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From Swedespeed.com Reviews and Road Tests Napa, CA - Though the "V" in V70 may stand for versatility, it is the Volvo wagon's new and larger sibling that steals the show when it comes to the "V" word. The XC90, Volvo's first foray into the bountiful SUV market proves to be a true exercise in engineering, particularly in the areas of safety and yes, versatility.
XC90 History In Brief Volvo's choice to join the ranks of SUV manufacturers was actually made on June 23rd, 1999. It was that date that Volvo executives gave the go-ahead to begin development of the vehicle. At that time, they placed several criteria on the car. First, and no surprise coming from Volvo, it had to be the absolute safest vehicle in its segment. Second, Volvo wanted to build a vehicle that had a higher capacity of seating than any of its previous models. Third, they did not wish to build yet another lumbering road yacht, so a total maximum length of 189-inches was stipulated. Finally, they wanted to introduce the fully developed production version by the Detroit Auto Show in 2002, a relatively short amount of time to bring a new vehicle to market.
Engineers at Volvo most obviously chose the all-new P2 platform that had recently been introduced with the S80. By utilizing that chassis, Volvo had also made a choice that would prove to keep the cost of the vehicle competitive through utilizing common parts. In addition, this meant that the engine would be mounted transversely, saving enough room so that the XC90 could be built to the 189-inch size constraints, but also make use of a third row of seating to increase the passenger capacity of this new Volvo. As is typical, Volvo assigned several designers the task of creating an exterior look for the vehicle. Three models were created, and it was the vehicle designed by Doug Frasher , of Volvo's Camarillo, CA design studio, that was chosen as the final look for the XC90. If you notice a strong family resemblance between the XC90 and Volvo's other models, that's no surprise. Doug has also been behind other designs at Volvo such as the S80 and the preceding ECC concept vehicle that had inspired it. While concept cars usually inspire production vehicles, it was actually the other way around at Volvo In an effort to drum up excitement for the XC90 and to gauge the market's acceptance and demand for the vehicle, the Swedish company chose to develop a concept vehicle to be shown on the auto show circuit. Normally done in the opposite order, with the concept inspiring the production vehicle, the Adventure Concept Car (ACC) was instead inspired by the developing XC90 program. With no tooling yet ready for the XC90, the ACC could not built using an existing model such as the PCC or PCC2. Rather, its design was simply based on a production car that was not yet ready for introduction. In an effort to differentiate it and so as not to show their hand, Volvo chose not to play the card revealing their third row design or interior flexibility, however the basic look of the XC90 was certainly maintained. By the cold winter days of the North American International Auto Show of 2002, Volvo was able to bring several preproduction versions of the car to share with the rest of the world. In an adjoining arena at the COBO Hall convention center, a large group of automotive press was welcomed by the new XC90 and it was promised that they'd be in dealerships by the latter half of 2002 as a 2003 model. With availability quickly approaching, Volvo invited members of the press to San Francisco, California to drive the XC90 and see it first hand.
