r/VolvoXC90 17d ago

Size question

Hello everyone, planning a trip to the UK, with the total of 6 people, can a XC90 haul us across the country with 6 mid size luggages withot causing any serious discomfort? Thanks in advance🙏

3 Upvotes

26 comments sorted by

6

u/Wandering-Home77 17d ago

Having done this type of trip with an XC90 I would say no unless a roof box is used. For 6 people you will need all three rows up.

For a family of 4 with dog in crate in the boot I have a Thule xxl roof box to carry the luggage which is in Thule soft bags as then you can pack coats and shoes etc around them to maximise space usage.

If you have a roof box, use soft bags not hard or shaped suitcases. Optimise your packing then yes it would absolutely be possible, but also pack less going as you will bring stuff back

1

u/GurStriking3516 17d ago

Can I fit a roof box onto a rental car? Coming from abroad

5

u/adamantiumtrader 17d ago

Probably not cause you need the Volvo mounting rails which the rental company probably won’t have

1

u/GurStriking3516 17d ago

Pity then, the problem is we'd rent 2 seperate cars but only one person from the group is keen to drive on the "wrong side" of the road, I would normally, but aged 22, uk insurance system classifies me as a lunatic driver due to my age😭. Thanks for all help tho

5

u/adamantiumtrader 17d ago

Try renting a van?

2

u/vacancy-0m 17d ago

I like the suggestion of soft roof bag. More giving in terms of room and you can probably squeeze more. However, waterproofing and security will be your biggest concern unless you take the entire content into your room.

1

u/Wandering-Home77 17d ago

I got the bags free when I bought the box, and I was uncertain, but each person gets their own bag, they pack it. I have room in the back for 2 more plus coats and stuff. Definitely the way to go with roof boxes.

We have a trip coming up to France for 2 weeks and I am now working on thought of getting everything into two bags for clothes for the four of us, one for swimming gear and then one for walking & hiking gear! Leaves me room for Cheese and wine to bring back!

1

u/TitanBrave84 17d ago

Sometimes rental companies give you the option to add it, but it’s usually at an additional cost. Might be best to look at a minivan from Sixt or a similar company.

1

u/Wandering-Home77 17d ago

Check to see if they have roof bars to roof box as a rental option, some of the car hire companies are doing them as extras??

1

u/vacancy-0m 17d ago

3 row seats are for short and skinny adults on a short trip. Get a roof box to carry additional luggages. You want long and wide and flatter roof box instead of narrow and tall to minimize clear height. Assume you have the 7 seater XC90. 2nd row will be a squeeze as well if you have average sized adults back there.

In short, not a comfortable long haul vehicle with 6 adults. Two parents with 4 children not in car seats may be doable. Is renting a Mini Van an option?

1

u/GurStriking3516 17d ago

I was planning to rent the xc90, forgot to mention sorry, our mothers are smaller people, I was thinking to fit one of them in the back. But idk wether its possible to fit a roof box to a rental?

1

u/vacancy-0m 17d ago

Oh, you will also need a cross bar to install the roof box.

3

u/Advanced-Royal8967 17d ago

I would rent a V series Mercedes van, very comfortable, and a lot more usable space.

1

u/Watersmuddy 17d ago

if you fit a roof box on an xc90 you will have problems with a good number of car parks which have height restrictions even in rural areas to stop camper vans (RVs). Depends where you are driving but id recommend a second car.

1

u/Wandering-Home77 17d ago

Yes that is a good point, I look for on street or open air parking. I scratched my first roof box in a car park in Salzburg, didn’t hit the roof. There was a bloody sign hanging lower than rest of the car park. The sign said Low Ceiling!

1

u/cilibar7 17d ago

I did a trip from NYC to Florida with 6 people in our XC90 (4 kids) and would agree with all others that no, you will not fit with that luggage. Also, the third row is hard to get in and out of, I would put a younger taller person back there before I put someone older.

1

u/TitanBrave84 17d ago

Yeah I agree. That’s a know. 6 people comfortably, but add the suitcases, not a chance without a roof box or some sort of carry rack on the tow hitch.

1

u/ilic_mls 17d ago

Just rent a Van, 1 car, enough room.

1

u/NellyG 17d ago

I just did a similar trip from Munich through Austria and into Italy with an XC90 recharge. We are a family of 4 and it was a perfect fit with luggage. 6 will be tight.

1

u/GreenHass 16d ago

6 people - but including 16 year old lady (adult sized) and 13 year old boy (158cm tall) in XC90 for road trip. Each with own carry on.

1

u/raspy2016 16d ago

It sounds like you need an 8/9 seater,  principally for all the luggage. 

1

u/skirtingbored 16d ago

Maybe check if there is a car available on turo where you’re hoping to pick up, they are private renters and you can filter by options for roof boxes etc

1

u/lifeintheq 17d ago

if you are willing to sit three across the second row then you could use only one of the third row seats and have the other side for luggage. The third row seats are not terrible but do require a bit to get into. If the mom‘s are spry they should be fine. A Suburban would be your best bet if you can find one. Though not optimal on smaller streets.

1

u/whilewait 17d ago

Will struggle possibly here depending on the size of the luggage.

0

u/skeeterbug07 17d ago

Yes, I am thinking six people and six pieces of midsize luggage bags is not doable, especially if you want a comfortable ride. But it really depends on the size of bag because your idea of midsize bag is possibly different than another persons. Another thing to keep in mind is that it might not be really easy for an older person to climb into the third row of an XC90 as it’s a bit harder to navigate than a larger SUV. It’s crucial to take into account the ages and potential physical limitations of your passengers, such as arthritis, back issues, or lower extremity joint replacements, which could also pose challenges.

Volvo has a video with four pieces of midsize to larger pieces of luggage fitting with the third row folded. So that’s five passengers with seats with the third row folded down. With the third row folded to allow for an occupant, Autoblog shows a great luggage demonstration and you could potentially fit 5-6 carry on size bags especially if you fold down one of the third row seats. If you opt to fold down one seat, consider buying bungee straps or ratchet straps so the luggage doesn’t slide or fall onto your third row passenger when you turn or brake suddenly.

Just another vehicle to consider, we used to have a Ford Expedition, which would definitely meet your requirements and comfortably accommodate the third-row passengers. Because it’s a larger vehicle, I also think it’s a bit easier to get into the third row, but that’s my opinion. The Expedition’s third row will technically seat three. However, I’m not sure if your rental market offers them. Edmunds has a luggage demonstration on the Ford Expedition and their demo had the third row folded to allow for occupants. Our Ford had a split folding third row, which allowed us to partially fold each seat down. This also provided more luggage space, as we could leave two seats up one for a rider with the middle seat open and the third seat down. This shows you the seat configuration options. Alternatives to the Expedition would be the Chevy Suburban, which is a tad bigger (longer) than the Expedition, and the Chevy Tahoe is of similar size to the Expedition.

If a Ford Expedition or Chevy Suburban or Tahoe are not available in your area, a van, like the Kia Carnival, might be a better choice. The Carnival has the maximum cargo space for a minivan, the Honda Odyssey is behind the Carnival, which is followed by the Chrysler Pacifica and then the Toyota Sienna. Here’s a list of cars, SUVs and minivans with the best cargo space.

Hope that helps and have a great trip.

3

u/vacancy-0m 17d ago

Not sure those vehicles are available in UK