The XC90 SUV, Volvo’s flagship, is the one model that best illustrates the transformation of Volvo Cars since 2010, when China’s Geely bought an utterly gutted Volvo from Ford Motor Co. for US$1.3 billion in cash, plus a US$200 million note, as reported by Reuters.
Infotainment by Google
At the time, Li Shufu, chairman and founder of privately held Zhejiang Geely and also chairman of Volvo, framed the milestone event this way: “We’ve fulfilled our dream of acquiring Volvo, but that’s not the end of our plan; it’s only the starting point,” Li told Reuters. “We’ve arrived at the foot of a big hill … We hope and expect Volvo Cars will climb to the top of the mountain.”
And by most fair measures, Geely’s ownership has been a success. Volvo Cars is profitable, growing, and has steadily built a reputation as a reasonable, less ostentatious competitor to the big German brands, like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
The XC90, whose story began in 2002 under Ford, has been a transformational model under Geely. The 2014 XC90, the first new Volvo under Geely, wowed the marketplace with its styling, refinement and technology. The big center screen was a signature element a decade ago, though such things are a commonplace now.
Design details. Very nice.
Speaking of now, Volvo has rolled out a reinvented version of the XC90, which will go on sale shortly. That means the outgoing version is in what the car business calls its “build-out stage.” What XC90s are left for dealers to sell can most likely be had at a reasonable price – although reasonable does not mean cheap.
The XC90 plug-in hybrid with the Ultra package lists for $97,048. It’s a heck of a car, though – tall, elegant, fast (0-100 km/hour in 5.3 seconds), reasonably fuel efficient (8.7 litres/100 km combined) and it boasts an electric-only range in the 50 km-range, or so.
Yes, the design has been around for years now, but because Volvo’s designers are so careful to make evolutionary rather than revolutionary changes, this rig has a contemporary look to it and three rows of seating. That said, if there is one single reason to buy this Volvo or any Volvo, it is the seating, with the beautifully crafted interior a close second.
Instrument cluster
Ah, seats. Volvo long ago mastered the magic of support and comfort in all its seats. You can most certainly spend hours and hours in the XC90, without growing fidgety, without suffering a sore back, without feeling like the next rest stop is an absolute must.
The roster of premium features is admirable, too. I am not a huge fan of sunroofs, but the XC90’s panoramic one is massive and impressive. The Harmon Kardon sound is superb and safety technology like Pilot Assist is there to help you cope with your own deficiencies as a driver.
Yes, it’s all-wheel drive and the system works seamlessly. Yes, the 455 combined horsepower is impressive and that sort of power comes without a massive fuel economy penalty thanks to blend of gasoline engine and electric drive.
Moreover, the XC90 provides a composed ride and predictable handling. While not a sports car by any means, I thoroughly enjoyed my wheel time.
Superb seats and three rows.
Less satisfying is the Google-based infotainment system. It’s a little slow to respond. And some touchscreen controls are tricky to master.
If you want to cross-shop the XC90 with key rivals, take a test of the Acura MDX, Audi’s Q7, BMW’s X5, Mercedes’ GLE and the Lexus TX.
A new XC90 is coming. It has big shoes to fill.
