2018 Volvo XC90 FWD: MPG and fuel economy

This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

How the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD compares

The 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD returns 25 combined MPG. Cars in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year average 19.4 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 29%.

Within the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2018 model year, the Volvo XC90 FWD is the leader. No other car in the same class beat its 25 MPG rating. The bar chart below shows it alongside the class average and the average new car for some additional context.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2018 model year (across all classes) returns 25.6 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2018 model year is on its own page.

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 600 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Year-over-year MPG for the Volvo XC90 FWD

The EPA has rated the Volvo XC90 FWD across 18 model years, from 2003 Volvo XC90 FWD through 2021 Volvo XC90 FWD. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

The 2003 Volvo XC90 FWD returned 18 MPG. The most recent 2021 Volvo XC90 FWD returns 25 MPG. That is an improvement of 7 MPG over 18 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.

Compare against other Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD for 2018

If you are cross-shopping the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

Specifications

The 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD runs a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (s8), sending power through front-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

Engine

2L 4-cylinder turbocharged

Transmission

Automatic (S8)

Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Fuel type

Premium

Annual petroleum use

11.9 barrels per year

Start-stop system

Yes

Common questions about the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD.

• Is the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD fuel efficient?

  Yes. The 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD returns 25 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year by about 29%.
• What MPG does the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD get?

  The EPA rates the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD at 25 combined MPG, 22 MPG in city driving, and 29 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
• How much does it cost to fuel a 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD per year?

  The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,750 for the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
• Does the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD require premium gas?

  Yes. The EPA lists the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump.
• Has the Volvo XC90 FWD become more fuel efficient over time?

  Yes. The first EPA-rated Volvo XC90 FWD, the 2003 Volvo XC90 FWD, returned 18 combined MPG. The most recent 2021 Volvo XC90 FWD returns 25 MPG, an improvement of 7 MPG over the run.
• How much CO₂ does the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD emit?

  Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 353 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 5,295 kilograms of CO₂.
• What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD?

  City driving returns 22 MPG and highway driving returns 29 MPG, a gap of 7 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.
• What engine is in the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD?

  The 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD has a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement.
• What transmission and drivetrain does the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD have?

  The 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD comes with a automatic (s8) transmission and front-wheel drive.
• Is the 2018 Volvo XC90 FWD the most efficient car in its class?

  Yes. Among cars in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2018 model year, the Volvo XC90 FWD returns the highest combined MPG at 25 MPG. No other car in the same class beats that figure.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.