Volvo XC90 vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio vs Lexus RX: here's our winner

Introduced in 2015, the Volvo XC90 was the first product solely developed by Volvo, with Volvo powertrains under new owners Geely, ushering in a range of 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, hybrid and diesel engines, a digitised interior, packaging and styling that put the Swedish brand ahead of the competition in many ways.

While there are many established competitors for the XC90 that hail from Germany, for today’s comparison we have selected two often overlooked products in the segment, the recently updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the Lexus RX, which are similarly priced to the entry-level XC90.Our trio all feature petrol engines, automatic gearboxes, are similarly priced and all come with maintenance plans at standard. We will be comparing the XC90 with these rivals to determine which is best.

Volvo XC90 B5 AWD Momentum

Powertrain and fuel consumption

Powering the XC90 in B5 guise is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 183kW and 350Nm of torque. The engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels, allowing for a 0-100km/h time of 7.7 seconds and a claimed fuel consumption figure of 7.1 L/100km.

Standard equipment

The XC90, in entry-level Momentum guise, comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, climate control, a multifunction steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, an infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, multiple USB ports, a digitised instrument cluster, front and rear electric windows and leather seats, LED headlights, electrically adjustable front seats, automatic windscreen wipers and lane-keeping aid.

Safety

The XC90 was crash tested by The Euro NCAP assessment programme in 2015 where it achieved a 5-Star rating, including 97% for adult occupant safety, 87% for child occupant safety, 72% for pedestrian safety and 94% for its safety assistance systems.

Practicality

The XC90 is an incredibly practical vehicle, with a flexible seating system that sees the boot offer 302, 680, 1 045 and even 1 856-litres of space, depending on the configuration selected. It also sports a healthy 223m of ground clearance on the standard suspension system.

Price and value proposition

The XC90 is quite a big vehicle at this price point, offering reasonable specification and value at this price point.

The competition

Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0T Super Q4

The Stelvio features a potent 206kW and 400Nm from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, allowing for a brisk 5.7 second 0-100km/h time and a claimed consumption figure of 7.0 L/100km

The Stelvio has a similar specification to the XC90 but gets 20-inch alloy wheels, loses adaptive cruise control but gains keyless entry. The Stelvio was crash-tested by the ANCAP assessment programme in 2017, scoring 37 points out of a possible 38.

The Stelvio has the biggest boot in this comparison, with a capacious 525-litres of space. Looking at the Alfa Romeo from a value perspective, it is the least expensive product here, and has a reasonable amount of specification, presenting good value.

Lexus RX 350 F-Sport

The Lexus is the only product in this comparison to be powered by a naturally aspirated engine. It is a 3.5-litre V6 petrol that produces 221kW and 370Nm of torque and is paired with an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. It suffers at the pumps, with a consumption figure of 9.6 L/100km and a 0-100km/h time of 8.0 seconds.

The RX has the best specification among the trio, matching items from the Stelvio and XC90 but adding additional airbags, electrically adjustable steering but adding steering-mounted gearshift paddles, keyless start, and LED headlights. With 453-litres of boot space, the Lexus is the least spacious among the three. The RX is the most expensive product here, but both its maintenance plan is the best and it has the most specification as standard.

Facts and figures:

	Volvo XC90 B5 AWD Momentum	Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0T Super Q4	Lexus RX 350 F-Sport
Engine size (cyl/size)	4-cyl, 2.0-litre turbo petrol	4-cyl, 2.0-litre turbo petrol	6-cyl, 3.5-litre petrol
Power/Torque	183 kW/350 Nm	206 kW/400 Nm	221 kW/370 Nm
CO2 emissions	163 g/km	161 g/km	223 g/km
Maintenance plan	5 yr / 100 000km	5 yr/ 100 000km	7 yr/105 000km
Airbag count	6	6	10
Warranty	5 yr/100 000km	5 yr/100 00km	7 yr/105 000km
Fuel tank capacity	40 litres	45 litres	44 litres
Ave Consumption *	7.1 L/100 km	7.0 L/100 km	9.6 L/100 km
Driven wheels	All	All	All
Boot volume	302-680 litres	525 litres	453 litres
Price	R1 213 000	R1 159 900	R1 253 000

* Manufacturer's claimed figures.

Pricing was all-inclusive at the time of writing but may change without prior notice.

Verdict

Having looked at the figures, it would appear that we have another tight battle on our hands, with all three contenders offering compelling packages. Despite its string maintenance plan and specification, the Lexus RX comes in last place due to its ageing powertrain and relatively small boot.

Second place goes to the Volvo because our winner, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the cheapest, offers the best performance, is the second most practical, has a decent amount of standard kit and is latest among the three to be updated.