2018 head-to-head · Midsize Car

2018 BMW 5 Series Diesel vs Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,850/ year to fuel
30 MPG

AWD · 3.0L 6-cyl turbo · 8-speed automatic · 30 MPG

✓ Cheaper to run
$1,649/ year to fuel
71 MPGe + 29 MPG

AWD · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo · 8-speed automatic · 71 MPGe + 29 MPG

The 2018 Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.70/gal diesel fuel, 18¢/kWh electricity and $3.95/gal premium gas, it costs about $1,649 a year to fuel (71 MPGe + 29 MPG), versus $1,850 for the 2018 BMW 5 Series Diesel (30 MPG). That's roughly $201 a year, or about $1,005 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • BMW 5 Series Diesel
  • Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid

Side by side

BMW 5 Series DieselVolvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid
$1,850 Your annual fuel cost $1,649
30 MPG Combined efficiency 71 MPGe + 29 MPG
26 MPG City 70 MPGe / 26 MPG
36 MPG Highway 72 MPGe / 33 MPG
— Electricity use (kWh/100 mi) 45 kWh
— Driving range 410 mi
— All-electric range 21 mi
99 cu ft Passenger volume 102 cu ft
14 cu ft Cargo volume 14 cu ft
341 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 161 g/mi
7/10 EPA fuel economy score 9/10
5/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 10/10
— Charge time at 240V 3 hrs
Diesel Powertrain Plug-in hybrid
Diesel Fuel Premium gas + electricity
3.0L 6-cyl turbo Engine / motor 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
8-speed automatic Transmission 8-speed automatic
AWD Drivetrain AWD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

BMW 5 Series Diesel vs Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid across model years

  • BMW 5 Series Diesel
  • Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Among 74 2018 midsize cars, the BMW 5 Series Diesel ranks 36th and the Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid 33rd for lowest fuel cost.

The powertrains differ: the BMW 5 Series Diesel is a diesel, while the Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2018 BMW 5 Series Diesel or the 2018 Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid?

Measured by cost to drive, the Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid. The BMW 5 Series Diesel is rated 30 MPG combined and the Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid 71 MPGe + 29 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2018 BMW 5 Series Diesel vs. the Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.70/gal diesel fuel, 18¢/kWh electricity and $3.95/gal premium gas, about $1,850 for the BMW 5 Series Diesel and $1,649 for the Volvo S90 Plug-in Hybrid.

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