Jumping Into The Foray As has been mentioned, the XC90 is Volvo's first attempt at the modern SUV market. While the V70 XC, recently renamed the XC70 for 2003, has been pleasing those with active lifestyles since 1998, the XC90 had to jump to the next level. It does so in competition with such competitors as the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-class, Acura MDX and designated king of the sales hill Lexus RX300, all keenly set in the crosshairs of those marketing the XC90. Those competitors are all developed from a car-based or minivan-based platform and are positioned as luxury models that are attractive to young and affluent buyers. They typically exhibit a higher level of safety. This particular hybrid or "soft-ute" portion of the SUV industry accounted for 204,618 sales in 2001. To compare that, the Jeep Grand Cherokee sold 203,906 units in the same period of time. It is entirely possible that the XC90 will steal sales from all of these competitors including the Jeep, as Volvo expects a whopping 70% conquest rate of buyers from other brands migrating into a Volvo for the first time. Once launched, Volvo expects to sell just shy of 40,000 vehicles per year through 2006. Should it be needed, they currently has capacity to build 50,000 XC90s a year. 30% of these will be front-wheel-drive, though they expect that average to drop to only about 18-20% throughout the XC90's production lifecycle. With the average age of XC90 owners being younger than Volvo's average as a whole, and so many new conquest buyers being added, Volvo fully expects the XC90 to further benefit the brand through improving the brand image. With a hipper image, aspirational buyers are more likely to join the Volvo fold. Also, the SUV segment has been the largest loss of customer/owners. 1 in 4 people leaving the brand were migrating right into an SUV model. If Volvo can succeed in making its SUV that is attractive to those buyers alone, then the XC90 will already be a success. A multi-faceted ad campaign will begin during the fourth quarter of this year to help promote the vehicle. TV and print spots for the XC90 are an important part of that, though Volvo says they'll be making the most major thrust on the Internet Even with no advertising thus far, Volvo has already taken more preorders on the XC90 than ever for a new model in the USA. At last count, there were roughly 3,000 orders for the new SUV, with 80% of those for high-spec T6 models including the third row seat option. 50% of these orders are conquest buyers, new to the Volvo brand. In the Flesh Walking up to the XC90, the SUV exudes a Teutonic European handsomeness, though with a very blatantly Volvo feel. At the front, the large pronounced snout with bold black egg crate grill surrounded by a chrome strip lend to the muscular feel of the car, and draw a connection to similar grill designs found on the XC70 as well as Volvos of old like the 740 turbo and more. There is a strong weight line that begins at the front of the vehicle at the headlights, carries along the side, partitioning the windowed cabin area and the main body of the new SUV and continues on through the lower segment of the taillights. The taillights themselves, while maintaining a shape similar to those on the V70, go a different direction at the same time. Unlike current Volvo taillight design with a single clear rectangular segment where turnsignal and reverse lights shine through, the units on the XC90 have two round clear segments that serve the same task, but in a more dynamic way. Volvo has succeeded in differentiating their taillight design from other rivals that employ the same rectangular lens pattern and moving toward a more fashionable look while maintaining their own distinctive shape. The taillights themselves also sweep up along the D-pillar for maximum light communication to traffic that might be following the XC90. This design was first seen on the 850 stationwagon, though it's evolved along the way.
Also on the D-pillar is a very subtle crease that follows the car's lines even further. This particular aspect that bestows the C-pillar with more of a muscular and less bulbous appearance can also be seen in a similar position on the S60. A whole new body crease line can be found back at the front of the XC90, on the center segment of the hood. An indented area of the center of the hood is defined by this crease that travels parallel to the base of the windshield at the back of the hood, rounding as it nears the front quarter panels and then follows parallel to the sides of the hood itself and comes to an end just aft the top outer boundaries of the grill itself. Something about this element in the XC90's design gives it a decidedly more truck-like feel, and it'll be interesting to see if similar design begins to be seen on other off-road inspired Volvos such as the rumored XC50. Within the XC90 Inside the XC90, the SUV's all-new interior is a more radical departure from current Volvos than any recent Volvo design since 1999's S80. The dashboard, while distinctly Volvo and using a traditional Volvo instrument cluster and button designs, is most obviously different in the center console. Aspects such as the interior temperature control center or the inboard entertainment controls are distinctly different while maintaining the same basic tenets of current Volvo systems. Think of it as a rather aggressive evolution rather than something totally new. Someone familiar with current Volvo products will find themselves quite at home in the XC90. This feeling of familiarity also carries forth in the look and feel of the interior. Colors such as dark anthracite gray and light beige are offered and complimented by handsome wood finishes and even more handsome satin silver finishes. The door handles look as if they were cast in aluminum, though appreciative hands will notice on a very hot or cold day that these are simply a very well engineered and finished plastic component that will not burn under a hot sun or subject a driver to near frostbite in severe winter conditions. Aside from the look of the interior, there's also the versatility. As previously mentioned, Volvo planned from the beginning to build the XC90 in such a way that it could be outfitted with a third row of seating providing for seven passengers. The company known for safety went one step further by making sure that all seven seats were equipped with three-point seat belts and belt pretensioners. Further, an airbag curtain system that has been fitted for all three rows of passengers can be deployed in the case of an accident.
