Today is a day Volvo fans have been waiting for in many years, the unveiling 2nd generation of the Volvo XC90.
It's been 12 years since Volvo first unveiled the first generation Volvo XC90 in 2002 with subsequent facelifts in 2007 and 2012 so the mk2 XC90 is long overdue.
Volvo is positioning the XC90 to be more upmarket and to take a larger stance against the competition with the German competition being the BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes M-Class, also two British competitors in the form of the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Sport and to a lesser extent the Korean Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.
3 trim levels have been announced with the base trim called "Momentum" which will gradually be introduced across the board to other Volvo's replacing "SE" trim currently used to instigate entry models across the range. Up next is "R-Design" which will be kept across the range of Volvo cars and finally top spec "Inscription" which will replace "SE Lux" and "Executive" trims across the range.
Momentum trims come with a decent load of kit including sat-nav, auto wipers, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, 7 seats, dual zone climate control, leather interior and a more basic version of the City Safe System with auto braking. Due to the amount of kit offered as standard, Volvo expect the entry level Momentum trim to be the most popular.
R-Design has yet to be fully detailed but expect larger re-sculpted and sportier bumpers, a subtle rear spoiler and larger alloy wheels along with more standard kit including a more advanced City Safe System and an increase in price.
Inscription trim hasn't been fully detailed either but should have even more kit probably including 22-inch alloys, the full City Safe System and a "Bowers & Wilkins" sound system featuring a 1400W Class D amplifier with 19 "Bowers & Wilkins" speakers dotted around the cabin and a car first air-ventilated subwoofer integrated into the car body.
A limited edition model named "First Edition" with 1927 cars available will be on sale from 3rd September has every option available along with a special interior with a D5 diesel engine and all-wheel-drive on sale for £68,785.
Pricing hasn't been fully released by Volvo UK yet but a Momentum model in D5 AWD guise has been priced at £45,785 with full pricing set to be announced from early October and deliveries from March.
Engines (tbc)
Diesel2.0 D4 190PS (187BHP) twin turbo 4 cylinder FWD
2.0 D5 225PS (222BHP) twin turbo 4 cylinder 4WD
Petrol
2.0 T5 254PS (251BHP) single turbo, single supercharger 4 cylinder 4WD
2.0 T6 320PS (316BHP) single turbo, single supercharger 4 cylinder 4WD
2.0 T8 Hybrid 399PS (394BHP) single turbo, single supercharger 4 cylinder 315BHP petrol engine mounted with a 79BHP electric motor 4WD
Economy in MPG UK (combined cycle), CO2 emissions (g/km), torque (Nm).
2.0 D4 190PS (187BHP) 56mpg, N/A, 400Nm
2.0 D5 225PS (222BHP) 47mpg, N/A, 470Nm
2.0 T5 254PS (251BHP) N/A, N/A, 350Nm
2.0 T6 320PS (316BHP) N/A, N/A, 400Nm
2.0 T8 Hybrid 399PS (394BHP) 109mpg, 60g/km, 640Nm
SizeThe wheelbase has grown from 2.857m to 2.984m, an increase of 0.127m which means an increase in rear legroom and cabin space.
The length has increased overall by 0.098m from 4.807m to 4.905m.
Width has increased from 1.935m to 2.140m, an increase of 0.205m.
Height has decreased from 1.784m in the previous generation XC90 to 1.775m. A modest decrease of 0.009m.
InteriorThe interior has taken a huge step forward from the previous generation.
A large tablet style touchscreen controls functions from the radio, sat-nav to the climate controls with only a row of buttons present below the touchscreen with switches controlling the hazard lights, heated rear screen, front demister, volume knob with play/pause integrated into it flanked either side by previous/next track buttons and the glovebox release.
The quality of the interior has improved due to it's positioning of being more upmarket with leather being predominant throughout the cabin to inject a sense of quality and luxury.
Volvo claims that the rearmost seats in the 3rd row can accommodate adults up to 5ft 7in or 170cm comfortably.
Exterior The 2nd generation XC90 retains a similar shape to the 1st generation model with a boxy, practical 4x4 look about it.
T-shaped "Thor's Hammer" (Volvo's choice of words, not mine) LED daytime running lights are present in the headlight units create a new face for Volvo which will be replicated in Volvo's future vehicle's.
New rear LED lights are slimmer than before and blend into the body more readily than previously.
Volvo state, "The overall impression, both exterior and interior, has a strong connection to the key elements of the Swedish lifestyle: the generous space, the celebration of light and the focus on wellbeing."
My OpinionI think that Volvo has done a fabulous job of the 2nd incarnation of the XC90. With it's more upmarket exterior and the thoroughly modern interior with the center touchscreen controlling nearly all functions to the increase in quality.
The fact that it's a 7-seater SUV that can actually seat 7 is a rare wonder these days with typically only full size MPV's being able to complete the job in hand these days.
Volvo make another step forward to it's vision of no one dying in a Volvo during a car accident by 2020 with the XC90 with the latest in safety in the car industry with 12 sensors placed around the car to the City Safe System that now can acknowledge cars, pedestrians and cyclists and the plethora of airbags equipped on the car it seems like Volvo may be able to pull off, we'll just have to see by the time we reach 2020 and see if the other cars in the Volvo range is as safe as the XC90.
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