Car Review: Luxury plus in new Volvo
Jun. 4—Volvo's newest XC90 will appeal to the sophisticated buyer looking for a posh interior, luxury appointments and available concert hall sound for the audiophile amongst us.
If you just want the look and feel of a mid-size luxury SUV, the XC90 can accommodate that too, for tens of thousands less coin.
You might think the XC90 looks the same over the years and you'd be close were it not for oodles of high-tech features, a twist and turn here and there and more powerful mild hybrid turbocharged engines developing 247 horsepower in its basic Core form, 295 horses on the mid-range Plus trim and 455 ponies for added acceleration in the Recharge Ultimate. Each is mated with a smooth shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on all trims.
The larger engine was fitted into our test car for a week of exhilarating driving, cruising south Florida interstates, small towns and cities. It performed well in cornering maneuvers with little body roll detected under power. The XC90 also delivered a respectable 4.4 second sprint to 60 miles per hour at our test track.
The mid-size luxury segment includes high rollers including Mercedes-Benz GLE Class, BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne.
Although Volvo does not have any pure electric vehicles in production yet, the 48-volt mild hybrid system is a step in the right direction. With a full charge, the system will travel about 30 miles before seamlessly converting to the gasoline engine.
EPA tests estimate MPGe at 58 miles with gasoline consumption at a combined 27 miles per gallon (we achieved 29.8 mpg). Some rivals do better.
Charging times are not ideal. With a 240-volt line installed in your garage, the battery will fully charge in five hours. With regular 110-volt power, the same charge will take about 15 hours.
Be prepared to shell out big bucks to acquire the high-end Volvo XC90. While the starting price is a mere $56,000, the test car we drove stickered at $85,495.
But the interior is a place of opulence with multi-powered, lumbar supported seats up front and three rows of seating for up to seven, albeit the third row is best suited for youngsters or extra storage. We were impressed with the available wool blend upholstery.
Don't confuse this option with your grandparents' wool blankets or knitted afghan. The seats — all three rows and door panels are draped in soft wool that breathes and form-fits its occupant. Very comfortable in our opinion.
If you are an audiophile, consider adding a Bowers and Wilkins system. At $3,200, the system strategically locates 19 speakers along with an innovative fresh air subwoofer to handle the 1,410-watt output. A Room Transformer recreates acoustics to mimic studio sound, individual stage, concert hall or jazz club for a pure audio experience.
Dual gauge clusters display more than two feet of readouts with hybrid vitals on the right, speed on the left and a twin screen for infotainment, Google built-in apps, a 360-degree camera view, climate controls, navigation and phone.
Contact independent automotive columnist Len Ingrassia at lenscarcorner@comcast.net.
