The all-new Volvo XC90 has landed and we’ve been at the wheel, on the right-hand side this time.
Luxury, capability, family, technology and style rarely come together in one wholesome package. There are a few great cars out there, but they cost a bit more than what many, even with deep pockets, would be willing to consider without much thought. Priced from Rs 64.9 lakh (ex-Pune), Volvo’s second-generation XC90 arrives with a bang! It’s got contemporary styling and is packed to the brim with technology, equipment and creature comforts, with class-leading safety – and, arguably – seating and gadgetry, too. The top-spec Inscription trim, which we’ve driven here, is priced at Rs 77.9 lakh (ex-Pune).
From the Mjollnir-inspired LED headlamps that Volvo call ‘Thor’s Hammer’ signature to the tablet-interface on the inside which makes it evident that the car doesn’t have a lot of gadgets – it is a gadget in itself. The cars we drove in Spain were, we were told, advanced-stage, near-production-ready prototypes (the D5 and the T8). The car here, in top-end Inscription guise, which has bagged 270+ orders already of the 300 allocated to India for this calendar year, packs a whole lot more than what we experienced there.
For starters, the air suspension is standard, and that, in itself, gives us much to talk about. It is adjustable from 227-267 mm, lowering for the Eco drive mode, as well as to assist easy entry and exit, and to load the boot. The boot packs almost 2,000 litres and has the option to open with a wave of the foot as well as two power-close functions, including one to lock the doors once done.
The XC90 raises to its maximum ride height in Off-road mode, allowing effortless, non-contact traversing of questionable surfaces. And, in Comfort mode, it provides a wafting ride comparable to the class of five-metre-plus super-luxury saloons. The perforated Nappa leather seats, now with extendable thigh support and back and lower bolster support, provide class-best comfort and ergonomics. I can vouch for that, having driven the entire class as well as the ones above it.
The 10-inch tablet-interface is similar only to the Tesla Model S (also one which we’ve driven) and provides an easy tile interface. We’ve discussed the details in the first drive report here. The menu and settings are easy to locate and function similar to a smartphone, complete with a drag-from-top settings menu. Tyre pressure updates real time. Fuel consumption graphs appear real time. Music system settings, including surround choices of ‘Studio’, ‘Stage’ and (Gothenburg) ‘Concert’ (Hall) mode are configurable. Before you ask, yes, we’ve been to the Gothenburg Konserthuset too.
The information dials in the display behind the steering wheel can be customised to look plain black, sporty red or chrome-ringed. The head-up display shows navigation data, and can be customised too. The elegant touches like the start/stop knob and drive-mode selector are comparable to objects found in a jewellery box. The list is nearly endless. And, then, there’s the safety equipment, which, even with radar functions deactivated, is a longer list than the equipment we’ve discussed thus far.
The standard list of ABS, EBD, stability control and traction control, apart from the ‘Safety Cage’ made of more boron-steel than before are joined by gyro-sensor-equipped roll stability control, rollover protection, run off-road crash protection, lane departure alerts, road sign recognition and then some. Finally, seven airbags – that’s driver knee airbag, dual front, dual front side, and inflatable curtains for the first, second and third rows – are present.
The drive was the fun part, because we were on narrow roads in the hills on the outskirts of home. The XC90 runs the all-new Drive-E D5 motor. That’s the 2.0-litre i-ART injection twin-turbo diesel making 225 PS and 470 Nm, paired to the new Aisin eight-speed automatic transmission driving the latest-generation Haldex coupling with front-biased four-wheel-drive. I didn’t measure 0-100 km/h but I did manage to throw it into a tight 90° left-hander at 80 km/h with a smile on my face and my eye-brows as still as the buffalo on the side watching me do that. There isn’t a hint of body roll and the car stays planted. The 275/45 R20s grip the road well (we had Michelin Latitude Sport 3s) and offer an unbelievable amount of grip and control for this 2,011-kg luxury SUV which is 1.8-metres tall.
It’s comfortable. It handles. It feels effortless when the motor is on the boil. And, most importantly, it spoils you – that’s something few other cars can boast of doing. But that’s just it. The XC90 doesn’t boast. It calmly goes ahead with its business, and that calmness aura spreads immediately. It’s a winning hand from Volvo. It looks smart, it packs the gizmos and it stands tall. Let’s hope potential buyers see what it truly stands for.
Look forward to the detailed drive report in the forthcoming issue of Car India, followed by a thorough road test.
Story: Jim Gorde
