VOLVO XC90 D5 R-DESIGN / Swedish coolness

VOLVO XC90 D5 R-DESIGN

We at Driven are unequivocal Volvo XC90 fans and, having one on long-term loan, was always going to present a challenge as to who gets to drive it at what occasion. As you read this, another member of the team has prised the keys and headed to the Eastern Cape for the holidays, and you can read more about their escapades in our next edition.

For now, however, we’re very excited with the prospects of having the XC90 D5 R-Design in our garage for the next few months. The model itself recently received some very minor cosmetic tweaks including the grille, front valance and new wheel designs. There’s now also a 6-seater option that makes ingress to the third row that much easier.

However, our test unit remains the traditional 7-seater, because, you simply just never know when you would need that additional seat. It is resplendent with the R-Design package that brings a slightly sportier ambience with a 20” diamond-cut wheel design and equally sporty touches in the cabin.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

Volvo On Call is a newly developed app that lets owners remotely communicate with their vehicles and works off any smart electronic device including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets and desktop computers. Although there have been some delays in Volvo joining the fray in this regard, the upgraded XC90 is officially the first model in the Volvo portfolio to be fitted with the system, which allows owners to lock and unlock their vehicle, check fuel tank range and even pre-set the climate control for impending weather conditions.

The app can also help you to locate your vehicle in large parking areas such as shopping malls or airports where it is quite easy to lose track of where you parked. The system is also linked to an emergency call centre wherein the unforeseen event of your vehicle being involved in an accident, the vehicle will automatically dial the centre and, should you be incapacitated at the time, the call centre agent will send emergency help to the GPS location of your vehicle.

WHAT ENGINE DOES IT HAVE?

Our D5 variant is powered by the familiar 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine with 173 kW and 480 Nm allied to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. It is a fantastic

engine if marred slightly by turbo lag on pull off and while overtaking. That said it truly comes into its own on the open road and should return fuel consumption figures in the low seven litres per 100 km ballpark. We’re currently returning around 9.3 litres per 100 km, which consists mostly of stop/ start urban driving.

IS IT COMFORTABLE?

Thanks to the standard air-suspension, the XC90 remains a serene and consummate cruiser and deals well with Gauteng’s mostly tardy road conditions. It simply wafts along and soaks up any road imperfections with aplomb. It also tackles offroad conditions with very little fuss and, despite those low-profile tyres, it hardly ever dispense a jarring ride.

LAST WORD

With a raft of both standard optional equipment fitted to our car, we will be unpacking most of these in the next few months, and how these integrate into the teams’ daily lives. For now, however, we’re thoroughly enjoying the company of the Volvo XC90 D5 as we explore its many other technical virtues.