Party trick and ‘find me’ facelift

“HERE’S your iPhone loaded with the Volvo On call app, swipe here, press this to find your car and you’ll be on your way,” explained the Volvo PR person shortly after we had arrived at Cape Town International.

With that my driving partner and I headed to the parking bays following a map on the phone and when we were in the general area pressed the unlock button and our face-lifted Volvo XC 90 flashed its lights and hazards and hooted to let us know we had found it.

And with that you’ll never have to worry about finding your car again in an overflowing shopping mall on a Saturday morning at month end or if you want to check your fuel level or climate control when you’re not in the vicinity. But as they say, that’s not all… The company’s party trick is its new concierge service which the technician quickly explained how to use by pushing a button next to the rear view mirror.

And while there are other manufacturers with similar set-ups, Volvo’s system allows you to talk to an actual human seated in South Africa.

We pushed the button and explained to the person that we needed directions to our lunch venue, and while she waited for us on the line, a destination was sent to the sat nav.

It’s more than just a gimmick because say for example you’re in an accident they will call and ask what services are needed and if there isn’t an answer they will send out emergency services.

A five-year subscription is standard on all 2020 Volvo models and owners have an option of renewing it after expiration. The rest of the facelift is pretty low key and includes a new “concave” design front grille, new exterior and new wheels on a package that was attractive to start with anyway.

Also available for the first time is a six-seater configuration allowing easier entry to the third row of seats and makes all passengers feel part of the conversation in the car. The back seats are big and comfortable enough to allow adults a comfortable perch and if they’re not in use can be folded down to create a massive boot.

As before, the XC 90 retains its elegant interior with classy finishes and soft touch surfaces.

The dash is dominated by a large touch-screen infotainment system from which almost everything is controlled and allows access to a range of internet-based products and services. Fortunately at my age doing what I do for a living, almost every marque has a different operating system so I’ve become used to figuring out how they work.

All take a bit of getting used to and on the XC 90 it’s no different as you swipe between pages but as a permanent owner a week or two of practice will have it sorted.

A special mention needs to be made of the sound system. A top end Bowers & Wilkins provides opera hall like quality.