The Volvo XC90 is a premium mid-sized SUV that combines advanced safety and comfort for up to 7 passengers.
It comes with innovative features such as an air purifier, Bowers & Wilkins speakers and supportive driver assistance technology.
If your looking to buy an XC90 you might be wondering where theses vehicle are made as part of your pre-purchase research.
In this article we’ll take a closer look as to where these vehicles are produced, read on to find out…
Table of Contents
Where Are Volvo XC90s Being Made?
The Volvo XC90 is built in Gothenburg, Sweden at Torslanda Works. As of 2022 the XC90 will be produced in the U.S.A at Volvos South Carolina Factory located in Ridgeville, Berkeley County, South Carolina.
Currently, all Volvo XC90s are built in Sweden however according to Volvo the South Carolina Factory will produce the next generation XC90 SUV around 2022.
It is unclear whether or not the Swedish plant will continue to produce the XC90 when the South Carolina plant begins production.
The XC90 is also produced in China under the moniker XC Classic.
The manufacturing plant is located in the city of Daqing in China’s north eastern Heilongjiang Province.
Are Volvo XC90s for the US Market Produced in the US?
Currently, the Volvo XC90 is being built in Sweden and imported into the US from the Torslanda Works located in Gothenburg Sweden.
As of 2022 however, Volvos produced for the US market will be built at Volvos factory in South Carolina.
The plant officially opened in 2018, with the two car lines (S60 and XC90), it has the capacity to produce up to 150,000 cars annually.
The American-built XC90s are expected to be exported around the world through the Port of Charleston.
The South Carolina plant employs nearly 1,500 people although this is expected to rise in coming years as production ramps up.
The 2.3 million sq. ft. facility includes:
- Body shop
- Paint shop
- Final assembly
- Vehicle processing center
- Office building
You may also be interested in our article: How Long Do Volvo XC90 Last?
Are They Assembled in the US?
The Volvo XC90 is assembled at the Torslanda Works factory in Sweden.
The vehicles arrives in the US fully assembled and ready to be delivered to customers.
From 2022 onwards the XC90 will be built and assembled at the US factory in South Carolina
How Can You Check Where a Specific XC90 Was Made?
You can determine where a specific Volvo XC90 was built by checking the VIN number.
The first digit indicates where it was built – If it’s a 1, 4, or 5, then it indicates that the car was built in the U.S., the 11th is the assembly plant,
Once you have located your VIN, simply enter the number into a VIN decoder online.
There are 4 ways you can find the XC90s VIN:
- Dashboard – Look at the corner of the dashboard through the car’s windshield.
- Sensus screen – located under settings.
- Volvo On Call App – Select Car tab then select Vehicle information.
- Service warranty booklet or registration document – usually on the first page of the booklet
Related: 21 Best & Worst Volvo XC90 Years (With Pictures & Stats)
Are American-built Volvo XC90’s Better than European-built Volvo XC90s?
Volvo maintains an international standard for all of its vehicles and therefore any XC90 built in the U.S. will be built to the same standard as one built in Europe.
Where Is the Volvo XC90 Designed?
There is very little information regarding the exact location of where the Volvo XC90 was designed.
However, it can be safe to say that the XC90 was designed in its hometown of Gothenburg in Sweden.
Volvo’s head designer Thomas Ingenlath is very respected in the automotive industry, and he has designed cars that many people fall in love with – we suspect he may have played a part in the vehicle’s design.
Where Is the Volvo XC90 Made for the Australian Market?
The Volvo XC90 produced for the Australian market is made in Gothenburg, Sweden at Torslanda Works where it is then shipped to Australia.
Volvo does have a factory based in Brisbane, Australia, however they are mostly focused on producing Volvo trucks.
There are 3 trim levels available in Australia for the gas powered XC90:
- Momentum (premium)
- R-Design (sport)
- Inscription (luxury)
The XC90 Recharge (plug-in hybrid) is also available in the R-Design trim.
Where Is the Volvo XC90 Made for the Canadian Market?
The Volvo XC90 produced for the Canadian market is made in Gothenburg, Sweden at Torslanda Works where it is then shipped to Canada.
However, once production commences at the Volvo South Carolina plant in 2022, the XC90s will be imported from the USA.
XC90 trims available in Canada for gasoline driven models are:
- Momentum
- R-Design
- Inscription
XC90 Recharge (plug-in hybrid) trims available in Canada are:
- R-Design
- Inscription
Where Is the Volvo XC90 Made for the UK Market?
The Volvo XC90 sold in the UK market is built at the Torslanda plant in Sweden. The car is imported into the UK with right-hand drive.
It’s unclear whether the UK XC90 will be built at the new US plant from 2022 or if the production will remain in Sweden.
XC90 trims available in the UK for gasoline driven models are:
- Momentum
- R-Design
- Inscription
XC90 Recharge (plug-in hybrid) trims available in the UK are:
- R-Design
- Inscription
Is Volvo Planning to Move Its Production?
In 2018 Volvo officially opened its factory in Berkley County, South Carolina.
They are planning to move the production of the latest generation XC90 to the US plant by 2022.
Volvo is also currently in the process of constructing a new plant in Chengdu, China.
This factory will no doubt be the site of manufacturing for many Volvo models although they will likely be for the Asian market.
Related: 6 Most Common Volvo XC90 Problems (Explained)
Is Volvo Hiring or Firing in the US?
With production at the South Carolina plant ramping up, Volvo will likely continue to hire for the foreseeable future.
“We have committed to investing around USD 1.1 billion in our US manufacturing operations and we will create a total of around 4,000 new jobs at the South Carolina site in the coming years.”
“According to an economic impact analysis conducted by the College of Charleston, for an initial 2,000 people Volvo Cars employs, more than 8,000 total jobs would be created as a result.”
Popular sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor regularly have postings advertizing jobs at Volvo, and more information can also be found on the Volvo Group careers page.
Is Volvo an American Company?
Volvo is not an American company. Volvo is originally from Sweden, but is currently Chinese-owned and it has offices and factories located all over the world.
Despite that, Volvo has always had a keen interest in the North American markets.
Volvo has had factories in Canada previously, and currently have one in the USA.
Volvo US Factory Tour South Carolina
References
https://www.volvoaustin.com/blog/where-is-volvo-from.htm
https://www.volvocars.com/us/about-volvo/our-story/south-carolina-factory
https://www.volvogroup.com/en/careers.html
https://group.volvocars.com/news/corporate/2018/volvo-cars-first-us-plant-officially-opens
https://www.volvocars.com/us/v/cars/xc90
https://www.volvoparts.tmsmotorgroup.co.uk/vin-decoder-19-w.asp
https://www.volvocars.com/intl/cars/new-models/xc90/specifications/trims-comparison
