A review of the Volvo XC90 crossover

Volvo XC90 is a luxury mid size crossover SUV manufactured and sold by Swedish Volvo cars as their top selling car since 2002. XC90 is now in its second generation which was launched in 2014 to date.

The first generation XC90 is fast becoming a more frequent sighting on our Ugandan roads. It has the pre-face lift version which runs between 2002-2007 and a face lift version which comes with a subtly rounder body, redesigned front engine hood and bumper with softer edges and softer looking bumper trim. The manufacturers of Volvo are conservative and did not make radical midlife changes.

The rear tail lamp design on the 2007 post facelift version got a bigger and brighter square reverse light, softer edges with body coloured side trims and driving mirrors with blinker lights. The XC90 has won many accolades including top selling mid-size crossover in the United States in 2005. Arguably, it has been Volvo’s top selling model in the US and Australia in the last decade. What makes this car attractive to the buyers, let us find out.

Design, looks, appeal and practicality
The designers gave the XC90 a family mover look – big, handsome, tough but not aggressive. The XC90 has a large but gentle cascading profile and big warm inviting head lights. The targa roof bars, large alloy wheels, high ground clearance and two tone bumper and wheel arch plus the side running boards all blend well to give the XC90 an athletic look.
The familiar grille pattern and Volvo emblem are an assurance of the Swedish quality and promise. The deformable front with plenty of space underneath is safer for any pedestrians who might get hit as you drive through busy trading centres on the Ugandan highways. A glance at the XC90 suggests that it is at home on Ugandan turf.

Interior
The Volvo XC90 is not much longer than the E53 or E70 BMW X5 yet it accommodates a seven seat arrangement in the 2-3-2 layout. The use of transverse positioned straight 5 and 6 engines allowed the designers to move the cabin forward.
This gives the XC90 the flexibility between carrying a family and their luggage. The design of the seats is creative. The leather or fabric seats are large, long and supportive. The middle and front row seats can slide and fold individually to create 1.89 and 2.91metres of luggage space respectively. There is a child seat in the middle of the second row that can be pulled forward. This innovation is useful for a family with a toddler who needs to have a better view of traffic. Legroom is ample for the first and second row while the third row is only good for children and not adults. The third row seats can fold down flat to extend the rear luggage space for a smaller family of five.

Behind the steering
Volvo XC90 has a command driving position with a wide clear view of all angles. The plain looking centre console and dashboard blend like an aero plane cockpit in a practical rather than fancy way. The expansive dashboard creates an impression of spaciousness and does not look plastic because of the clever design of the polyurethane materials used. The instrument cluster clear bezel dials will help to keep the driver attentive and informed. The entertainment or audio centre console is practical, a touch of Swedish conservativeness. Reminds me of the older Volvo X60 or SAAB models.

Handling on the road and safety
As soon as you power the engine and drive onto the highway you will notice that the steering feels light in your hands. The diesel engine noise will not interrupt your pleasant drive because it has subdued clutter. The 2.9 litre petrol is equally quiet but tempting to the foot as it surges forward on the slightest temptation.
The 2.4 turbo engine responds faithfully when you kick down as you drive uphill or decise to overtake. The excellent handling and road holding when driving fast on winding roads is partly due to the low gravity positioning of the transverse line 4,5 and 6 engines.
The XC90 gyro stabilisers, Roll stability and Traction control systems chip in passively to complement the XC90 superb performance when you drive fast through sharp corners. All this dynamic package is wrapped up in a robust R design mono-coque frame which absorbs well the stress from road forces and responds well to changing road dynamics to minimise body roll.

In 2003, the XC90 got the prestigious EURONCAP safety rating of five stars for occupant safety. The EURONCAP safety test considers safety equipment on board, driver, passenger and pedestrian safety, performance during frontal and side impacts as well as stability during the elk test. Volvo was declared to have an immensely strong body that provided safe all round protection for its driver and passengers.
Deformation and intrusion were found to be minimal during impact with slight chest injuries from seat belts during restraint in emergencies. Child restraints in the XC90 were found effective and its front bumper design safe for pedestrians because of its high collapsible nature.

Reliability
Like all cars you must have a maintenance plan for your Volvo when you decide to buy one. Remember a used one will come with some history. The lower the mileage the better for you. Mileages in the range of 100,000 kms or 60,000 miles call for careful scrutiny and replacement of all fluids (engine coolant, gearbox oil, brake fluid, steering fluid) and filters. Check the condition of ignition coils on petrol engines and turbo charge system for leakages of oil and air from intake hoses. Ex UK cars must be checked thoroughly for winter salt inflicted corrosion. Maintenance parts are pricy but can be got locally in a couple of independent shops or abroad. Volvo has no appointed dealer but few independent repair shops can handle maintenance and repair issues. The parts and repair capability situation of Volvo continues to improve.

Engine power

The first generation Volvo XC90 gives a wide range of aluminum engines to pick from. For those who may be considering to buy a used XC90 from the U.K there are two 2.4 litre turbo diesel line 5 engines to pick from. The most popular one D5244T4 delivers excellent engine power of 173 kw@4000rpm and the best torque of 400NM@ 2,750rpm. In my opinion this engine is the most efficient in the first generation XC90 with the best balance of torque or pulling power and fuel economy. Volvo also sold XC90s with the 2.5 litre turbo diesel line 5 (power:120kw@4,000/ Torque: 340NM@2,750rpm. You can buy a used first generation Volvo XC90 from Japan or UK with the 3.2L S16 straight 6 Ford petrol engine which delivers 175 kw@6200rpm of engine power with a torque of 320NM@3200rpm. This engine’s high power and torque curves give a thrilling performance but at costly high engine revolutions. This makes it the most fuel thirsty XC90 engine. If you are a piston head who wants to accelerate faster than all the other cars when the traffic light turns green, look for the XC90 with the rare 2.9 litre B6294T twin turbo line 6 petrol engine which will give you the highest power curve 203kw@5200rpm and torque of 380NM@5000rpm. The B6294T petrol engine has better power and fuel economy compared to the bigger 3.2 litre S16 petrol.

All Volvo XC90 vehicles come with automatic transmissions 4 speed in the earlier models and 6 speed in the later offerings. The transmission is front wheel drive with four wheel drive on demand. When wheel slip is detected at any of the front wheels, drive is automatically reallocated to the rear wheels to provide better traction. The XC90 will not join the Land Rover Defender or the Mercedes Cross country on hard core 4x4 cross country experience. But like all other medium SUVs, XC90 has a reasonable ground clearance and all-wheel drive system which will take on the sort of off road terrain or slippery wet murram roads an average Ugandan driver would encounter.

Caution
All Volvo XC90 vehicles come with automatic transmissions 4 speed in the earlier models and 6 speed in the later offerings. The transmission is front wheel drive with four wheel drive on demand. When wheel slip is detected at any of the front wheels, drive is automatically reallocated to the rear wheels to provide better traction.

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