I'm a new owner of a 2020 V90 Inscription and new to the Volvo car brand.

I've noticed that discussions in owner forums, regardless of luxury car brand, and research from the Consumer Reports Magazine, typically state how poor the reliability is for "luxury" car brands, in general. In addition, many sources imply that some luxury car brands are more unreliable than others, even though they employ many similar safety/driver-aid/risk-mitigation and performance features. While some brands may be noted for specific issues (e.g., Benz decaying motor mounts, BMW's overuse of plastics in the engine bay, etc), from what I can tell, regardless of brand, many vehicles of various brands have similar problems with the myriad of electrical systems found in newer cars. It's the nature-of-the-beast.

With this said, is "reliability" really a key differentiator for people who select a specific "luxury" car brand? While reliability may be a key lease vs buy reason, I'm skeptical of its importance in actually (a) desiring one "luxury" car brand over another and (b) actually acquiring a "luxury" vehicle.

... So, here are my three questions:

1. Why did you choose Volvo over another brand?

2. Did you choose to lease or buy your Volvo?

3. For those of you who actually purchased a Volvo, how concerned are you about its reliability (i.e., not concerned, mildly concerned, greatly concerned)?

4. What was the primary reason(s) for you selecting a Volvo over another luxury brand?

I'll start by answering, myself.

1. Why I chose Volvo: I wanted a true station wagon (V90 Inscription) and Volvo's only true competitor, when I placed my order in early 2020 , was the the Benz E450 Estate Wagon. I felt the Volvo offered the better value for my money.

2. Lease vs Buy: I chose to buy, not lease, my 2020 V90 Inscription. I typically keep my cars from 10-to-15 years, maintaining them in OEM condition.

3. Concerned about reliability: Mildly concerned. Never having owned a Volvo before AND realizing that it is heavily reliant of complex electronics, I elected to purchase the VIP 10 yr/100K service contract to help mitigate potential repair costs (paid for, in full, by the the Costco and Volvo rebates I received at time of purchase). This is the first time, in my (almost) 50 years of driving, that I've elected to purchase an extended service contract.

4. My primary reasons for selecting Volvo was the long-distance driving comfort of the front seats, along with its unique WHIPS whiplash injury protection system. (NOTE: While most manufacturers have done a very good work in introducing safety technology to reduce death due accidents, IMO, much more can be done to address whiplash injuries, which are far more prevalent. IMO, Volvo's WHIPS solution is a key differentiator). Secondarily, I wanted a car-like drive that had a sufficiently-sized low-lifting rear storage area, which is why I choose the V90 Inscription, specifically. Lastly, it didn't hurt that I feel the V90 Inscription has a unique and gorgeous design.

PROVIDED SUFFICIENT RESPONSES ARE OBTAINED, I WILL TABULATE, SYNOPSIZE AND REPORT BACK TO THIS FORUM.

 

My reason was quite simple: I wanted a large hatchback.

I spent the last two years searching for used cars in my price range and stumbled on my 2012 XC60 Premier Plus by chance. The price was right and compared to my other choices, it was a far better value, and even cheaper(!) than everything else I had seen. I was looking at wagons and 5 door hatchbacks, CUVs and SUVS from economy models to the next tier up. I had not even considered looking at anything "luxury".

So I went for a look, then a test drive and then bought it. That it is an upscale CUV was a bonus. That is was the safest car on the planet was even more of a bonus. That it still looks sharp was just icing on all those bonuses! That the price was better than anything else I had seen made it a no-brainer.

I had already heard about its long trip comfort and was able to put that to the test shortly after purchase. It lived up to its reputation as being a great long hauler.

As for reliability, it's rated above average and that's good enough for me. If I wanted Asian reliability, I would have bought one. I like Asian cars, but the Volvo is just plain nicer.

 

I did it for the chicks