Volvo XC90, Swedish 1st Class

The last update to the Volvo XC90 was carried out in 2015 to replace a model that had been a great success for the brand. How could it be otherwise, the newcomer brings a first-rate technological and safety equipment, something that the brand has accustomed us to in its latest launches.

This is an off-road vehicle with limited off-road capabilities, something very common today and which limits off-road benefits  to all-wheel drive and a higher ground clearance than that of a saloon. If what you are looking for is a vehicle with great country virtues, but with a certain luxurious air inside, the options are reduced to the Toyota Land Cruiser and some more.

Volvo XC90 design

The leap in terms of image compared to the previous generation is spectacular. It was the first model to teach them the brand’s new aesthetic philosophy and, to this day, it remains the most beautiful among its brothers.

At 4.95 meters long, 1.92 meters wide and 1.77 meters high, this is a very large vehicle, but despite its smooth and elegant lines, it radiates a very powerful image.

The rear part makes a nod to the previous generation with the shape of the pilots, but with much more elegant and worked lines. The whole of the car combines luxury, power and elegance in equal parts. A great success for the Swedish brand.

Interior design and habitability

As soon as you sit in the front seats, the Volvo XC90 envelops you with that luxurious feeling that the brand boasts. The first thing that catches your eye are the two huge screens, one in the instrument panel and the other positioned vertically in the center of the dashboard.

All controls are operated through the main screen, with a fast and precise response, but with a myriad of functions that overwhelm in the first minutes of use.

The feel of the steering wheel, the seats, the armrests … Everything is made to make you feel at home, with a quality of finishes on the same level as a large saloon.

The second row of seats is in the middle of the segment, with remarkable legroom and enough width to accommodate three adults in some comfort.

Optionally, we can equip the Volvo XC90 with a third row of seats, although its use is limited to children or people of no more than 1.70 meters in height, since they are quite fair and their access is uncomfortable.

The trunk has 671 liters of capacity, a good figure to accommodate the luggage of the whole family. In addition, it has numerous solutions to accommodate the load and the finish is outstanding.

Dynamics and engines

Despite its large dimensions and having a fairly high center of gravity, the Volvo XC90 performs quite well in cornering sections for a car in its segment. Although it does not reach the dynamic level of a BMW X5, the Swede does not disappoint, and allows us to face mountain passes with guarantees.

Even so, the brand did not create this car to seek the limit of its chassis, but to deliver maximum comfort to its occupants. On fast roads it is a marvel of refinement. The rolling sound is barely audible inside and the suspension filters out unevenness like a charm, although the king of refinement is still the Q7.

In the mechanical section, Volvo has thrown all the meat on the grill and has equipped the XC90 with a wide range of gasoline, diesel and a plug-in hybrid engines.

• Gasoline : part of a generous 254 hp that it draws from a turbocharged 2.0-liter block. With the same engine it also offers a variant with 320 hp, with which it is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km / h in 6.5 seconds.

• Diesel : with two liters of displacement, the access engine of this model has 190 HP of power. This is the best-selling version, thanks to the extraordinary relationship between performance and consumption. Above, and with the same engine, we can increase the power to 235 hp.
• Plug-in hybrid: to the 2.0-liter gasoline 320 hp configuration, Volvo has added another 88 hp electric to achieve together a power figure of 408 hp. With such an arsenal, this XC90 is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km / h in just 5.6 seconds, not bad for a car weighing 2,343 kilograms.

Price

Starting from € 54,900 worth the Volvo XC90 with the Kinetic finish and the D4 version with 190 hp, up to the € 124,160 that the brand asks for the T8 model with the hybrid configuration and the Excellence finish with its four luxury seats.

They are figures within the segment average, but the sales data for the moment do not accompany the Swedish model. Fighting with rivals such as the Range Rover Sport, the Audi Q7 or the BMW X5 is not easy at all and, so far, these are the ones who take the largest portion of the cake.

Arguments are not lacking and, now, the aesthetics is at the level of its competitors, due to what it has in the market. Another thing is that the British and the Germans agree.