TAKING THE COOL ROAD IN HIGH STYLE
Twin-engine hybrid is a full-size hauler that’s both powerful and luxurious
The three-row Volvo XC90 T8 twin-engine hybrid brings panache, luxury and, as is expected of any Volvo, a boatload of safety technology. Our tester arrived with City Safety automatic braking, lane-keep assist, cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring, and a road edge/barrier detection system that can steer the car away from a potential off-road excursion. It’s a comprehensive list that is unrivalled when it comes to keeping the T8 shiny side up and its occupants safe.
Likewise, the cabin proved to be the model of civility. It was wrapped in top-notch materials — the list runs from the leather found on the industry’s best front seats to a crystal that sits in the shifter lever — opulent but understated at the same time. Ergonomically, the interior also ranks as one of the best. The instrumentation is configurable and includes the ability to put the map or media information between the two main dials.
The XC90 arrives with the smartest infotainment system available. If you can use a smartphone or a tablet, you can operate this system without having to consult the owner’s manual, which, by the way, is also contained therein. The main page has four tiles: navigation, media, phone and messages, with the interior temperature and seat/ steering wheel heater functions sitting at the bottom. Then there are two other pages. Swiping in one direction reveals all of the safety functions; swiping the other way brings up the settings. It also has a “home” button just like an iPad. It really is as simple as touching an icon or swiping to complete the desired function.
The middle-row seating is accommodating and allows riders to enjoy a lot of leg space, or slide the seats forward to give the third-row riders more room. The third row is large enough to handle adults, as long as it’s for a short hop.
There is plenty of flexibility; the middle row splits into three sections; the third row into two. With all seats in use, there’s 436 litres of space. Dropping the third row down opens up 1,184 L, and with the middle row folded down, that number blossoms to 2,427.
The only flaw proved to be the privacy cover. With the third row folded it sits in its customary position. When the third row is in use, it loses its home, meaning it ends up sliding around in the trunk or getting left in the garage.
At the heart of the T8 twinengine hybrid is a 2.0-L turbocharged and supercharged fourcylinder engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, a rear electric motor and a 9.2 kilowatt hour battery pack. The engine and electric motor combine to deliver 400 horsepower and a hefty 472 pound-feet of torque that’s ready to romp at 2,200 rpm. The key to the layout is the engine drives the front wheels while the electric motor powers the rear, which gives the T8 an all-wheel-drive extension. The other plus is the electric motor can propel the XC90 at speeds of up to 120 km/h.
Charging the main battery takes 2.5 hours using 220 volts, and around eight hours on 110 volts. Once fully recharged, it delivers an electric-only driving range of around 30 kilometres. If there were a wish, it would be for a larger battery. While the battery does continue to contribute to the drive even when it is showing zero driving kilometres, something a little larger would improve fuel economy even more.
Volvo’s decision to go with an all four-cylinder lineup was a brave and risky move, but it’s paying big dividends as was witnessed by the average fuel economy enjoyed during the test period: a better-than-expected 9.7 L/100 km. That’s half the story. Drop Thor’s hammer and the T8 charges to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. Both numbers would be considered good for most vehicles, but must be viewed as exceptional given the T8 is a fullsize, three-row crossover.
There are several driving modes, which include Pure, Hybrid, Power, Off-road, Allwheel-drive and Individual. The XC90 T8 handles with a rare degree of precision for such a large vehicle. The optional fourcorner air suspension delivered a good balance between ride quality and the need to limit body roll when the going got quick. Through a series of sweepers, the T8 remained flatter than expected, the steering proved to be nicely dialed in and the P275/45R21 tires delivered enough grip that understeer was moot. On the flip side, it delivered an excellent on-road ride.
The Volvo XC90 T8 twinengine hybrid is a cool ride for many reasons. It hauls a family of seven and their luggage in comfort, and it does so while returning unexpected levels of performance and fuel economy. As a result, it is now a viable alternative to the usual luxuryoriented suspects.