Volvo cabin delivers utopia
If you’re planning to drop north of $60,000 on a CUV or SUV, you’re well within your rights to have lofty expectations. All four of this category’s 2016 entries are worthy contenders for your significant chunk of hard-earned change. Volvo XC90 — $73,100 as tested The XC90 is a deep breath and an elongated exhale of fresh air. For its offer of tranquility in a frenetic world, it wins my heart and my vote in this category.
It wasn’t the XC90’s powertrain that won me over, though the turbo and supercharged 2.0-litre I4 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission get it around very capably. It also wasn’t its sportiness, a trait that comes more naturally to both the Mercedes and Porsche.
But the other three vehicles house centre stacks that are a mess of buttons and dials, often so complicated that they’re distracting to operate while driving.
The XC90 has an ignition toggle, a drive mode scroll, a shifter, a single line of climate control buttons mounted in sumptuous wood grain, some steering wheel controls, and a massive yet intuitive 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. That’s it.
Also, the interior is so quiet it’s nearly zen-like. I’m a working mom, so I don’t need to explain to other parents that after a long day of work and runny-nosed tantrums, a grocery run in a virtual sensory deprivation chamber sounds like the definition of utopia. Plus, the XC90 smashed it out of the park on the off-road course, which was a fair fight as I tested this category on TestFest’s only truly dry day. The only hint of a falter was on a steep, loose gravel climb, but all four vehicles struggled in that section. Otherwise, it felt like riding on a cloud. Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe —$85,125 as tested The Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe is a close contender to be the best in this category. In fact, I like its drive feel and the heft of its 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 diesel a smidge more than the Volvo XC90’s, and it’s got some interesting features such as the touchpad-plus-scroll infotainment system interface and integrated beverage temperature control.
But the cute-ute-style rounded rear end that’s so trendy these days comes with sacrifices in storage space and visibility, and this is especially evident in the GLE Coupe. Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid —$104,690 as tested This vehicle is a striking example of what can be achieved when a plug-in hybrid is put in the right hands, creating an artful compromise between efficiency and performance.
But, as tested, it also runs into the six figures, making it the most expensive in the category by nearly $20,000 and out pricing the XC90 by more than $30,000. A consumer needs to be committed to the idea of owning a hybrid, an SUV, and a Porsche, before they’re willing to write a cheque of that magnitude for this car over the others. Lincoln MKX — $65,790 as tested Well, it boasts the best price of the group at $65,790. But the 2.7-litre V6 EcoBoost engine somehow ends up being the thirstiest of this bunch, at least on paper, consuming 12.1 L/100 km combined between highway and city driving. Plus, while Lincoln has worked hard to shore up its brand status lately, I find the fit and finish on this vehicle doesn’t quite match the competition at this level at the moment.