Volvo XC90 T6
The XC90 T6 Represents Volvos Take On The Luxury 4x4. First Impressions Suggest That Its Rivals Should Sit Up And Take Note. Andy Enright Reports
As a brand,
Volvo sits somewhere between the mainstream fare and the genuine premium brands, sharing an uneasy limbo with fellow Swedes
Saab. Check the pricing and model for model, a Volvo is a good deal more affordable than, say, a
BMW. What would happen if Volvo genuinely thought they could meet and beat the best in class head on? The Volvo XC90 T6 is just such a scenario made metal.
Consider the T6s pricing. The 2.9-litre XC90 T6 SE is priced at £37,015, around £1,300 more than the runaway market leader, the BMW X5 3.0-litre, but where the BMW can draw upon 228bhp, the Volvo commands a hefty 272bhp wallop.
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That makes the XC90 predictably far quicker than its German rival with a standard equipment list that makes the
BMW appear positively Spartan. Safety equipment? Insurance rating? Luggage capacity? Torque? Depressing stuff if you work in Munich. There are three XC90 T6 models, the entry-level S version, which retails at £34,515, the £2,500 dearer SE or the range-topping Executive at £45,820. All compete head on with lower level BMW X5 and the Mercedes M-Class variants but undercut seriously high-end 4x4 machinery like the
Porsche Cayenne and the Range
Rover.
The
Volvo is already a car that has attracted some acclaim, Americas Motor Trend magazine naming it their 2003 Sport Utility Vehicle of the Year. Its not only our truck-lovin cousins across the pond who appreciate the XC90 either. It scooped both the 4x4/SUV and Safety awards at the Institute of Vehicle Engineers Awards at the 2002 British International Motorshow.
"More urbane than a Discovery but more accessible than a Range Rover"
The T6 models are fitted with Geartronic automatic gearboxes as standard and use an electronically controlled permanent 4x4 system with a Haldex differential calculating how much drive should be directed to the rear wheels, typically anything from 5 to 65%. Performance from that turbocharged motor is strong, the T6 hitting 60mph in 9.3 seconds and it will keep on accelerating to 130mph. The fuel consumption figure of 21.
9mpg is laudable indeed for such a sizeable hunk of Scandinavian real estate, although the C02 emission of 305g/km may niggle at your environmental conscience. If you cant live with that, theres a 210bhp five cylinder 2.5T petrol model priced from £31,235. Unlike most of its rivals, the XC90 seats seven as standard with a set of rear seats that adults can occasionally use.
Despite this, the cars footprint is no bigger than a
Land Rover Discovery. Part of the reason for this apparent miracle of packaging is the compact transverse engine. Despite needing US sales to make the venture commercially viable, no monster V8 power unit is available, Volvo instead comfortable with the familiar T6 turbocharged six-cylinder petrol powerplant. Equipment levels are predictably good, the S model getting an 8-speaker 160-watt CD system, 17-inch alloy wheels, DSC and traction control, reverse parking sensors and electronic climate control.
To this, the SE adds leather upholstery an in-dash six-disc CD system, 18-inch alloy wheels a drivers
seat with electrical adjustment and mirror memory and aluminium or wood inlays on the dash. Parent company
Ford will, after the Explorer/Firestone debacle, be glad to hear that the XC90s innovative Roll Stability Control (RSC) system received the World Traffic Safety Symposium Manufacturers Award. The XC90 also features curtain airbags that stay inflated ten times longer than normal bags in order to ensure passengers are kept away from flying glass and insulated from doorframes during a roll. This pragmatism is a recurrent theme in the XC90s design process.
Volvo realised that the majority of big 4x4s are bought by women who cite the sense of security as a key buying criterion and the Swedes set up a womens reference group to run the rule over crucial aspects of the cars design. Unbeknown to many, Volvo has in fact tried to enter this market four times in the past, but failed to get their proposals off the ground for a number of internal reasons. The fifth attempt draws upon much of that experience and explains why the XC90 has an uncanny right-first-time look to it. Despite a front end that makes Beachy Head look apologetic, the overall feel isnt overly macho, with steeply raked front and rear screens reducing the overall perception of bulk.
Other road users may have little problem spotting the XC90 coming, but the Volvo driver gets an innovation that gives almost superhuman visionary powers. Infrared technology allows the driver to see up to five times further at night than is usually the case with conventional dipped beam. Although only offered as an option, it transforms night driving, and means you wont feel the need to constantly dazzle oncoming traffic with the XC90s ridiculously powerful main beam. With Land Rover a prominent member of Fords Premier Auto Group alongside Volvo, the XC90 slots into a niche that doesnt cannibalise Land Rover sales.
More urbane than a Discovery but more accessible than a Range Rover, the XC90 pulls this off with aplomb. While its winning back-to-back comparison tests and awards left right and centre, its hard to see the XC90 failing. T6 owners have themselves a formidable vehicle and one that even makes its £30,000-plus pricing look a veritable steal.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volvo XC90 T6
PRICES: £34,515-£45,820 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-18
CO2 EMISSIONS: 309g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 130mph / 0-60mph 9.3s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 21.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Front and side airbags / ABS / SIPS / WHIPS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4733/1860/1562mm
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