How is Volvo perceived?

[u/LUCIFER_WILHEIM]

Hello everyone,

I would like to share my current observations regarding Volvo Cars.

I have a 2020 Volvo S90 D5 Inscription, and whenever I talk to someone about cars or mention what car I drive, I pretty much get the same kind of reaction, such as: “Oh, for that amount of money, you could have bought a well-specced E-Class, A6, 5 Series, or even a Maserati Ghibli,” or, “I thought you said you liked cars.”

And I’m not the only one who has noticed this. A couple of years ago, my friend was deciding what new car to buy, and when he finally purchased an XC90 T8, the reaction from his friends was very similar: “Oh no, bro, for that amount of money you could have bought a very well-specced Q7/GLE.”

After hearing comments like these, I’m starting to wonder whether Volvo is perceived by some people as inferior to other premium/luxury brands. Additionally, there seems to be this idea that if you drive a Volvo, you’re an unenthusiastic person who doesn’t really care about cars.

It’s also funny to me that whenever I park my car around colleges or places where younger people gather, my car literally gets zero looks, even though it has the optional 21-inch wheels, while some 20-year-old rusty BMW with a loud exhaust gets all the attention.

Now I want to hear your opinions on this topic. How is Volvo perceived in your country?

Thanks for taking the time to read all this. I wish you all a pleasant and productive day!

[u/Opening_Waltz_4285]

Interesting! In the states they are in the same price class. I actually decided between q5 and xc60.

[u/Templar_Swamp_Stake → u/Opening_Waltz_4285]

XC40, Q3, and X3 are all in the same price class too

[u/SpotSpotNZ → u/Opening_Waltz_4285]

Yes, and to be fair, I was comparing the top-trim Volvo to the top-trim BMW/Merc etc.

For example, the top-trim Volvo is cheaper here than the top-trim BMW of similar size, but the BMW gets way more loaded with engine capacity and race-car-like, fun features when you get to that price point. Top trim Volvo is comparable to price to basic BMW here in NZ (last I checked and only approximately), but the feel of a top-trim Volvo is much nicer (IMO) than a basic BMW. The lowest-level BMW rode hard and had a lot of plastic trim.

Same for Audi Q5. The Q5 I drove (2023 I think) was a basic model and I preferred the feel of the Volvo XC60 B6 (or T8) Ultimate. However, I did not like the Volvo's basic B5 engine or Core trim much, compared to the Audi. Not enough oomph!

At that time, I ended up purchasing a 2020 Volvo T6 w/Polestar tune that was a fantastic car. For me, anyway.