Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV

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Wed 17 Feb 2010 10:10
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - ant1973
Talk about the agony of choice. Anyway, wife wants a new car. All sensible suggestions of a saloon or estate car have been rejected for no intelligible reasons and we are left with a choice of new 4x4s for c. £25k.

Honda CRV 2.2 Ex Auto (2010) - £26,500k - best broker price
Volvo XC90 Auto Active - £26k after leather re-trim and a few options added.

Having driven both, the Honda feels slightly more modern inside albeit the build quality doesn't feel quite as good as the XC90. On the handling front, they both feel similar (i.e. numb steering, zero road feel, the sense that the car is going to topple over if you take a bend at any more than 25 mph!). The Volvo definately feels more refined and has less road noise however.

In all seriousness, they are both pretty good family cars so I suppose what I'm really asking is whether there are any better ways to spend £25k on a newish 4x4? I've looked at the X5, Q7, Q5, etc but can't quite accept the comedy pricing i.e. £40k for an X5 with no leather or nav! 2nd hand is even worse where a decent spec 3 year old X5 still costs £25 - £30k. Not sure where the projected residual of 50% comes from.

cheers
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 10:59
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - loskie
May be worth a look at a 2010 model Legacy Outback Diesel. Around 26k and no options are really required. Drives more like a car, good fuel economy on the diesel and whisper quiet. I would like one but a bit out of my price bracket.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 11:39
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Gromit {P}
Subaru diesels aren't available as automatics (yet, at least).

Otherwise, I for one would have one in preference to either the Honda or Volvo - speaking as a satisfied (biased?) Forester owner.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 11:04
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - BobbyG
What about an X3 ?
Or new Kia with its 7 year warranty although it doesn't sound like your missus is being too rational with her thoughts! :)
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 11:51
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Pugugly
You won't be disappointed with he Honda.. X3 seems a bit small to me and the X5 a bit large, maybe there should be an X4 !
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 13:36
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - ant1973
Thanks for the advice - I did think about the Subarus and will go and have a test drive.

I thought about an X3 but the costs are well north of £25k new for a reasonable spec.

I'd also looked at the Santa Fe and the Sorrento and both seem like pretty good value for money. However, I fear I know my wife's reaction to both brands and I also didn't think that the differential in price with the Honda or Volvo was great enough.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 14:13
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - k9dan
Have a look at Jeep Commander, huge, 7 seats, and toys galore, very cheap 2 years old with no mileage. 5.7 V8 if your brave, or 3.0D from merc if sensible. Lot of metal for the money.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 14:17
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Lygonos
If you check the Hyundai website you'll find they (manufacturer) appear to be doing £1500 off the Santa Fe until the end of March.

Tempting...

Also don't expect the XC90 to still have 4WD after 50,000 miles ;-)
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 14:27
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - movilogo
I fear I know my wife's reaction to both brands


Buy Sorento/Santa Fe and stick Volvo/Honda badge replacing Kia/Hyundai badges. Problem solved =:-o
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 14:31
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Happy Blue!
I have just bought an XC90. It's fine, but I suspect that the Honda is a far better drive. And if you don't need the space, I would take the Honda over the Volvo.

The Honda is overpriced though and the Volvo is cheap (although a decent spec will get prices up to £40,000). I recall that HJ said that the BMW X1 is a very good car for a lot less money than the CRV.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 14:58
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - NickS
VW Touareg? Or Mercedes R Class? Both, especially the latter are cracking value at a year old. 5.0 V10 TDI would be my choice in the VW......

Left field choice; Nissan Murano?

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Wed 17 Feb 2010 16:10
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - bimmer-driver
Volvo, no contest. The CRV is an ugly beast.

Edited by bimmer-driver on 17/02/2010 at 16:10

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Wed 17 Feb 2010 16:12
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Pica
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;)
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 16:44
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - xtrailman
Neither car is worth 25K, buy nearly new, or old stock in the case of the honda (old engine), i got over £8k of a £23k xtrail, bought new through the nissan employees scheme, after a year your £25k car will have lost £8k minimum.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 17:50
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - ForumNeedsModerating
Thought of a Volvo XC60? A neighbour has just bought one (2.4 diesel geartronic auto, leather etc.) - newer & more sporty than the XC90 - he likes it & it looks more svelte & CRV sized than the behemoth XC90 - goes better & more economical too.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 18:26
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Brian Tryzers
>... after a year your £25k car will have lost £8k minimum.

So don't buy one to keep for a year! Keep it for six and amortize the depreciation over a sensible period. Of course, if this is a vehicle for purposes of vanity rather than practicality, this may be a hard sell to the - ahem - end user.
};---)
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 18:46
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Pondlife
after a year your £25k car will have lost £8k minimum.


I wish! I'm also looking for a Honda CR-V for the wife, and wish I could find a one-year-old one for 8K under list price. I'd snap up a 2009 2.0 EX auto for 19K (list price around 27K).

From dealers, I'm seeing 19 - 20K for 2007 and 2008 2.0 EX Autos, and they seem to be selling quite well. I'm not sure what they are actually selling for though - any pointers welcome.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 18:50
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Pica
There is a waiting list too on the CRV. I ordered an EX Auto dtec around mid January for end of March delivery!
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 21:06
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - ant1973
Again, many thans for all the advice.

