Share

Volvo unveils its refreshed XC90 in South Africa

Volvo South Africa has unveiled a refreshed version of its best-selling flagship XC90. 

The updated XC90 follows in the footsteps of the original SUV launched globally in 2015. At the time, it was the first of Volvo’s cars to feature the company’s new more prominent iron mark, which has the iconic arrow elegantly aligned with the diagonal slash across the grille. 

Together with the T-shaped "Thor’s Hammer" DRL lights, the iron mark introduced an entirely new, distinctive and confident face for Volvo’s forthcoming generation of vehicles.

The same styling is carried through in the 2020 XC90 with a few additional changes.

"The overall impression, both exterior and interior, has a strong connection to the key elements of the Swedish lifestyle: the generous space, the celebration of light and the focus on well-being," says Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director of Volvo Car South Africa.

Luxurious interior

When the all-new XC90 debuted in 2015, it had the most luxurious interior ever designed for a Volvo. Precisely the same applies to the latest SUV. 

The most striking feature is a tablet-like touchscreen control console, which forms the heart of the in-car control system. This system is virtually button free and represents an innovative way for drivers to control their car and access a range of Internet-based products and services. It also helps create an interior that is modern and spacious.

"The interior is pure and uncluttered, while still radiating the sophisticated confidence and formality that luxury SUV customers expect. The simplicity is perfectly in tune with our Scandinavian design heritage. It opens up generous surfaces and gives us the opportunity to create a modern, luxurious interior architecture," says Maruszewski.

Superlative sound system

The XC90 features one of the top audio systems available in the automotive world after Volvo Cars audio experts joined forces with their counterparts at the renowned British audio equipment company Bowers & Wilkins.

The top-of-the-line system in the XC90 features a 1 476-Watt Class D amplifier and 19 Bowers & Wilkins speakers. The subwoofer – a Fresh Air design – is integrated in the car, which means that the volume of the passenger compartment is used as a resonance chamber. 

According to Maruszewski, this sound system is right up there with the best in the world: "This audio system goes beyond figures – our sound engineers have searched obsessively for audiophile perfection. Using a radically new approach, they developed a unique room transformation technology together with the Swedish audio software specialists Dirac Research. This technology makes it possible to recreate the acoustics of a specific room inside the car..

"The result speaks directly to any music lover's soul – wherever you're seated in your XC90. The whole experience exudes quality and craftsmanship – most of the tweeter and mid-range speaker panels are in stainless steel, and the yellow speaker cones are elegantly visible through the mesh."

Impeccable safety credentials

The XC90 has been at the forefront of SUV safety ever since the first-generation model was launched in 2002. It was the first SUV in the world to be fitted with Roll Stability Control, which measures the car's roll angle in extreme manoeuvres and activates the stability control system to reduce the risk of a rollover accident. 

The second-generation XC90, launched in 2015, came with two world-first safety aids: Run-off Road Protection and automatic emergency braking at junctions. Should the car inadvertently leave the road, Run-off Road Protection automatically tightens the front seatbelts to keep occupants in the safest possible position. To help prevent spinal injuries, a collapsible energy-absorbing section between the front seats and seat frame cushions the vertical forces that can occur if the car lands on a hard surface. The XC90 was also the first car in the world to feature automatic emergency braking that activates if the driver turns into the path of an oncoming vehicle at a junction. 

Volvo's pioneering safety technology goes beyond protecting those inside the car, however. The XC60 mid-size premium SUV was the first car to come with automatic emergency braking as standard when it was launched in 2008, while every new Volvo model has been fitted with this life-saving technology since 2014.

Unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency

The new XC90 offers a range of two-litre, four-cylinder powertrains, all of which provide an outstanding combination of performance and fuel-efficiency. These powertrains are coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The turbocharged diesel engine equipped to the Volvo XC90 D5 Geartronic AWD delivers 173kW/480Nm. Fuel consumption – at 5.7-litres/100km (combined) – is frugal.

The XC90 T5 AWD is equipped with a 187kW petrol engine, which features a high-pressure turbo. It delivers 350Nm. Fuel consumption is a commendable 7.6 litres per 100km (combined).

The supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine equipped to the Volvo XC90 T6 Geartronic AWD delivers 235kW/400Nm. It consumes 8.0 litres/100km (combined).

The range-topping Volvo XC90 T8 Geartronic AWD has a 300kW (235kW + 65kW) petrol engine that is also supercharged and turbocharged. It works in conjunction with an electric motor, delivering power of 300kW (235kW + 65kW) and torque of 640Nm (400Nm + 240Nm. Fuel consumption is a remarkable 2.1 litres per 100km (combined) while emissions are a low 49g/km.

Suggested retail price list

All Volvos standard with:
 ? 5 year or 100 000km Warranty and Maintenance Plan (Volvo Plan).
 ? 5 year or unlimited mileage Roadside Assistance.
 ? DataDot application.

volvo xc90 prices

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE