The BMW X5 xDrive45e has been getting stellar review ever since it was launched. We too loved our time behind the wheel and it feel like a drastic improvement over the previous-generation model. Our thoughts are shared by most reviewers out there and the people from What Car? have recently named the X5 xDrive45e the best plug-in hybrid luxury SUV on sale in the UK so you probably have a hint as to how this review is going to pan out.
What we’re checking out here is a comparison between the BMW and the Volvo XC90 T8. To be fair, the Volvo is a bit older than the BMW, nearing the end of its production span but, it’s still a very capable SUV. I remember testing it back in 2015 and leaving with the impression that it’s a better SUV than the F15 X5 I had driven days before. 
The review mentions that the materials and the fit and finish inside the X5 are better than the ones in the XC90. On the other hand, the Swedish car is more practical, offers more space in the back and in the boot. And that can be easily observed. What’s very interesting to note is that the XC90 can also be configured with seven seats, whereas the hybrid version of the X5 doesn’t allow that, as the batteries are stored in the boot.
As for the electric range, the X5 trumps the competition. Its 24 kWh battery is more than twice as big than the one in the Volvo, measuring 11.6 kWh. Real life tests carried out by the reviewers showed that the X5 can cover 32.5 miles with a charge, while the XC90 covered only 18.7 miles. That’s the biggest differentiator here, for anyone looking for a new PHEV premium SUV.
