Small changes keep the loveable family bus rolling along.
Volvo’s taken a featherduster to their venerable XC90, and given it some upgrades to keep the elegant-looking thing ticking along a little while longer before the inevitable replacement rolls in. They’ve been very clever about it though, throwing on the extra specification without adding to the price, making the prospect of ownership that much sweeter.
There’s still only the Momentum, Inscription and R-Design trims to choose from, with three powertrains. It starts with the diesel D5, with its 165kW & 470Nm 2.0-litre four-pot turbodiesel capable of returning as little as 6.2L/100km on the combined cycle when you’re not trying to achieve its 7.8-second (claimed) century sprint time.
If an oiler isn’t your bag, you can go for the T6 engine instead. Still 2.0-litres, the four-cylinder is supercharged and turbocharged to produce 235kW and 400Nm, which drops the century sprint time to 6.5-seconds but pushes the consumption levels to 8.5L/100km. If you want power without the efficiency hit there’s the T8 PHEV, which allows for 45km of EV range on a full charge, resulting in an official fuel consumption reading of just 2.1L/100km. This, despite an official claimed power output of 303kW and 600Nm through the combination of the engine and electric motor.
Standard kit now consists of things like a heads-up display (previously a near-$2k option on the Momentum model), while the Inscription now has powered front seat bolsters, an updated instrument binnacle, and rear sun blinds in the doors. Move into an R-Design and and you get the same updates as in the rest of the range.
This is of course on top of the already generous standard kit list, which for the Momentum already gets things like LED headlights, quad-zone climate control (with separate fan-speed control in the rear), leather upholstery and AEB. The Inscription’s kit list is headlined by things like 20-inch alloys, the IntelliSafe ADAS suite, and Nappa leather upholstery. Then there’s the R-Design with its sharper looks, perforated leather upholstery, and an Orrefors crystal gear lever if you pair R-Design with the T8 TwinEngine power setup.
As we’ve said multiple times, the Volvo XC90 is a deeply loveable thing, with a comfortable & quiet ride, punchy powertrains, and unparalleled safety. It also helps that the restrained and understated Volvo design language means that the latest crop of cars are likely to age well, resulting in cars that you won’t have qualms growing old with. Add to all of that the ‘family-like care’ that Volvo aftersales touts and frankly, you have a nearly-unbeatable combination if you’re not swayed by badge snobbery or driving dynamics.
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