Much like its closest rival from Ingolstadt with the four rings, the second-gen Volvo XC90 turned ten last year and has received its second facelift to “keep on keeping on.” A few weeks ago, I got a tour of the new XC90’s T8 variant in Bangkok. Here are some interesting observations I made during my time with the new plug-in hybrid SUV:
Design
Even ten years into its lifecycle, the second-gen Volvo XC90 remains on point in the looks department—and effortlessly so. The newer fourth-gen Mercedes GLE and BMW X5 don’t come close in elegance, and that’s got to do with the Swedish SUV’s dapper yet humble design. The same goes for the Audi Q7, which I also checked out later the same day.
Observing the new XC90 closely in person, I was convinced that the Swedish designers have perfected understated elegance. In a time when modern car grille designs have become a Christmas tree decoration, the new upright grille with a criss-cross slat pattern is a welcome refresh.
The diagonal bars of the grille are connected to the headlamps, which carry a sleeker shape and integrate a bold new interpretation of the Thor’s Hammer DRL signature. I also liked the tweaked rear combination lamps with the new, darker appearance, which set a nice contrast to bring more attention to the vertical light guide.
Interior
As a 5’7” tall person, I had no problem getting in and out of the new Volvo XC90, and I felt there was more than sufficient space here even for six-foot-tall adults. Sitting in the driver’s seat, I found the all-around visibility excellent, thanks to cleverly designed glass panels and side structures.
I felt the steering wheel was chunky and offered a reassuring grip, but the manual adjustment for its column seemed a little outdated in today’s age and for a vehicle of this class. My head was comfortably low and away from the headliner. The lumbar support was great, while the under-thigh support felt excellent.
The conventional design of the new XC90’s interior may not give it a wow factor, but then appreciably, there’s no eyebrow-raising bizarreness here either. I liked the crystal gear knob, the layer of fine fabric on the dashboard, and the intuitiveness of essential controls, and overall quality of materials was top-notch.
Volvo Cars equips the new XC90 with an 11.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system instead of the previous model’s 9-inch unit. In addition to the bigger size, the new screen boasts a 21% higher pixel density for enhanced sharpness. The latest system also runs on Android Automotive OS, and it’s sufficiently snappy.
Sitting in the second row behind the driver’s seat, I had good legroom and lots of knee room. Unsurprisingly, there was ample headroom, too, courtesy of the vehicle’s height and straight-ish roofline. The default angle of the backrest was decent for me, and a recline function was available in case I needed to change it. The under-thigh support was okay, though, as I felt the cushion could’ve been slightly longer.
To access the third row, I needed to manually pull a handle on the upper side of one of the outboard seats’ backrests and slide that seat forward. It didn’t feel the most convenient way by the latest industry standards, but it wasn’t much of a pain either. There was sufficient space to comfortably enter and exit, but taller passengers would not feel the same.
Once in, I checked the headroom, which turned out to be just around two inches. While my knees weren’t too high up, I had to keep my legs slanted to find sufficient legroom, and the knee room was barely manageable. Volvo Cars states that the third row is suitable only for passengers up to 5’7″, and I can verify that following my experience.
Specifications
The new Volvo XC90’s plug-in hybrid system combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine with an electric motor in the rear, and the former is married to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 228 kW (306 hp) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) of torque, while the motor develops 107 kW (143 horsepower) and 309 Nm (228 pound-feet) of torque. In total, there’s 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque available on tap.
The electric motor gets its juice from a 14.7 kWh (net) battery pack, which does not support DC charging. Customers can top it up in five hours through an AC home charger. When fully charged, it gives the new XC90 a pure electric range of 32 miles. The combined fuel economy of the new plug-in hybrid SUV is 27 MPG.
Price
The new Volvo XC90’s prices in the T8 variant start at USD 73,000 (excl. USD 1,295 destination fee). The plug-in hybrid SUV is available for sale at U.S. dealerships.
International Automotive News Editor since 2014, covering global motor shows, industry events, and test-driving various vehicles, with a focus on hybrid and electric cars in recent years.
