Volvo XC90 model year 2016 - Overview
The all-new Volvo XC90 is a visually striking, premium quality seven seat SUV with world leading safety features, new powertrain technologies, an unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency and a superlative interior finish.
The new XC90 marks the beginning of a new chapter in Volvo’s history, capturing its future design direction, incorporating its own range of new technologies and utilising its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) technology.
DESIGN
Volvo’s new face The new XC90 is the first Volvo to carry 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 introduces an entirely new, distinctive and confident face for Volvo’s forthcoming generation of cars.
The XC90’s larger bonnet with its new topography, the beltline and the sharpened shoulders connecting with the tattoo-like, new rear lights are other important design signatures that will be mirrored across the range.
To add more visual muscle from the sides, the XC90 comes with a range of wheel sizes up to 22 inches.
Luxurious interior The XC90’s interior is the most luxurious to have been designed for a Volvo. The most striking feature is a tablet-like touch screen control console, which forms the heart of an all-new in-car control system. This system is virtually button free, a simplicity that opens up generous surfaces and gives us the opportunity to create a modern, luxurious interior architecture.
The all-new XC90 interior combines materials such as finest Nappa leather and wood with handcrafted details, including a gear lever made of crystal glass from Orrefors, the famous Swedish glassmaker, and diamond-cut controls for the start/stop button and volume control.
New trim level strategy Volvo Cars’ reinvented trim level strategy resembles a tree with two branches. Kinetic is the base, followed by the very competitive Momentum level.
Inscription and R-Design form the two branches on the tree. The Inscription package is designed for customers that want an elegant look and a luxurious experience, while R-Design has a sporty and dynamic aura.
In principle, the previous top level has been replaced with the Inscription and R-Design versions. Both of them feature an elevated content, carefully chosen to emphasise each of their distinctive individual personalities.
New seats Volvo already enjoys a reputation for providing the most comfortable seats in the industry. The new XC90 enhances this reputation by offering innovatively designed seats that also free up interior space for passengers both in the second and third seat rows, helping to make the new XC90 a genuine 7-seater.
The full seat core has an ergonomic shape that resembles the human spine. A multitude of adjustment possibilities makes it possible for the individual user to create an ideal seating position. The new seats are available with adjustable side bolsters, seat cushion extension and massage.
The second row features three individual seats with recline adjustment. The sliding function can be used to create more legroom for the passengers in the third row – or to increase loading space. An integrated child booster cushion in the centre seat is optional.
The seats in the third row offer class-leading comfort for passengers with a height up to 170 cm.
CHASSIS & POWER TRAINS
Completely new chassis When it comes to driving dynamics, the XC90 gives the smooth, solid ride of a premium SUV combined with sharp handling and response. There is a completely new chassis, front and rear.
There are a double wishbone front suspension and a new integral link rear axle that also features a new transverse leaf spring, made of lightweight material. The XC90 can also be equipped with electronically controlled air suspension with a choice of five modes.
Unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency The new XC90 offers a range of two-litre, four-cylinder Drive-E powertrains, all of which provide an outstanding combination of performance and fuel-efficiency.
The top of the range XC90 Twin Engine, which combines a supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor, offers an unrivalled combination of power and clean operation: 400 horsepower with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 59 g/km (NEDC driving cycle).
Normal driving is conducted in the default hybrid mode. But at the push of a button the driver can switch to quiet and emission-free city driving on pure electric power where the range will be more than 40 kilometres, and then, when needed, immediately revert back to the combined capacity of the petrol engine and electric motor. Combined maximum torque is 640 Nm, making the XC90 accelerate from 0 to 100 in 5.9 seconds.
Full range of other engine options The Volvo XC90 range also includes the D5 twin turbo diesel engine with 225 hp, 470 Nm, best in class fuel consumption of 5.7l/100 km and the D4 turbo diesel engine with 190 hp, 400 Nm and a fuel consumption of 5.3l/100 km.
The range also offers two petrol engine options. The first is a T6 engine with supercharger and turbo with 320 hp and a maximum torque of 400 Nm. The second is a T5 with 254 hp and 350 Nm.