Taking a page from the highly successful Honda Odyssey minivan, Volvo made it so that the rear seat can be folded flat into the floor. But wait, there's more. Not only can the third seat be folded flat on the same plane as the trunk floor, so too can the second row of back seats and even the front passenger seat. This means, with the exception of the driver's area, the XC90 can be transformed into one very large storage area. In the second row of seats, Volvo has engineered a three-segment front-to-rear adjustable bench seat. This allows for the third row to be accessed from either side of the vehicle and additional leg room to be provided for passengers in the third row. This also means that the second row seats can be folded in a 60:40 fashion to either side, and even more importantly it leaves the center section of the seat fully independent. That last part is significant because Volvo has engineered the remaining center section to not only have their unique built-in child's seat, but it also slides forward so that a young child sitting in the back of the vehicle can be kept closer to their parent who might be driving or in the front of the vehicle. Technology - Five World Firsts for Passenger Cars With such an important new vehicle for Volvo Cars, it's no surprise that they chose to make the vehicle quite ground-breaking on a technology level, much of this revolving around safety. The XC90 represents no less than five new world-firsts in the automotive industry. First, and most interesting of the group is Volvo's new Roll Stability Control System (RSC). This all-new system, developed in conjunction with Ford, operates much like Volvo's DSTC, but on a different axis. In laymen's terms, it senses the pitch of the vehicle vertically and when it detects a potential roll of the vehicle, it applies the corresponding brake to keep the vehicle from doing so. We tested the RSC program in action by performing the infamous Moose Avoidance test that got the better of early Mercedes Benz A-class models. One drives in a narrow lane defined by cones and is forced to change lanes and change back again. The Volvo technicians suggested that we attempt to do so without applying the brake or the gas, so that we could feel the system work. Obviously in performing this task with no additional gas, the car was pitched hard on its front left tire as the driver attempts to bring it back into its original lane. This triggered the RSC and applied brake to the right wheels, and allowing the XC90 to regain its composure.
The second groundbreaking technology in the XC90 is its use of side airbag curtains. While airbag curtains are not new to the industry, a system that provides coverage for three rows of occupants is. Third on the list of industry firsts is an integrated sliding center seat with booster cushion. This particular setup is quite an attractive feature for owners who are also parents of small children. The seat can be adjusted forward so that the child is closer to the parent who is presumably in one of the front seats. It also makes use of Volvo's built in booster cushion for children too large for a baby seat, but too small to get optimal use from a standard seat & seatbelt setup. Fourth, each seat is fitted with a seatbelt pretensioner. This mechanism provides split-second tightening of a seatbelt just prior to an airbag's execution. In most cars, all occupants are not provided with this safety technology. However, in the XC90, all occupants get a seatbelt pretensioner, even in the case of the optional third row seat. The final technological first to be found in the XC90 is not a safety feature, but an entertainment feature. The XC90 is the first production vehicle to be fitted with a Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Sound system. As of late, Volvo has been known for some of the best stereos in the industry and the XC90 makes a move to keep that trend going. Under the Hood For North America, the XC90 is fitted with two engines; the proven biturbo 6-cylinder found in the S80 and a new 2.5-liter version of the 5-cylinder with low-pressure turbo system. Both have been modified as such for larger levels of torque for this heavier SUV application and the latter will find its way into all-wheel drive versions of the S60 and V70 models later this year. Throughout our two days of testing the vehicle in Northern California, we had exposure to both versions of the vehicle. Our first chance behind the wheel was in the 2.5T version of the car. Considering that the lightest XC90 (4450 lbs.) is significantly heavier than the XC70 (3,699 lbs.) seat of the pants acceleration performance is surprisingly good. The 2.5T, we would guess is adequate for most drivers who don't crave need highe performance acceleration. In addition, it will sip fuel less aggressively at an estimated cumulative gas mileage of 24 miles per gallon.
