Volvo XC90
Overview
The XC90 is Volvo's first SUV, introduced in 2002 to worldwide acclaim for its advanced design, which smartly combines an SUV and saloon in a clever seven-seat configuration. Recently, the XC90 got a fresh lease of life with a face-lift. It is this latest version that is hitting the Indian roads.
The Volvo XC90 comes in three variants - D5, 3.2L I-6, and 4.4L V-8, two petrol engine versions and one diesel engine version. All variants are offered in an all-wheel-drive (AWD) version and a 7-seater configuration. Volvo, in the future, is planning to further its market in India by bringing in the C60 and C80 sedans. However, the introduction of these other new vehicles depends on how India receives Volvo’s S80 sedan and XC90 SUV.
Engine and performance
Big engines are needed to propel this big Swede and there is a choice of three motors: a 2.4-litre diesel developing 185bhp, a 238bhp 3.2-litre in-line six petrol and the range-topping 315bhp, 4.4-litre V8 petrol. We got hold of the 3.2 petrol which in India would be the best option after the diesel. This in-line six impressed me immediately with its silky smoothness and responsiveness, no doubt aided by a six-speed auto with a short first gear. As a result, the XC90 is quick off the mark and pretty energetic for its weight in traffic. On a UK motorway, the XC90 had a harder time keeping up with traffic as after 100kph, the surge of power seemed to tail off. The auto ’box isn’t very responsive and does take its own sweet time swapping cogs. In the Indian environment, this hardly matters as most owners will be wafted to and from office in subliminal safety and comfort.
All variants come with a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission. The Volvo XC90 is maneuvered by a speed dependent power steering system that uses a sophisticated speed-sensitive technology that offers nimble and quick responses. The XC90 rides on an independent McPherson strut front suspension and an independent 4-arm multilink rear suspension. This modern suspension system is tuned to absorb the impact of bumps and potholes and provide a smooth ride.
Design and Styling
The XC90 looks like a typical Volvo – handsome and tough-looking but not very exciting. Despite SUV trappings of height (ground clearance is a useful 218mm), full length skid plates and plastic cladding, the XC90 doesn’t look at all aggressive. The deep V-ridged bonnet, egg-crate grille and wide shoulders, accentuated by the shapely rear tail-lights, are all a part of Volvo’s design language. Nothing shouts out from this understated design, which might not go down well with Indian luxury car buyers who want their SUVs to have screaming road presence.
The XC90’s interior is actually the clever bit and the manner in which Volvo engineers have managed to slot three rows of seats into such a compact body is quite amazing. The key to the intelligent packaging is the transverse engine layout which has given the designers more room to play with. Interior quality is outstanding and will rival the best German cars while the interior design is again understated with simple lines and an emphasis on functionality.
The centre console is littered with buttons and some of them are quite small which makes it hard to intuitively figure them out. Also, the navigation system (not available for India) had its controls hidden away behind the wheel and was quite fiddly to use. The front seats, though a touch firm, are superbly comfortable and it’s the same story in the middle row. Except for a slight shortage of knee room, the 40:20:40 split seat is the most comfortable I have sat on. The centre portion of the middle row incorporates Volvo’s integrated child booster seat which has a cushion to let Junior sit at a safe height. The centre portion also slides forward independently of the outer sections to allow cozy parent-child interactions. The rearmost seats are best left for small kids and short journeys but the way the squabs slide under the luggage platform, followed by the seat backs pivoting forward in unison with the head restraints (they don’t need to be removed) to create a flat luggage area, is a brilliant piece of engineering. In fact, all the seats, except the driver’s, fold absolutely flat liberating enough space to house the Swedish army. The split tailgate gives easy access to the luggage area but the platform is quite high and you need to haul your bags inside.
The XC90 bristles with safety features in true Volvo tradition. All seven passengers get pre-tensioning three-point belts as well as head-curtain airbags. There are additional airbags for the front two rows and if that’s not enough, the roof is made from Boron-reinforced steel, which is said to be four to five times stronger than conventional mild steel. So if you end up putting the roof where your wheels should be, it won’t cave in or deform. But unless you do something really stupid, it is unlikely you will ever test the roof’s strength. That’s because the XC90 comes with a Roll Stability Control (RSC) system which uses a gyroscope to sense if a rollover is imminent. On-board computers will then juggle the throttle and brakes to increase understeer to make the car more stable. The XC90’s safety kit also includes a front cross-member to ensure ‘collision compatibility’ with smaller cars, which is a hot safety feature in Europe. What this means is that if you ram into a Maruti 800, the front member won’t allow the XC90 to ‘over-ride’ or climb over and make chutney out of it. It’s the Blue Line buses in Delhi that desperately need this technology.
There are so many small touches that underscore Volvo’s fixation with safety. Like the push on the indicator stalks which flashes the headlights three times – making it easier for overtaking. Or the stereo system whose volume automatically lowers when you select reverse gear to let the driver concentrate while backing up, in addition to the standard parking sensors.
Source :
Autocar India