The 2019 Volvo XC90 packs style and technology into a luxurious three-row package
Cars
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
Three row Luxury crossovers are the vehicle of choice for a driver who wants to be able to carry their whole family around without making any sacrifices in terms of style, features, or driving satisfaction, the Volvo X90 is a strong attender in this class because it delivers on all three of those characteristics.
There have definitely been eras when you might not have described Volvos as beautiful, but that's no longer the case.
Especially with this XC90 dressed up in it's fancy inscription trim level.
The sheet metel is wonderfully understated and accented with nice chrome and big 21 inch wheels.
This is a big SUV with a lot of road presence and yet it's not too in your face or flashy That same balance exists inside, where the design has this wonderful sense of minimalism throughout the cabin.
Details like the soft Napa leather and the walnut wood trim really elevate this car's specialness and make the inside feel warmer and more inviting than some of its competitors.
I mean, even the key fob is wrapped in Napa leather As you can see this nine inch touch screen handles all the entertainment duties.
And it helps tidy up the dash design because it includes many secondary controls too.
Now we've got an entire separate deep dive video on all the tech in this car.
But suffice it to say that the touch screen system works pretty well.
The second row of seats is really spacious with plenty of space for adults to get comfortable and stay comfortable all day long.
And it slides forward easily so you can access the third row of seats.
But here's the thing, like many of its rivals, the XZ nine isn't necessarily made for people who need to carry seven passengers every single day.
For that you might be better off with a minivan or a larger SUV, like a Navigator The third row does have a lot of headroom, and some handy cup holders.
But knee and leg room are really tight, meaning that it's probably best only for kids, or for very short journeys.
Again, that's sort of the case in most of this car's competitors, too.
Also like its competitors, the XC90's cargo area is a little bit cramped, when you're using all three rows of seats.
Now fold down the third row and the second row and you get a nice flat storage area with 86 cubic feet of room.
In fact, it's roomy enough with all the seats folded down that you can even fit a bicycle back there without taking off the front wheel.
But as much as I like looking at the XC90 and sitting inside it, I like driving it even more.
[MUSIC]
This is the T6 model, which means power comes from a two liter inline full that suplemented by both a tower charger, and a super charger.
That means, you get 316 horsepower, 295 power feed of torque, a 6.1 seconds sprint to 60 and standard all wheel drive.
With a turbo And supercharger working together, there's always tons of boost and torque now it isn't maybe the best sounding engine in the world but with peak torque running it just 2,200 RPM it's really punchy out in the real world, couple that with the quick-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission and you never want the power.
Fuel economy is rated at 90 Miles beyond city, and twenty-six MPG highway.
Although, I've been averaging on the lower end of that range, even though I've done some highway driving.
[MUSIC]
There are also two other engine options, on the more afforadable end of things XC 90's with a T5 badge get a turbo charge two liter with 250 horsepower.
While those with a T8 badge have an excellent plug-in hybrid power train that can give you up to 90 miles of all-electric driving range on a full charge.
[MUSIC]
This is the first XC90 are driven without a suspension.
On while the handling is quite nice, the ride quality can be a little bit brittle.
Notice, I didn't say uncomfortable, the suspension is still very compliant, but over a rough crumbling road so [UNKNOWN], is it's just not quite as [UNKNOWN] some of its best German competitor.
That might be partly because we've got the big 21 inch wheels on this tester.
Still though, the XC 90 steers faithfully, has great control feel, and makes driving very satisfying and trouble-free.
All of the onboard technology helps make the driving experience easy, of course.
The 12.3 inch color instrument cluster in front of me let's me easily glance down at the map and other information while I'm driving.
There's a whole load of active safety technology to help me stay safe.
There's even a mode for the adaptive cruise control called Pilot Assist.
that will steer the car a little bit on the highway in some situations.
This XC90 Inscription is loaded up with things like heated and cooled seats, a giant sunroof, a handy kick-to-open power lift gate, crisp Bowers and Wilkins sound system and piercing LED headlights.
All that nice stuff pushes the as tested price up to $71,000, on par with things like an Audi Q 7.
But, if you're willing to forego some of the niceties like the napa leather and the big wheels you can get a much more affordable XC90, go with the T5 engine, or front wheel drive and this thing starts under $50,000.
That pricing might make it easier for you to justify, and puts it more on par price-wise with competitors like Acura MDX and INFINITI QX60.
[SOUND] What I like about the Volvo XC90 is it's so undeniably easy to live with.
Not only does it have a great design inside and out But the driving experience is also extremely satisfying and all the technology makes it simpler not harder.
If you're shopping for three road luxury machine the XC90 should absolutely be on your should list.
[MUSIC]
