Volvo is a name that is well known to make extremely safe cars. The first generation of the XC90 was on sale for 13 years since its launch in 2002 and has been a bestseller globally. Even though the company has been around in India for quite some time, it is only now that the brand has started to get noticed in the luxury car space of our country that is dominated by the Germans. The all new second gen XC90 has gathered a lot of eyeballs since its launch in India a few months ago. Volvo says the new XC90 makes you ‘Feel Special’. How special? We spent a monsoon weekend in the hill station of Lonavala with this Swedish beauty to find out.
So where do we begin? The styling and design would be a good place to start with. The new XC90 is unlike any other Volvo that you have seen till date. Park it next to its first gen predecessor, and the new model seems at least two generations ahead. While the former looks more butchy and muscular, the latter shouts class and finesse. The new XC90 is the first Volvo built on the company’s new Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA). This platform makes extensive use of Boron steel in the construction of the car. Boron steel is not only stronger but also lighter at the same time. The front features a large chrome grille with vertical slats and a prominent Volvo badge in the centre. The air intakes inside the grille open only when the engine needs to cool and remain shut during normal driving speeds. This aids aerodynamic efficiency. The headlamps come with what Volvo calls ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED daytime running lights, a stand out feature of the new XC90.
There are chrome inserts in the front bumper and fog lights are located right at the bottom. Move on to the side and you notice how clean the design is. We love the new design language of the Swedish marque. There is a chrome strip running across the side of the car with ‘Inscription’ embossed on it, reminding us that we are driving the top end variant of the XC90. This variant also gets 20 inch multi spoke alloy wheels as standard. The rear cannot be mistaken for anything but a Volvo. The LED tail lamps ooze character and there is the ‘ VOLVO’ lettering on the boot just below the rear windshield. The rear bumper gets reflectors on either side along with quad exhaust pipes. The rear spoiler looks good too. There is just something about the way a Volvo looks and what a head turner it is. We had people in other high end luxury cars and SUVs stopping in their paths to get a closer look.
If the exteriors are so good how can the interiors be far behind? Step inside the XC90 and you are immediately greeted by a cabin that feels fresh and airy thanks to the large glass area and panoramic sunroof. The unveneered wood in the dashboard adds a classy touch. The instrument cluster is a 12.3 inch TFT screen which also gives you various theme options for the display. The three spoke multi-function steering wheel feels nice to hold but surprisingly does not get electric adjust. Strange that really. The attention to detail in the cabin is amazing. The knob on the centre console that is used to start or switch off the car gets a diamond knurled finish, as does the scroller for the drive modes. The centre rear view mirror is also frameless. Moving further, look closely and you won’t find the centre console cluttered with buttons as you would in a typical luxury car or SUV of this segment. Volvo gives you only 8 physical buttons in the XC90. Everything else is controlled via an infotainment system with a 9 inch screen that uses Volvo’s latest Sensus operating system. Everything from the navigation to the four zone climate control, vehicle settings, seat options, and sound system is controlled by Sensus. The screen comes with a swipe and pinch feature, so if you are used to an iPad, this will be a piece of cake. The screen is quite a finger print magnet though. It can also be used wearing gloves. There is a rear view camera as well that comes with Park and Park Out options.
Volvo has designed the front seats of the XC90 with inputs from orthopaedic doctors. They are finished in Nappa leather, offer great support and are very comfortable. They come with electric adjust and the bolstering and lumbar can be adjusted via the screen infotainment system. They also feature base extension that can be adjusted electrically. The second row gets three individual seats which can be reclined. Both front and rear seats get heating function. The centre seat of the second row gets a booster cushion for children so that they can sit higher and be aware of their surroundings. A thought safety feature.
The centre row also gets its own touch screen controlled dual climate control and also a power outlet to charge your phone or laptop computer. The third row is the most useable we have seen so far in a seven seater SUV. Adults can be seated easily but only for short trips. It has a spacious boot too. With all seven seats in use, there is 451 litres of space and it goes up to 1,102 litres with the third row folded. Fold the third and second row and you get a whopping 1,951 litres at your disposal. Press a button in the boot and the rear of the XC90 goes down a few notches to give you easy luggage loading access. There is hands free tail gate operation too. Just wave your foot under the rear bumper and a sensor will automatically open the boot for you.
