VOLVO XC90 AT THE TOP OF ITS CLASS
The Volvo XC90 is piling up an impressive collection of accolades, including being named North American Truck/Utility Vehicle of the Year at the Detroit Auto Show, where it won over the other two finalists, the Nissan Titan and Honda Pilot. Here are four reasons why the new XC90 came out on top:
Interior serenity: Most of us spend a lot of time in our cars, and an automakers’ ultimate achievement is to make that time as enjoyable as possible. While all three of these vehicles are well-designed and boast quiet cabins, the XC90 stands apart with its exceptionally comfortable seats, minimalist centre console design and available materials, such as Nappa leather and open-pore wood.
Smart infotainment: Volvo’s new infotainment system is distinct in that it operates more like a dashboard-mounted tablet than the plethora of buttons and dials we’ve become accustomed to. The system is well laid out, intuitive and easy to glean information from quickly while driving. Plus the volume control is one of the very few things that Volvo keeps on a separate knob rather than integrating it into the touchscreen, which is the single most common usability complaint about Honda’s touch-driven system.
Great powertrains: The Titan XD’s Cummins V8 diesel turned Nissan’s big-boy pickup into a serious contender overnight, but dropping a diesel engine into a pickup isn’t groundbreaking on its own. Similarly, the Pilot’s 3.5 L naturally aspirated V6 is stout but certainly nothing new.
The XC90, on the other hand, can house two distinct and innovative power units: the T6 Drive-E combines a supercharger and a turbocharger to deliver great torque over a massive r.p.m. range without running up an exorbitant gas bill, and the T8 incorporates that same technology into a plug-in hybrid. It’s truly outside-the-box thinking and it works.
Value for money: Each of these vehicles is undoubtedly a great value to consumers for what it is. How the XC90 stands out, though, is in taking high-end buyers deep into the luxury space without dragging the price tag too far along for the ride.
Though several of its competitors have base prices that start at or below that of the XC90, they tend to demand a fair bit more optioning to attain similar levels of features. The XC90 has a just-right balance of understated elegance and practicality without adding in extravagance for the sake of it. Stephanie Wallcraft