Clockwise from top left: Seven-seater layout includes plush form-fitting accommodation. Major comfortdrive-info controls are contained within the central touch screen. Volvo's exhaustive focus on safety was well
in evidence during development of the new XC90. Unusual Drive Mode and stop-start button. Large touch
screen graphics are easy to use once you get the hang of it.
might get nailed from the left
or right sides, and a hands-free
tailgate opening system.
For me the most pleasurable of
these – rather than utilitarian –
was the Bowers and Wilkins Premium audio sound system
It also had some single-ticked
options, the most expensive being adaptive cruise control with
an integrated lane-keeping aid,
at R19 000.
I was impressed with how easy
it was to use the touch-screen
controls once I had taken the
time to study the menu in a parking lot. And I enjoyed the exceptional stability of the XC90, and
the fuss-free way it delivers its
power through the eight-speed
Geartronic gearbox and permanent all-wheel-drive system.
My only question mark is whether the car has enough suspension compliance to cope with
South African roads. I found the
ride just a little too firm for an
SUV of this nature, as if Volvo had
opted for keeping the body too
up-right in hard cornering at the
expense of being just a little too
rigid. It is not harsh, but it is a little
too unyielding over the bumps
you may encounter on a typical
Gauteng outing.
Nevertheless this car has an imposing quality that is going to find
favour with many people who
want a luxury SUV that stands
out from the crowd, and it has all
the equipment, the build-quality
and the hi-tech features that are
required in this rarefied market.
The base price for the Volvo
XC90 D5 as tested is R893 900,
while with all the features added to the test car it weighs in at
R975 350. Even at this price it is
still a very attractive proposition.
By Stuart Johnston
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