1000km Road Test - Volvo XC90 T6

The luxury four-wheel-drive class has boomed in 2003, recording a sales increase of over 30 per cent on the same period in 2002. This is partly due to a boatload of new models, including Volvo's contender, the big, luxurious XC90. It's not a serious off-roader, but then neither are most of its rivals.

Value for money

Pricing

Two models are available. The 2.5T, priced at $69,950, features a low boost single turbo 2.5 litre five-cylinder engine, which produces 154 kW at 5000 rpm.

The $82,950 T6 (tested here) produces serious power 200 kW at 5200 rpm using a 24-valve twin turbocharged 2.9 litre in-line six, slotted across the engine bay.

Warranty

Three years/unlimited kilometres. The market average is three years/100,000 km.

Standard features

The 2.5T gets a five-speed-sequential auto; one less ratio is provided in the T6's transmission.

Standard equipment in the T6 includes beautifully textured leather, a brilliant Alpine sound system with an in-dash six-CD stacker, an integrated GSM phone, with the keypad on the central control panel, automatic air with middle seat vents, cruise control, power everything, trip computer and six airbags.

Five seats are standard, all with pre-tensioned belts and, in the centre of the 40/20/40 split-back seat, Volvo's clever integrated child booster cushion.

You can add two extra seats, (also with pre-tensioned belts) which when not required fold neatly into the cargo bay, forming the floor.

Ticking this option (which costs a pretty steep $5,100) also buys adjustable travel for each middle row seat and an extended side curtain airbag to protect rear seat occupants, who also get air con and audio controls/headphone jacks.

Thus equipped, you can put junior in the middle row booster seat, take out the front centre console storage box, and slide the seat forward so that the little one is sitting within easy reach.

This is just one example of Volvo's pragmatic, thoughtful approach to designing family wagons. Like the rest of Volvo's range, the XC90 is loaded with features which, when a few kids are part of your life, make the task of driving them around the place safe, comfortable and convenient.

Retained value

The luxury 4WD class has some of the highest retained values on the market. The Cross Country SE wagon retains 73 per cent after three years, which is excellent.

Design and function

Ergonomics

The power adjustable driver's seat (with manual lumbar adjustment) has endless travel and a firm cushion. It's pretty wide, though, so unless you're similarly broad of beam the side bolsters fail to properly support you when cornering.

The wheel is adjustable for height and reach. Volvo's functional, intelligently designed dash has the centre panel angled up at about 45 degrees, so your hand falls straight to the air/audio controls. Everything is easy to locate and use, however the storage bins/glovebox are relatively small.

Vision is compromised by thick pillars, especially at the front.

Innovation

The family-friendly interior has plenty of clever ideas, as mentioned above in Standard features.

Volvo claims the first Rollover Protection System for the XC90. If you're about to go rubber side up, gyroscopic sensors detect the problem, which activates the stability control system, cutting engine power and braking the appropriate wheels to restore order.

It needs to be remembered, though, that the XC90, like other big 4WD wagons, has a high centre of gravity and, even with this system, can still end up on its roof if driven carelessly.

Safety

It's a Volvo, so of course it's safe. The XC90 scores five stars out of five in independent crash tests.

Security

The XC90 is protected by the usual immobiliser based security features, however an alarm is optional.

Comfort

One of the best. The driver's seat is luxuriously comfortable on a long journey. The two properly contoured outboard middle row seats offer best-in-class comfort and support; the centre position is for short trips only.

Space and practicality

The XC90 is based on Volvo's large sedan/wagon unitary platform, with a stretched wheelbase and wide tracks.

It's jacked up to 218 mm, to give the requisite high and mighty seating position which 4WD buyers like, and in outright size sits at the large end of the luxury 4WD class.

The T6's individually adjustable middle row seats have to be pushed back to the limit of their travel to obtain decent leg room for tall adults.

Honda's MDX leads the class in middle seat width; three adults across the T6 is stretching the friendship.

Child restraint anchors are fitted on the backrest of each seat.

The two optional rear seats are suitable for young kids only. Given the necessity to push the middle seats back to gain sufficient leg room, it is very tight in the back. Most adults simply cannot fit.

When all seats (including the optional rears) are occupied, the XC90 still gives you a useful 500 mm of floor length, accessed via a lightweight, horizontally split tailgate.

Stow the back seats, and you get 1.15 metres; folding the middle row flat as well (in any variation of the 40/20/40 split) yields nearly two metres.

The space saver spare is inadequate for a four-wheel drive.

Build and finish quality

Interior fit, finish and materials, plus overall quality, are excellent.

On the road

Fuel efficiency

In a word, poor. A high powered turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine, mated to a relatively inefficient four ratios instead of five, in a 4WD wagon which weighs 2.1 tonnes (the test T6, with the seven-seat option) is inevitably going to use a lot of fuel.

The test T6 used between 14.5 and 17 litres/100 km on the highway, and 18.2/24.8 litres/100 km in town. Forget the great outback adventure; the 72 litre tank is too small.

Performance

The 2.9 litre engine's 200 kW of power and 380 Nm of torque, available from 1800-5000 rpm, gives the T6 abundant and accessible urge for any situation. It's also acceptably refined, if a bit less smooth and quiet than the naturally aspirated sixes in its rivals.

The four-speed works smoothly and decisively, and in shift-it-yourself mode does what it's told, refusing to kick down or shift up of its own accord.

It wastes revs (and fuel) from a standing start by having to hang on to first and second for longer than a five-speed. The tall ratios also take a while to get the heavy T6 mobile.

This results in a slower than average 10.8 seconds for the zero-100 km/h trip. Fourth holds a busy 2000 rpm at 100 km/h.

The XC90 operates in high range only, putting power to the road via an on-demand 4WD system, which, depending upon front-wheel traction, apportions up to 65 per cent of effort to the rears.

Ride

Ride comfort is fine, though the supple, silent Lexus RX330 leads the class here. The suspension deals very well with big, nasty bumps at highway speeds, but is a bit fussy and uncompliant on small suburban ones.

Handling and steering

The big Volvo's dynamics are predictable enough. Still, it's a tall, heavy lump, considerably less agile and responsive than the Lexus RX330 and BMW X5. The lower, lighter (by 400 kg) XC70 wagon's handling is also superior.

At normal speeds, body roll and understeer are well controlled, the latter mainly by sticky 235/60 Continental tyres on 18-inch alloy wheels.

Independent suspension, particularly at the front, can get rather bouncy on undulations, causing the handling to become unwieldy. On choppy surfaces and corrugations the Volvo is quite stable.

On dirt roads, the T6's on-demand 4WD system is unintrusive, if still less confidence inspiring than full time 4WD. The tyres' circumferential tread pattern, designed to improve tracking and steering precision, has no bite whatsoever on loose unsealed surfaces, where great care is required.

The rack and pinion steering is accurate, not too direct and has a modicum of road feel. Some rack shake is apparent on rough corners; hard acceleration produces mild torque steer. The turning circle is vast.

Braking

ABS brakes are supplemented with traction and stability control, plus full power emergency brake assistance.

Considering the mass they have to deal with, the brakes are excellent in power and progression.

Smoothness and quietness

Not bad, but the engine sounds slightly less refined than some competitors, and suspension/tyre thump on poor surfaces is quite pronounced.

Summary

Any manufacturer who does not have a 4WD wagon in its lineup is missing out on a worldwide boom. This is why the XC90, and others of its ilk, exist.

The XC90 T6 is relatively expensive, especially when you add the rear-seat option, and its thirst is savage. It's smaller, lighter, quicker and more fuel efficient XC70 stablemate is, in many respects, a better vehicle.

Test by Bill McKinnon, September 2003.  

The writer of this report does not necessarily represent the views of the NRMA and this report is provided for you as an alternative to our own NRMA car reviews.

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