All engine versions come with Volvo Cars’ 8-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
SENSUS
Most modern control system on the market The new Sensus user interface is without doubt the most modern in-car control system on the market. It completely reinvents the way drivers operate their cars.
The traditional selection of buttons and controls has been replaced with a smooth, intuitive interaction between a large tablet-like touch screen, controls on the steering wheel and a capable voice-control system.
The digital instrumentation and the head-up display in front of the driver make sure that the most relevant information is available when needed.
Sensus gives comfortable access to a wide selection of cloud-based applications. The outstanding in-car possibilities includes Internet radio, connected navigation, finding and paying for parking, seamless music streaming, the ability to mirror and use Apple and Android devices in the touch screen display, a hot spot for using a tablet in the car – and much more.
Also – the XC90 will not only tell the driver when it’s time for service, but also suggest an appointment at a Volvo dealership.
Sensus - always on call One of the most widely appreciated features related to the Sensus offer, Volvo On Call, allows Volvo drivers to communicate directly with their car via a smartphone application to lock, unlock, check fuel levels, pre-heat, pre-cool, locate and check mileage on the car.
For 2015 Volvo On Call will be updated, adding a completely new graphical user interface, enhanced send to car capabilities, diagnostics views and smartwatch support for Android Wear, Apple Watch, iPad support and also voice control via Cortana for Windows Phone.
Digital craftsmanship The groundbreaking digital craftsmanship, interaction design, is based on extensive discussions with customers. The layout on the portrait screen can be described as a stack of flexible ‘tiles’, each of them displaying a key functionality.
Information, navigation and media are high up and easy to check. Phone controls, application icons and climate controls are located low, comfortable to reach and touch.
When one of the tiles on the touch screen expands on interaction, the others are compressed but still visible and instantly accessible.
This makes the touch screen exceptionally user-friendly, with no need to go via a main menu when switching between functions.
Four-zone climate system The all-new Volvo XC90 can be specified with a four-zone climate system with individual settings for the occupants in the front seats and in the second row. A separate air-conditioning unit for the third row is standard or optional depending on the market.
Volvo Cars’ CleanZone air purification system, one of the most efficient on the market, has been further improved by adding a new carbon filter for more efficient capture of small, harmful particles and pollen in the incoming air.
One of the top audio systems in the world The XC90 features one of the top audio systems available in the automotive world. The top-of-the-line system in the XC90 features a 1,400 W Class D amplifier and 19 Bowers & Wilkins speakers. It also includes one of the first air-ventilated subwoofers in a car. Integrated into the car body, it turns the whole interior space into a giant subwoofer.
The latest sound processing software has ben used to manage the timing of the sound and co-ordination of the speakers. This brings the emotional experience of a world-class live performance into the car.
SAFETY AND SUPPORT
Most comprehensive standard safety package The all-new XC90 offers the most comprehensive and technologically sophisticated standard safety package available in the automotive industry. It includes two world first safety technologies: a run-off road protection package and auto brake at intersection capability.
In a run-off road scenario, the all-new Volvo XC90 detects what is happening and the front safety belts are tightened to keep the occupants in position. To help prevent spine injuries, energy-absorbing functionality between the seat and seat frame cushions the vertical forces that can arise when the car encounters a hard landing in the terrain.
The XC90 is the first car in the world with technology that features automatic braking if the driver turns in front of an oncoming car. This is a common scenario at busy city crossings as well as on highways, where the speed limits are higher.
City Safety becomes the umbrella name for all of Volvo Cars’ auto brake functions, which are standard equipment in the all-new XC90. It now covers vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in front of the car, day and night.
Automatic support in queues On the driver support side, the new Adaptive Cruise Control with Pilot Assist enables safe and comfortable semi-autonomous driving by automatically following the vehicle ahead in stop-and-go traffic. Acceleration, braking and now also steering are controlled automatically.
Making sure that the driver remains in full control also when manoeuvring and reversing in tight spaces, the all-new XC90 features a 360° Surround view. It gives the driver a birds-eye view where information from all cameras are added up digitally to a one 360° image. The Park Assist Pilot now also offers automatic reversing into a parking bay.