I apologise in advance for any perceived bias in my second generation Volvo XC90 review because I’m a big fan of Volvo who have been making consistently good cars for as long as I can remember. Unlike Jaguar, Aston Martin and Land Rover, Volvo seemed to thrive under Ford ownership where they produced such a successful car with the original XC90 that sales actually rose in its last years of production.
This new, second generation XC90 is where Volvo now has the opportunity to show that it can really shine when left to its own devices and without having to part share with a parent company. The results of Geely ownership and investment are a brand new Scalable Product Architecture where all vehicles will use Drive-E power trains. This means all cars will be on the same platform that can be lengthened/shortened to suit and they will all use a 4 cylinder diesel or petrol engine. While this means the end of the 2.5l, 5 cylinder and the 3.0l straight 6 from the V60 Polestar, this is no great loss for the new XC90.
First impressions are that the new model has really taken the fight to Range Rover with a stylish front and that makes the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 look boring. The ‘Thor Hammer’ headlights are a nice touch that define this futuristic new look and are sure to be popular with buyers. On occasions that I’m lucky enough to attend launches for new car models I always find it a good test to see how many people turn around in the street to work out what you are driving. This isn’t a problem for loud new sports cars but it’s a testament to the design of this XC90 that many people turned around to look as I drove past.
The high quality Swedish design also shines though on the inside of the car where a large tablet dominates the front of the cabin. This is probably the best example of an in car tablet control system that I’ve used (unfortunately I’ve not had a go of the Tesla one to compare) with all menus being easy to navigate between and no frustration at not being able to turn off the heated seats while you’re playing an MP3. On this model we also had the £3,000 Bowers and Wilkins stereo upgrade which although expensive does produce amazing results.
Like its contemporaries, the XC90 retains a seven seat layout for those who need plenty of space and the result of this are a big and heavy car. In the previous car this was dealt with using the popular D5 2.4l diesel engine but with the new model we are restricted to the new 2.0l units. There was a worry that it was going to feel slow but with 225hp and 470Nm of torque it felt much quicker than I was expecting. Having also tested the petrol version I wouldn’t say that it was worth getting over the diesel unless government taxation shifts vastly in the near future.
My test car had air suspension with multiple settings but I didn’t feel a huge difference between them when set it to dynamic on country roads and comfort while on the motorway. I tried another car without the air suspension and I would say that it’s a good extra to have even at just over £2,000, as it does make town driving a bit more comfortable.
One of the biggest selling points of Volvos has always been their drive towards building the safest cars in the industry. Being a new car on their brand new platform the XC90 takes this to the next level with autonomous braking and collision warning systems that work in the dark. Where they really push the envelope is with run off-road protection system that braces the occupants for impact when the car leaves the road in order to reduce the injuries sustained. This seems like a system designed for the US market but it could be useful for people who spend their life driving on country roads in the highlands of Scotland.
The new XC90 is a great piece of Scandinavian design that makes its rivals look slightly boring by comparison. It’s also got a great drivetrain with comparably impressive economy figures. The big question is whether people will accept that Volvo is now playing in the same league as BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Land Rover. As always, the Volvo is the sensible option in terms of price to spec ratio, what’s going to make the difference here is residual values and for that we’re going to have to wait and see.
CAR: Volvo XC90 D5 AWD
PRICE: £45,750 (£64,850 as tested)
POWER: 2.0l 4 cyl diesel, 225hp
TORQUE: 470 Nm
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 137 mph 0-62 mph 7.8 secs
MPG: 49.6 mpg combined
CO2 EMISSIONS: 149 g/km
TT Rating:
