, the T6 was problematic ...prob why it's gone. The T5 is tried and true with a good legacy behind it ...FWIW.

Edward

jhale

Thanks for all of the great feedback. I really like the V8 XC90 but I'm little weary about the low customer satisfaction. The Volvo dealer told me that the low numbers were because of their 04 and 05 models with the T6 motor. I guess this motor shredded up transmissions and they have been replacing them around 30K. I guess this motor is no longer available and they introduced the V8 and v6 to replace it.

The only thing I don't like about the Lexus is that the third row seats won't fold flat or disappear. Just makes one more thing to store in my garage. The other thing is the tail gate opens to right and you have to open the entire gate (i.e.: not just the window) to gain access to the rear. This is a pain when you parallel park. Obviously these are little issues. From the sounds of things, most people tend to lean towards the Lexus.

I think the safety features are comparable, no?

Thanks again for all of the great feedback.

Jon

98_993_cab

One person I know owned an XC90 (non-V8) and sold it within a few months. Didn't like the gas mileage supposedly; bought a MB wagon instead. Another person I know looked at the Lexus (one of those drive it for day deals), and also bought a MB wagon instead. Not sure if that helps...

InTheAir

Just last week I picked up a 2007 XC90 V8 AWD with all of the options, except DVD player and NAV. So far, I'm VERY happy with it. It's smooth, refined, and fairly gutsy with 300+ hp.

Me likes.

InTheAir

Not replaced, but rather redesigned (2007 model).

I work with someone who had the previous version and also bought the 2007 XC90 V8 AWD and says that both were great, but the new version corrects a couple of minor annoyances he had with the car. He picked his up in Sweden (foreign delivery), drove it around Sweden and Denmark for a week, and they shipped it to him here in the states. Like me, he couldn't be happier.