The biggest
Volvo has hardly skipped a beat
The Volvo XC90 has
existed in its current form since the 2016 model year, but that doesn’t mean it’s old
and tired. New competition has since showed up to the
three-row luxury SUV segment, yet the Volvo still
manages to feel fresh in the 2020 model year. We’re not sure if we’ll ever tire
of Volvo’s beautiful and simple interior design. The unique materials and
Swedish styling are timeless, and Volvo won’t need to change much when updating
it next.
Our particular
tester is a Volvo XC90 T6 R-Design. It's pretty expensive for a T6, with a
sticker of $74,735, as it's decked out with extras and the special, sporty
styling elements of the R-Design trim. It came equipped with the Advanced
Package, adding niceties like cornering LED headlights, a 360-degree camera
system and a head-up display. Notable options include Polestar Optimization
($1,295), a Bowers and Wilkins premium audio system ($3,200), four-corner air
suspension ($1,800), and 22-inch wheels with summer tires ($1,100). Maybe
$75,000 is too much for some folks to stomach when there’s only a 2.0-liter
four-cylinder under the hood, but the driving experience tells a different
story. That supercharged and turbocharged powerplant makes 330 horsepower and 325
pound-feet of torque, providing a swift kick in the pants no matter where it’s
in the rev range.
Editor-in-Chief
Greg Migliore: I’ve
always liked Volvo’s multi-setting sound system. You can tailor your experience
to replicate the acoustics of a studio, the Gothenburg Concert Hall in Sweden,
or “individual stage,” which is a surround-sound setup. The 1,400-watt,
19-speaker Bowers and Wilkins system is sophisticated and produces rich sound.
With equipment like that, I quickly turned off sports talk in favor of the
classical channel on Sirius XM. Volvo emphasizes the role sound — or lack
thereof — plays in its vehicles. They’re well-insulated, which improves the
audio experience and makes them feel more upscale, regardless of whether you’re
mellowing out to Bach or drivetime quarterback controversies.
Assistant
Editor, Zac Palmer: “Polestar Performance Software” is one of those option boxes that would
make me giddy to check. Therefore, when I saw the tiny Polestar Engineered
badge on the back of our XC90 T6
tester, I got way more excited to drive the three-row SUV. Here’s what Volvo
says the Polestar Optimization gets you: “The Polestar Engineered Optimization
powertrain software allows you to enjoy a more precise and balanced driving
experience. Together with Polestar's engineers, we have optimized important
performance areas such as mid-range engine performance, gearshifts and throttle
response.”
In short,
it’s a tune, but the tune is designed specifically for folks who love driving.
The question is, has it worked? I think it has. I drove a regular XC90 without
the Polestar Optimization not too long ago, and I noticed a real difference in
this one. The engine is more responsive, the throttle is more precise, and the
transmission tuning is excellent. Everything just feels better. There’s no wild
jump in power or acceleration, but torque just appears in places it wasn’t
before. A new mode called “Polestar Engineered” makes itself available in the
drive mode selector, which is equally cool. It instantly lowers the air
suspension to its lowest setting and turns everything up to 11. I had way more
fun than I ought to have in an SUV of this size due to this extra performance
package, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone buying a Volvo where it’s
offered — $1,295 is a small price to pay for the kind of warranty-backed
performance you get.
Senior
Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: I'll quickly mirror what Zac says above. The
Polestar tuning is nice. It won't melt your skull or anything — it is, after
all, still a mere 2.0 liters of displacement — but it satisfyingly works its
way through the revs. I really like the sound of the supercharger when you take
off from a stop, and the gentle tug of the turbocharger once you're moving.
What I
really like about the XC90 is its interior. It's super roomy and easy to use.
The third row folds flat (and the headrests pop down automatically in the
process), and there's a goodly amount of space behind them, when they're up.
The whole aesthetic is very tidy and simple without being boring. Like Audi does
so well, Volvo can also perfectly pull off an architectural feel that's both
modern and relatively conservative. It's also comfortable, especially the
driver's seat with lots of adjustability and support from the Nappa leather
R-Design seats. Our tester had a full bench in the second row (and a heated one
at that), but I can't wait to try out an XC90 with captains' chairs — a new-for-2020 feature that would make seating more
comfortable and access to the way-back even easier.
Source: Autoblog.com
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