The Inscription variant of the XC90 gets a 1,400 watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 19 speakers. It is by far the best audio system we have heard in a car. Audiophiles will surely nod their heads in agreement. Apart from the various settings that the system comes with, Volvo sound engineers used acoustic holography to recreate the exact sound experience from the Gonthenburg Konserthuset in Sweden into the XC90. What you get in the system is a Gothenburg Concert Hall mode. There is nothing one can write about it actually. It has to be heard to be believed. Imagine a live concert experience in the comfort of your own car. Other two sound modes include Studio and Stage. The sound system gets a CD player, USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity.
The key of the XC90 has its buttons on the side and comes wrapped in the leather that you have chosen for the interiors. The key also comes with a clever feature. If the battery of your key is drained, the car will not start right? All you have to do is place the key in a holder in the centre console and the car will be able to start. Volvo also gives you a waterproof spare key which doesn’t have buttons and can be worn around your neck with a lanyard. Other nice touches are the Swedish flag attached as a label to the driver’s seat and a ‘Since 1959’ emboss on the buckle of the seat belt, reminding you that Volvo was the inventor of the three point seat belt back in 1959.
Volvo currently offers the XC90 with only one engine option in India. The D5 2.0 litre four cylinder twin turbo diesel engine is good for 225 horsepower and maximum torque of 470 Nm. This might not seem much on paper, but things change when you actually get down to driving the machine. That’s where it springs up a surprise. The motor is extremely refined for a four pot diesel and is good on performance too. The doubts of whether this engine will pull a two tonne SUV vanish as you press the accelerator. There is no turbo lag felt and the XC90 pulls effortlessly in a linear manner. There is adequate low end torque and mid range is nice as well. The higher end of the rev band is where a little more punch would have been better. However, it will happily cruise at triple digit speeds all day long without breaking into a sweat. The XC90 tops out at 230 kph. The engine is mated to an eight speed automatic gearbox and comes with full time AWD. The transmission is smooth shifting, but there is a lag of a second or two finding the right gear when you request a kick down shift. The XC90 does not get paddle shifters but has a manual mode that can be operated via the gear stick.
You also get four driving modes – Eco, Comfort, Off Road and Dynamic. The Eco and Comfort modes can be used for relaxed driving and daily commute. However the steering felt too light in these modes. A little more feel would have been better. Shifting into Dynamic mode lowers the ride height, suspension and steering get a bit tighter, throttle response gets a bump and the gearbox holds the shifts right up to the redline. Offroad mode raises the ground clearance from 238 mm to 268 mm and Hill Descent Control also gets activated automatically. Though an XC90 owner in India is not expected to take his vehicle off road, the SUV is very capable of handling rough terrain as we experienced during our drive.
The XC90 gets air suspension as standard on both variants. Ride quality is impressive and the SUV eats up most of what our broken roads throw at it. Only extreme potholes are felt in the cabin with a prominent thud. It hides its size well when cornering and body roll is hardly noticeable which is fantastic for a two tonne SUV. The 275 profile rubber offers superior grip levels and braking is very efficient as well.
Volvo’s second name is safety and the XC90 is no different. It recently passed the Euro NCAP tests with a five star rating and it is easy to see why. It comes loaded with safety kit. It gets two step airbags, whiplash protection for front seats, automatic height adjust for front seats, ABS and Intelligent Driver information system. Unfortunately, some safety features that include Volvo’s famous City Safety are radar based and hence are not offered on the Indian spec models due to a ban on them in our country. The XC90 also gets Run-off road protection where in the scenario that the vehicle goes off the road due to driver error or any other reason, the vehicle detects what is happening and the front safety belts are tightened to keep the occupants in position. The belts are firmly tightened as long as the car is in motion. To help prevent spine injuries, energy-absorbing functionality between the seat and seat frame cushion the vertical forces that can arise when the car encounters a hard landing in the terrain. It can well be said that the company’s aim of no one being killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car by the year 2020 is well on course to become reality.
The new XC90 comes across at a brilliant package. At 64.9 lakh for the Momentum and 77.9 lakh for the Inscription (ex showroom Delhi), it offers great value for your hard earned money. What’s more is that for that price, you get a CBU as opposed to its locally assembled rivals. It features a great engine, feels nice to drive and comes loaded with features and safety kit. While the Momentum seems like a good buy, we would recommend the Inscription variant for that mind blowing Bowers & Wilkins sound system alone. Volvo has already received 266 bookings for the XC90 in India, so the company has surely has a winner on its hands here. Once in a while, there comes a car that ends up being a game changer in its segment, and the Volvo XC90 has everything in its arsenal to do just that. This Swede has definitely given the Germans something to think about.
Volvo XC90 photo gallery:
