Road Beat: 2019 Volvo XC90 AWD

2019 Volvo XC90 AWD Inscription, inscribed to be the best, but?

Volvo brought us the XC90 in model year 2003 and it won the Motor Trend SUV of the year. It was a trick vehicle and one of my favorites, especially when equipped with the spectacular 4.4L, 311 hp Yamaha V-8 engine. It was about the perfect SUV with great styling from Volvo designer, Doug Frasher, a man responsible for many great Volvo designs including the S80.

Two years ago, Volvo brought us a new and improved XC90, a designed that bears strong resemblance to the Frasher design externally, but is effectively a whole new ride, with new technologies and new engines. The sweet inline sixes are gone as well as that incredible Yamaha created V-8. This new ride was designed Thomas Ingenlath with the inside being done by Robin Page.

Volvo now makes some of the most beautiful cars in the business as this XC90 doesn’t have a bad line in sight. All proportions are perfect, with an upright strong look that is not too muscular but yet still bold while incorporating the refined Volvo design clues like its signature grille. It has grown about five inches in wheelbase and length now at 118 and 195 inches respectively. Width is up by about an inch at 76. Co-efficient of drag is a low 0.33.

But powering almost all Volvos is a 2.0L inline DOHC, 16 valve four-cylinder engine in several forms. This XC 90 tester had the ultimate version with both supercharging and turbocharging that at peak power of 5,700 rpm produces 310 hp and 295 pounds of twist at an extremely low 2,200 rpm. It is, of course, direct injected.

Factory performance numbers show a 0-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds. I found that this XC90 was one of the first vehicles I tested that did not achieve the factory number with an elapsed time of 6.75 seconds. It is responsive with that low peak torque and because of the supercharging there is absolutely no turbo lag, but this is a big, heavy rig topping the scales fully decked out as my tester was at 5,365 pounds and with only 310 hp and 295 pounds of twist, 6.75 seconds isn’t bad.
As I wrote it is very responsive with excellent passing times from 50-70 mph on a level highway and up a steep grade (6-7 percent) of 3.62 and 5.08 seconds respectively. Under light or normal loads, the engine is smooth, but pouring the coal to it and at low and high rpms it can become somewhat coarse and hoarse sounding. Not a good vibe in a $71,000 ride. A 3.0 liter “V” or even straight six would do much better. Perhaps Volvo should contact BMW and do what Toyota did for their new spectacular Supra, buy the BMW turbo inline six with 335 hp. It would be perfect in this Volvo. The eight-speed automatic worked perfectly and was extremely smooth in its operation.

Interestingly, this Volvo is rated at 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined in fuel economy. My testing showed at a steady 70 mph on a level highway produced slightly better at 27.4 mpg. In all around suburban, rural driving showed 20 mpg, about what the EPA numbers show. In my 200-mile run over the Sierras to Carson City and back averaged 24.2 mpg, one of the lowest numbers encountered by the Road Beat. I’ll bet a 3.0l engine as described above might do a bit better.

Now we get to the drive, handling if you will. And there is a lot to talk about. This Volvo has all the creds to be a great handling, State of the art, all independent suspension, quick steering at 2.9 turns lock to lock and 275/45X21 inch series rubber mounted on 21X9 inch wheels (an $800 option over the standard 20-inch wheels). It has plenty of cornering power, but driving this Volvo gives you an artificial feel with too much intervention by the electronic systems. The steering is too easy with almost no feel and feedback. The lane keep assist was particularly annoying creating an unnatural resistance in the steering. Maybe Volvo bought the rights to the Hal 9000 computer from Stanley Kubrick from his Space Odyssey film. But it feels like someone else has their hands on the steering wheel. If this is autonomous or semi-autonomous driving, you can count me out. Even the braking system goes off with its panic warning in the heads-up display when not warranted. Big brother has too much control for my liking. It’s like the difference in Boeing jets and Airbus jets flight control systems. The Airbus systems are too computer controlled. Boeing still prefers the pilot to be in command. Airbus computer systems have actually caused accidents as the pilot didn’t know how to override it.

The ride is smooth and mostly quiet except for some engine noise intrusion. There is no wind and tire noise.

Safety is perhaps Volvo’s tag line. The way it drives leads me to think it’s overdone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a super safe vehicle, but I find it too intrusive for drivers who like to drive. Volvo’s huge brakes are super strong. It’s loaded with airbags. Its structure is strong and designed to protect occupants. It has great headlights but there wasn’t an auto high beam system. It did have adaptive lighting that turned with the steering angle, however.

Inside is another area where Volvos really shine, with some of the finest and thickest Nappa leathers you will find and comfort galore. It is large with three rows of seats. Instrumentation is excellent with a big tach, speedo and heads-up display. The trip computer is there but it is a bit lacking because although it has many lines of information, it seems to default to just one line of continuously displayed info. Not the best.

And then there is the center stack topped by a big touch screen that about half the time doesn’t seem to react to my touch. That is very distracting. Touch screens may work well on a computer but when you are driving a car, fuhgeddaboudit. Buttons and knobs still work best. Volvo’s system while full of wazoo, simply sucks.

Price of admission is also not for mortals with my top of the line Inscription (maybe they should call it “conscription”) topping out at $70,940 with the $995 boat ride from Gothenburg, Sweden. That Gothenburg is important in that you can make the $1,200 Bowers and Wilkins sound system sound just like the Gothenburg concert hall. I couldn’t find any bass and treble controls however; Volvo and Bowers and Wilkins won’t let you do that. There was also the $6,000 Inscription package, $2,000 Advanced Package and a bunch of other items bringing the base price of $55,700 to that near $71K price tag. I have said enough.

Specifications
Price $56,695 to about $71,000
Engine
2.0L inline four-cylinder DOHC, 16 valve, direct injected turbo and supercharged 310 hp @ 5,700 rpm
295 lb.-ft. of torque @ 2,200 rpm
Transmission
Eight-speed torque convertor automatic
Configuration
Transverse front engine/FWD/AWD
Dimensions
Wheelbase 117.5 inches
Length 194.9 inches
Width 76 inches
Height 69.9 inches
Ground clearance 8.9-10.5 inches
Trach (f/r) 66.0/66.1 inches
Weight 5,365 pounds
GVWR 6,832 pounds
Trailer weight 5,951 pounds
Steering lock to lock 2.9 turns
Turning circle 38.7 feet
Wheels 21X9 inch alloys
Tires 275/45X21
Fuel capacity 18.8 gallons
Cargo volume (behind first row/second row/third row) 85.7/41.8/15.8 cubic feet
Performance
0-60 mph 6.75 seconds
50-70mph 3.62 seconds
50-70 mph (uphill) 5.08 seconds
Top speed 143 mph governor limited
Fuel economy
EPA rated at 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined. Expect 20-22 mpg in rural country driving. Expect 27 mpg on a level highway at 70 mph.