As someone has already pointed out, there is no significant advantage in buying a 2nd car here. The XC90 new is cheaper than the 1 year old cars at the dealers. Ideally, I would like to buy a £15 - 16k car which was a year old but despite all of the car guides suggesting it is possible, the prices just don't reflect this.

I like the XC60 but thought it was a little cramped inside - the CRV seemed to have more room.

I hadn't looked at an R-Class but they are now on the radar and at 1 year old are very good value for money.
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 22:06
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Pugugly
I bought a CRV as I needed part time 4WD because of where I live and not wanting to be snow-bound again (like I was last year) - yes I know I could buy a front wheel drive skinny wheeled thing but I don't want one - The car has decent economy of around 43mpg - it is comfortable for travelling long distances for both driver passenger and dog. It's as cheap as chips to run including lowish tax of 175 a year. It's a good tow truck for occasional towing and does most things well enough - it's no sports car but can cruise well on M/ways - and is drivable on NSL roads and is a match for our pot-holed roads with long travel suspension and proper tyres. Yes It's ugly but I don't care and you don't see it when you're driving. It's a fine town and country car. It performed very well in the recent slow - never giving cause for concern and getting everywhere where I wanted. Buying it was an impulse buy after I lost my wife, but I rarely regretted it. The only thing I miss is outright performance but if I want performance I'll buy something else...:-)
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Wed 17 Feb 2010 22:41
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - Alby Back
I haven't driven an XC90 or a CRV so can't comment on them. I was though given a Qashqai 2.0 diesel 4x4 auto as a company car last year. I didn't choose it, it was simply given to me. I had never really "got" the suv thing before that. I've had "proper" Land Rovers when I had a lifestyle which required those abilities but had long held the view that the success of the soft roader category was a result of the victory of form over function.

I am now though quite taken with it. It was great in the bad weather, it is very comfortable and I've grown to really appreciate it. I wouldn't say I'd never go back to a "normal" car and wouldn't defend it unequivocally but it's much better than I thought it would be. Certainly wouldn't object to another or similar vehicle in the future.

On a tangential note, I had owned some automatics back along and never really fell in love with them but the six speeder on the Nissan is really very good. I've needed to be in London a lot recently and it has been a useful extra benefit.

Edited by Humph Backbridge on 17/02/2010 at 22:42

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Thu 18 Feb 2010 07:38
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - grumpyscot
I've owned Volvos, I've owned Hondas (esp a CRV). If you want a car to buy and forget, and keep it for life, there's only one choice - Honda. If you want to know well your local dealer's maintenance shop then go for a Volvo.

Volvo might have better quality interiors, but Honda win on the reliability stakes every time.
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Fri 19 Mar 2010 20:55
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - DedRinger

I've just bought a Honda CR-V (ES diesel auto) after a succession of 5 Volvo V70 estates. Having decided to go for a four wheel drive, I looked at the XC90 and XC60 and decided in favour of the CR-V.

It has several advantages: Honda reliabililty, good value for money, low maintenance cost (5 years for £850!), spacious interior, practicality and very pleasant to drive. The 2010 version feels like a premium car in a way that the earlier CR-Vs don't quite manage. However, it's also thirstier than I would like and the standard M&S tyres aren't quiet. We looked at the CR-V EX - lots of lovely toys but we want practicality and comfort, not luxiness.

The XC60 is cramped inside - not a proper Volvo. The XC90 is just too big and cumbersome, especially for parking. It seems to cost a fortune to maintain. Oddly enough, the smaller CR-V feels more spacious.

On balance, the CR-V ES is spot on for what we want and so far we 're delighted with it.

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Sat 20 Mar 2010 09:35
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - GroovyMucker

To deal with badge snobbery: "Yes, I thought of a <insert make here> until I did a bit of research ..."

More help here: www.amazon.co.uk/One-Upmanship-Lifes-Little-Withou...3

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Sat 20 Mar 2010 22:57
Volvo Xc90 v Honda cRV - tintin01

My sister has an 02 cRV, her husband has an 06 Xc90, both owned fron new. I know you are looking at newer cars, so not a direct comparison. I have been in both frequently and although the Volvo feels sturdier and more upmarket, the cRV is a spacious and comfortable car.

Both have been very reliable, which is why they have kept the cRV for so long. In terms of running costs and servicing, the cRV has been cheaper and is more 'car-like' to drive. They are both great cars - more prestige with the Volvo badge, but better value with the cRV.

Of the two specific models you have listed, I would go with the Volvo. But if buying used I'd save money and get a cRV.

Edited by tintin01 on 20/03/2010 at 22:59

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Sun 21 Mar 2010 11:22
Volvo Xc90 v Honda cRV - DedRinger

curious comment, Groovy Mucker. What's bugging you?

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Thu 8 Apr 2010 17:32
Volvo XC90 v Honda CRV - zhangxiaoda

i come from China, here xc90(2.5T) price is 2.4 times than crv (2.4).so in china your can not have the choise xc90 or crv.if you confare them,others will feel very strange.

but from the chinese local forum information, there are always some problem about volvo.

i have a honda jazz saden. you can use it as a relible tool and not care about it.

so i think crv is as good as my jazz.

so i think crv is more fit you family.

other choise my father have a outlander ex ,he and my mather told me the outlander is good and comfortable.

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