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One of the most talked about luxury sport-utility vehicles over the past 12 months didn’t come from BMW or Mercedes-Benz. While I love the X5M and I know a lot of people adore the G63 6x6 for some weird reason, they weren’t getting more love than this product.

And here’s the weird thing. It’s a Volvo.

While Volvo has been making excellent vehicles for quite some time, they’re not what one would consider buzzworthy. That’s because they’re purpose-built autos and our Swedish friends are firm believers in function over form. Well, at least they were. For Volvo, the era of boxes with four wheels is over. Now they’re making a full court press for vehicles that are sophisticated and quirky. And, we’re fans.

Though I would say that Volvo is having trouble making the sporty thing happen, as observed with the S60 Polestar, there’s no question that the company’s strongest offerings are in the SUV space. And, the company’s all-new XC90 proves that.











For Volvo, the introduction of the all-new XC90 is a watershed moment. With an all-new design language, this SUV’s look is very sophisticated and continues to move away from the the Swedes’ formerly boxy designs. Considering the XC90 has grown in length and width, generation-to-generation, you wouldn’t really notice it. Proportions are kept tidy and though it is a three-row SUV, it doesn’t appear stretched as observed with the latest gen Toyota Highlander.

When my test car arrived, it was painted a striking blue and was outfitted with the R Design package. This meant it was shod with a 22-inch wheel and tire package. It looked damn good.

But what really deserves attention is the XC90’s interior. Simply put, Volvo will have every buyer cross-shopping any other luxury SUV product agreeing that the Swedes’ interior is the best. That’s because it is. While my R Design-equipped vehicle featured a lot of black leather, Alcantara and aluminum, I’ve seen other color and trim combinations that are warmer and more appealing. In comparison, a Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class feels dated and a BMW X5 seems best suited for the plebeian class — unless you spec it out with the full leather interior. The Audi Q7 comes close but not close enough. The Q7’s interior is pretty nice albeit some snafus: The vintage looking, horizontal HVAC vent element, the relatively small infotainment screen and some places where Volkswagen-grade plastic was used.

Then there’s the seats. While I think BMW’s comfort seats are quite comfortable, Volvo’s take the cake. It’s not even a contest. They’re comfortable and supportive without leaning too far in either direction. If there’s a seat design award, this is the set that should win it.

Last, but certainly not least, is the infotainment display. Proprietarily known as Sensus, don’t let the fancy name fool you. Essentially, this is an Apple iPad implemented into the center stack. At first it took time for me to get used to it because I didn’t associate a vehicle’s infotainment with the similar functions of an Apple product, but when I did it was delightful. It seems almost too obvious that this is how every vehicle’s interior technology should operate. Once again, the XC90 seems to trounce the competition by feeling like a more well thought out, futuristic product.











So, clearly, it’s been roses so far. But if you’re the buyer plopping down around $60,000 on a luxury SUV you’re probably going to want to know how the damn thing drives. Over the years this has never been Volvo’s strong suit and to be straightforward, I do not believe this changes here. Let me explain.

As I had been provided a T6 to drive that means I was given the model equipped with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that benefits from both supercharging and turbocharging. It puts out 316 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, which are acceptable figures. Coupled with this mill is an eight-speed automatic transmission that gets the job done without any issues whatsoever.

While the XC90 is far from a lightweight vehicle, you wouldn’t know it. Although I found the four-cylinder motor to be far too groggy and needing some attention in the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) department, I will say that any concerns about the four banger not providing enough power should be put to bed. This Volvo gets up and moves in an impressive fashion. Though I wish it sounded far better, or at least the terrible racket was hushed out of the cockpit, it has more than enough grunt to get you on and off highways without breaking a sweat.

Though the speediness of the XC90 is not problematic, the steering setup may leave some wanting more. That’s because it is rather numb and void of any feeling — this is not much of a surprise in today’s market. While you can play with the steering’s weighting via the XC90’s driving modes it tends to be on the lighter side of the spectrum. The good news is that it does not have any “play” in the rack.

If you’re feeling a bit saucy and want to put the Volvo through some corners at speed, once again, this is not where the XC90 shines. While traction is not a problem thanks to its standard all-wheel drive setup, the high center of gravity and consequential body roll do make enjoying switchbacks more of a challenge when compared to the likes of an X5 or Q7, for instance.

The XC’s suspension seems to be tuned for comfort and not for speed, which seems to add to the XC90s lack of sporting intent. Honestly though, this is not problematic for me; however, when equipped with those lovely 22-inch wheels you do feel more of the bumps than one would like. I’d love to try out the XC90 without the large diameter wheels — I would wager its ride is more enjoyable and better suited to the way this vehicle is tuned, overall.

If you’re in the market for the top dog luxury SUV that can seat five comfortably and seven if you push it, I think there’s only two contenders: The Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90. Personally, I think the XC90 makes an extremely strong case for itself and I would instruct anyone considering a purchase to drive them both back-to-back for at least 20 minutes before making a call.

Now if Volvo can bring this greatness to its entire product portfolio, the Swedes may just have what it takes to give the class leaders a headache.


The Good:

- Though a four-cylinder sounds bad on paper, it’s astonishing what Volvo’s been able to accomplish with this motor — it packs a lot of punch
- Class-leading interior — the seats are best-in-breed
- Sensus, which is the infotainment system, is the closest you’ll get to having an actual Apple iPad in your center stack


The Bad:

- Really, Volvo should have put the XC90 through greater NVH testing — Personally, I’d have a tough time paying this much for a luxury vehicle that reminds me of my 2000 Honda Civic
- The XC90 will not impress you with a sporting drive — this was clearly not on Volvo’s agenda
- No six- or eight-cylinder engine option


The Lowdown:

The all-new Volvo XC90 deserves all of the accolades it receives. Undoubtedly it has, in my opinion, toppled the segment leaders and provides a better all-around experience. Is it the most sporting SUV you can buy for the money, no. But, I don’t think it has to be. Simply put, this Volvo is excellent at being a Volvo. At this moment I think the only two vehicles worth considering at this price point are the XC90 and Q7. At the end of the day, however, I have to say that the XC90 would be the one I park in my driveway.






















































REVIEW: The Volvo XC90 Has WON A Lot Of Awards, But Is It The REAL DEAL? 00R Divulges The TRUTH…

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