CELEBRATING HISTORY WITH PATEK PHILIPPE

One of the side effects, however, of being such a sensible, dependable vehicle, is that it is reflected in the sportiness of its design, or should we say the lack thereof. The new XC90 boasts a large bold grille up front, and the signature T-shaped daytime running lights but it lacks the pizzaz of say a Land Rover Evoque, at least aesthetically. But that is not to say the Volvo XC90 is a dull vehicle, because where it lacks in sportiness, it more than makes up for in terms of comfort and luxury.

Inside the SUV, the influence of Scandinavian design is clear. Rich, brown wood panels are contrasted against the dark leather seats and completed with touches of silver on the air conditioning ducts and speaker covers. Even the gear knob offers a crystal insert, called the Crystal Eye, that has been hand-crafted by the Swedish company Orrefors - exclusively for Volvo.

Also in true Scandinavian fashion, a lot of what you will find in the interior of the XC90 has been thought out in an extremely functional way. The user interface for the media system, for example, resembles that of an Android or Apple tablet thus allowing the driver to instinctively know how to use it. Swiping left or right will bring you to different pages where different functions of the car can be controlled. And, with a USB cable, you will also be able to connect some functionalities of your phone to the car via Android Auto or Apple Carplay. Additionally, being an SUV the XC90 also comes with an offroad function that will raise the car about 4cm. Even if you don’t do much off-roading, the additional height will come in handy due to all the rain we have been seeing recently in the Klang Valley.

After examining the exterior and interior, it is undeniable that the Volvo XC90 is huge. But quite surprisingly, once you get behind the wheel you don’t feel its bulk at all. Most of the heavy lifting is done by the 2.0 litre, turbocharged engine, and we recommend the T8 hybrid variant of the XC90 as it adds on an electric motor that just complements the system so well. At lower speeds, the high torque of the electric motor gives you the extra kick you need so as not to feel that the engine is struggling to get this massive SUV up to speed; then at higher speeds, the combustion engine takes over giving you power for days. According to Volvo’s retail pricing, you will only be spending around about RM25,000 to RM30,000 more for the hybrid and we think it is well worth the money. Not just for the driving dynamism but also on the amount of fuel you will inevitably save with a hybrid system.

All in all, the Volvo XC90 is an SUV with everything you would expect out of a Volvo. It is safe, it is dependable and it is functional. It may not have the aesthetic swagger you would find in a Jaguar F-Pace or the racing pedigree of the Porsche Macan but the Volvo XC90 is sensible. It is an SUV that does exactly what you need to do, with plenty of driver-centric features, all wrapped up in a generous coat of Scandinavian luxury.

“RICH, BROWN WOOD PANELS ARE CONTRASTED AGAINST THE DARK LEATHER SEATS AND COMPLETED WITH TOUCHES OF SILVER ON THE AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS AND SPEAKER COVERS. EVEN THE GEAR KNOB OFFERS A CRYSTAL INSERT, CALLED THE CRYSTAL EYE”