Volvo XC90 First Drive Road Test Review

The comfort and safety features are the ones that get you all thrilled. The Swedish magic from Volvo is quite apparent when you step inside the vehicle. The moment you gently twist the start knob on the console, you realise that this car is different from the others from the word Go. Controls with diamond-knurled finish simply enhance the design and style quotient. You immediately recall what the company guys have been telling you all along…“we begin by designing our cars around you…” This is where this seven-seater SUV wraps you in a world of comfort, elegance, luxury, style and safety.

The tablet-size centre display with touch screen allows you to change and set everything that you want from the car, whether it is the aircon temperature, the drive modes, the sound effects from the 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system, the suspension settings, Park Assist, your seat temperatures…and the best part is that you can do all that with the tap of your finger or your nails or even with your glove on! And you always thought Steve Jobs was the smartest man on earth with his touch phones.

Have you ever travelled first class in a plane? Seated in an XC90 Inscription model just about gives you the exact feel. The only difference is that you are on the ground.

The front seats offer you immense comfort. Electronically you can do everything, from moving it up and down to even extending your seats. Power operated lumbar support, extendable seat cushions, side bolsters…you have it all in the XC90. The second row consists of three individual seats and they can recline and slide separately. Those seated on the outer two rear seats can set temperature and fan speed to their individual taste.

We drove all along on off-road mode (the terrain was such) and that ensured that the ground clearance was maintained at 268mm. Or else when travelling on flat surfaces, this drops down to 238mm. But what blew me off was the Bowers & Wilkins audio system. The various settings for you to hear the song of your choice are just mind blowing. I thought the Bose’s and the Bang and Olufsen’s were the best I had ever heard. With Bowers and Wilkins, it’s an out of the world experience. 

I can go on and on describing the exceptionally sophisticated interior features the car has to offer. Let me throw some light on the light weight, low friction 2 litre four-cylinder D5diesel engine that is mated to an eight-speed transmission. When you drive on the ECO mode it calibrates the gearbox and engine control systems for the lowest possible fuel consumption. You notice that the throttle softens. With twin turbos and the i-ART direct fuel injection, the intelligent engine gets smarter and each cylinder has its own microchip and pressure sensor for the perfect metering of fuel. Wow! Does that not sound super efficient?

It’s this technology that helps the engine and the gearbox to perform according the Drive Mode one chooses with a simple touch of the roller button (near the start and stop knob) and the screen. The modes include Comfort (For everyday use), Off-Road (For rough roads) and Dynamic (For high performance). Features like the hill start assist function, all-wheel drive and hill descent control makes driving this car a lot easier.

The XC90’s air suspension on all four wheels includes very advanced, electronically controlled damper system that ensures great ride comfort. This system also helps you lower the rear of the car by 50mm by pushing a button inside the load area. This is ideal when putting in or taking out heavy luggage from the car.

Now let me talk a bit about the safety the car offers. It’s a well proven fact that Volvo cars are the safest cars in the world. The XC90 is no different. Ultra-high strength steel is the cage that protects the occupants in case of the mishap. In a crash, this protects not just the occupants but other motorists too. There are loads of safety air bags too. In every crash test conducted abroad by various agencies, this car has come out with flying colours.

Travelling first class has now got a lot safer with the XC90 from Volvo.