Volvo SA introduces a refreshed version of its best-selling XC90
Volvo Car South Africa has unveiled a refreshed version of its best-selling XC90. This visually striking, premium quality SUV boasts world-leading safety features, efficient yet frugal powertrains and a superlative interior finish.
The latest XC90 follows in the esteemed footsteps of the all-new XC90, which was launched globally in 2015.
At the time, it was the first of Volvo’s cars to feature the company’s new more prominent iron mark, which has the iconic arrow elegantly aligned with the diagonal slash across the grille. Together with the T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” DRL lights, the iron mark introduced an entirely new, distinctive and confident face for Volvo’s forthcoming generation of vehicles.
The same styling is carried through in the 2020 XC90. However, the latest SUV also boasts new wheels, new exterior colours and a modern new grille. Significantly, it also comes in a brand new six-seat configuration.
“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 well-being,” said Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director of Volvo Car South Africa.
When the all-new XC90 debuted in 2015, it had the most luxurious interior ever designed for a Volvo. Precisely the same applies to the very latest model.
The most striking feature is a tablet-like touch screen control console, which forms the heart of the in-car control system. This system is virtually button free and represents an innovative way for drivers to control their car and access a range of Internet-based products and services. It also helps create an interior that is modern and spacious.
“The interior is pure and uncluttered, while still radiating the sophisticated confidence and formality that luxury SUV customers expect. The simplicity is perfectly in tune with our Scandinavian design heritage. It opens up generous surfaces and gives us the opportunity to create a modern, luxurious interior architecture,” said Maruszewski.
The interior combines materials such as soft leather and wood with handcrafted details, including a gear lever made of crystal glass from Orrefors, the famous Swedish glassmaker, on the T8 Inscription and diamond-cut controls for the start/stop button and volume control. The superlative and award-winning interior design now includes two USB ports as standard as well as a telematics unit with a P-Sim card slot.
As well as ample space for passengers, there is a flexible load compartment with up to 1 856 litres of space.
The 2020 XC90 can be ordered with a range of different seating configurations. From the seven-seat family SUV, to the brand new six-seat configuration, the XC90 has been created to best fits people’s preferences and lifestyles. New interior materials including a slate grey upholstery and new décor inlays offer further options for personalisation.
Impeccable safety credentials
The XC90 has been at the forefront of SUV safety ever since the first-generation model was launched in 2002. It was the first SUV in the world to be fitted with Roll Stability Control, which measures the car’s roll angle in extreme manoeuvres and activates the stability control system to reduce the risk of a rollover accident.
The second-generation XC90, launched in 2015, came with two world-first safety aids: Run-off Road Protection and automatic emergency braking at junctions. Should the car inadvertently leave the road, Run-off Road Protection automatically tightens the front seatbelts to keep occupants in the safest possible position. To help prevent spinal injuries, a collapsible energy-absorbing section between the front seats and seat frame cushions the vertical forces that can occur if the car lands on a hard surface. The XC90 was also the first car in the world to feature automatic emergency braking that activates if the driver turns into the path of an oncoming vehicle at a junction.
Volvo’s pioneering safety technology goes beyond protecting those inside the car, however. The XC60 mid-size premium SUV was the first car to come with automatic emergency braking as standard when it was launched in 2008, while every new Volvo model has been fitted with this life-saving technology since 2014.
The 2020 XC90 comes with an arsenal of safety features including Adaptive Cruise Control, Distance Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, Run-Off Road Mitigation/Protection, Driver Alert Control, Road Sign Information, Electronic Stability Control, Emergency Brake Light, Brakes with Hill Start Assist and Automatic Hold, Automatic braking after a collision, Roll-Over Protection System, Roll Stability Control, reinforced passenger compartment, SIPS™ side impact protection system, collapsible steering column, side and dual-stage airbags (for the driver and front passenger), inflatable curtain, WHIPS™ whiplash injury protection system and City Safety with Autobrake (which recognises pedestrians, cyclists and large animals).
The new XC90 offers a range of two-litre, four-cylinder powertrains, all of which provide an outstanding combination of performance and fuel-efficiency. These powertrains are coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The turbocharged diesel engine equipped to the Volvo XC90 D5 Geartronic AWD delivers 173 kW at 4 000 r/min and 480 Nm of torque at 1 750 – 2 250 r/min. Fuel consumption – at 5,7 litres per 100 km (combined) – is frugal.
The XC90 T5 AWD is equipped with a 187 kW petrol engine, which features a high-pressure turbo. It delivers 350 Nm of torque at 1 500 to 4 800 r/min. Fuel consumption is a commendable 7,6 litres per 100 km (combined).
The supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine equipped to the Volvo XC90 T6 Geartronic AWD delivers 235 kW of power at 5 700 r/min and torque of 400 Nm at 2 200 – 5 400 r/min. It consumes 8,0 litres of petrol per 100 km (combined).
The range-topping Volvo XC90 T8 Geartronic AWD has a 300 kW (235 kW + 65 kW) petrol engine that is also supercharged and turbocharged. It works in conjunction with an electric motor, delivering power of 300 kW (235 kW + 65 kW) and torque of 640 Nm (400 Nm + 240 Nm. Fuel consumption is a remarkable 2,1 litres per 100 km (combined) while emissions are a low 49 g/km.
The 2020 XC90 comes standard with Volvo On Call, an innovative app-based service that helps motorists to communicate with their cars.
It facilitates a multitude of tasks: with Volvo On Call, motorists can lock or unlock the doors to their car, check the fuel level and cool or heat their car – and they can do this all via their smartphone, smartwatch, tablet or desktop.
According to Maruszewski, Volvo on Call is a key to the digital world. “One app gives Volvo drivers control over their car’s functions. It also provides access to a world of convenient services,” he reveals.
The model year 2020 version of the XC90 will be available on dealer showroom floors from mid-August 2019. Maruszewski says that there is already considerable customer interest in the new model.
“The XC90 has already won over 120 awards globally, including the 2016 SA Car of the Year. In its latest incarnation, it’s most definitely the finest SUV that Volvo has ever created. You get the generous interior space and flexible capability combined with the agility and handling of a much smaller and lower car. The adrenaline rush that is key to true driving pleasure is delivered by powertrains that offer an unrivalled combination of power and clean operation. And since the XC90 carries the Volvo badge, world-class safety is standard. It’s an unbeatable combination,” he concluded.