We're mixed on the T-6. While it is the obvious choice for this author in purchasing the XC90 and a must have for those thirsting for performance, it does not seem to have the prodigious pulling power and head-snapping effect that it has in the S80. Again, the XC90 is significantly heavier, and it is expected that there be additional drivetrain loss when combined with the Haldex all-wheel drive system. In fairness, the power in the XC90 T-6 is decent and would make all but very few more than happy. The question remains whether, in the grand American obsession and need for more power, whether Volvo needs a power plant above this one for the seriously obsessed? While rumors of a Yamaha-sourced narrow angle V8 that will fit the XC90 (and the S80) have shown up in numerous publications throughout the industry, Volvo remains tight lipped. They won't confirm the engine's existence, but they won't deny it either. Make what assumptions you wish out of that. In the end, for now the T-6 is the top dog in the XC90 lineup and we found it more than adequate. There is another engine that will be available for the European market. That engine is Volvo's torque-laden, diesel powered D5. At this time there is no plan to bring it to the American market. Volvo sights diesel availability as the main reason for this stance. Surprisingly, not all gas stations offer diesel fuel. The necessity to choose one's gas station carefully during diesel ownership is cause for concern in Irvine. Another is that the perceived demand for a diesel XC90 is not there. Add all of this to the fact that Volvo could very easily hit maximum production capacity and there may be little need for the D5 in the immediate future. Still, having an SUV as versatile as the XC90 and then adding fuel consumption figures at a level expected to be well over 30 mpg and Volvo might find themselves with quite a bit more demand than they expected. However, a business case does need to be made for diesel, and while the idea of proving the concept worthwhile does sound rather daunting, it is important to remember that Ford Motor Company recently announced that it was considering the introduction of a diesel powered Ford Focus in North America. A successful launch of that vehicle might make Volvo's parent company much more willing to give Diesel the old college try in the USA in other products like the XC90. After all, an SUV with a gas mileage consumption figure better than many compact cars would be quite progressive, a quality that a marque like Volvo is certainly known for. In the Curves Handling is not typically something SUVs are known for. As a general rule, they're taller and heavier than a sedan; two qualities that don't add up to superior handling. The XC90, no surprise, is taller and larger than any other Volvos out there. By widening the track of the XC90, Volvo has provided some additional stability. In addition, technology such as DSTC and the aforementioned RSC help keep the rubber side down and the steel side up. We drove the XC90 in a range of road conditions; from rough, single lane back roads to Northern California's super highways. We also had a chance to try some spirited driving in some twisty mountain passes. What we found was that the XC90 exhibits well controlled handling. Certainly the all-wheel drive system plays a part in that.
The only real weakness we noticed in hard cornering was a slight roll of the tire, resulting in some understeer. The Pirelli Scorpions on our test cars had a large enough tire wall that they would roll slightly under a hard turn. They seemed to grip just fine, it's just that throwing the weight of the car off of the optimal tread area would result in a slide under extremely spirited driving. However, it was nothing that couldn't be rectified with a generous dose of throttle. The beauty of an all-wheel-drive car is that their dynamics are fairly easy to understand. In most cases, it's simply a matter of pointing the steering wheel and giving the car gas. The XC90 is one such vehicle. In Closing So when Volvo chose to bring the XC90 to market, relatively late in the SUV craze, they knew they had to do so with perfection. The question is, "Have they achieved their goal?" The answer, we suspect, would be a resounding "YES!" The XC90 is a beautiful design that performs very well and combines that with unmatched safety. Top all of this with a highly versatile interior featuring three rows of seats, a high degree of flexibility, a bountiful collection of bins, door pockets and cupholders and you begin to see that this new SUV may not only convert new owners from other brands, but also other types of vehicles. It is perhaps, the perfect family vehicle.
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