By BJ Killeen
We’ve said it many times: the automotive industry is like
fashion; one day you’re spot on with the trends, the next you’re practically
left for dead. This cyclical pattern is enough to make the most hirsute go
bald. Volvo has been run through this cycle more than a few times, and while
some insist on writing its obituary, the brand always manages to resurrect
itself.
Since being purchased by Geely Holding Group, a Chinese
company, Volvo Cars has made good use of the monetary transfusion it received
by creating a solid, multi-use platform, designing clean, sophisticated sedans
and SUVs, improving the overall drive experience, infusing much-needed technology,
and maintaining safety leadership.
Let’s start with the platform, which Volvo calls, SPA, or
Scalable Product Architecture. SPA is the underpinnings for the XC60, XC90, S90
and V Series vehicles, so the platform can be modified to fit whatever vehicle
Volvo is designing. (When the new S60 arrives, it also will utilize the SPA platform,
but the recently announced XC40 will be on Volvo’s CMA, or new Compact Modular
Architecture.) It’s a smart way to make the dollars go further, and just like
Volvo, almost every manufacturer is using some form of platform sharing for
economies of scale.
Volvo also is trying the same game plan in its engine
lineup, offering only four-cylinder powerplants that are either turbocharged or
supercharged and turbocharged together, known as Drive-E engines. Throw in
electrification of all of these engines by 2019 (BEV, PHEV, Hybrid), and you’ve
got a pretty good idea of Volvo’s business plan.
Another giant step into the future for the Swedish car maker
is the focus on autonomous vehicles. Volvo made a startling announcement at
this press event in Denver, Colorado: It said it would take full responsibility
for its autonomous vehicles on the road. That’s a huge statement. No other car
manufacturer is willing to take this risk on its own products. Volvo acknowledges
that too many people die in car accidents, and its goal is to reduce those
numbers. By taking responsibility, Volvo has put the onus on its team of
designers, engineers, and manufacturing to make sure it builds the best
products. Which brings us to a pledge made by Volvo a few years ago called
Vision 2020, that states by 2020, no one will be killed or seriously injured in
a new Volvo vehicle. That’s bold, brash, and probably unachievable by anyone
but Volvo.
Volvo has a lot of big goals, as you can tell from what you’ve
read so far. But the driving force behind Volvo has always been safety, and
that will continue to be a key point of the brand. But safety can’t be the only
focus. Volvo’s transformation encompasses so many areas: manufacturing,
technology, design, safety, and Volvo’s image. It’s a big job to tackle, but
from what we’ve seen so far, it’s doing an amazing job at achieving its goals.
We had a chance to experience the changes at Volvo by
driving a variety of its vehicles: the new XC60 SUV, S90 luxury sedan, and V90
wagon. We know that they share a platform, and use Drive-E powerplants, but there
are different personalities to help customers decide on the best vehicle to
suit their tastes. Let’s breakdown what we drove and how they felt.
XC60
The XC60 was the star of the show, since it is the newest
vehicle in the lineup. The XC60 is in its second generation, and as a midsize
crossover is a serious contender versus the likes of the Lexus RX350, Acura
RDX, Audi Q5, and BMW X3. The previous XC60 was going on nine years in
production, so the new model had great expectations, and Volvo didn’t
disappoint. Volvo designers took the good looks of the previous generation and
modernized them, with a more angular shape, stronger defined back end, athletic
front appearance, and a tougher stance. The XC60 didn’t lose its personality,
just improved upon it, which is all good news. We love the Thor’s hammer
headlights, a design element across all Volvo models, and appreciate the clean
Scandinavian styling treatment inside and out.
Inside, the XC60 is modern, and truly beautiful, a word we
reserve for only a few automobiles. We absolutely love the natural wood
choices, especially the light Driftwood trim. The large tablet touchscreen, once
you’re acclimated to it, is informative, easy to use, and Apple-like in its
execution. The 10-way power seats in our Inscription models are comfortable and
supportive, and ergonomics were equally good. Our only complaint about the
interior is the pop-up-looking Bowers and Wilkins speaker that appears to be “stuck”
on top of an otherwise clean dash. We understand that it’s a trademark look for
B&W audio systems, but it really seems out of place in the XC60’s interior.
That speaker in the Volvo really makes us appreciate how the Lincoln brand
works with Revel from the beginning of the vehicle’s design to make sure that
sound and designed worked together, not just speaker placement because
tradition dictates.
That aside, our time spent in the XC60 driving around
Colorado was extremely enjoyable. The XC60 comes in three trim levels:
Momentum, Inscription, and R-Design. We drove two XC60s, both Inscription
trims, because Volvo wanted to allow us the opportunity to experience all the
available features. Because this is a luxury brand, even the “entry” level
Momentum comes nicely equipped with a panoramic moonroof, LED headlights,
leather seating, and more. Our Inscription test model, a T6 AWD (we also drove
the T8 E-AWD) added Sensus navigation, hands-free power tailgate, four-zone
climate control system, and more. Base price is $44,900, but with all the options,
including upgraded Nappa leather seats with heat and ventilation, the
Convenience Package that added the semi-autonomous driving system (and more),
plus the big 12.3-inch tablet touchscreen, drive mode settings, and other
goodies, the grand total with destination reached $63,290. Not for the weak of
heart for sure.
Once you’re behind the wheel, you quickly forget about the price,
because the XC60 is everything a vehicle in this segment should be. It’s solid,
sporty, smooth, and quiet. The T6 features a 2.0-liter turbo/supercharged
engine that really delivers the best of that power. Supercharged response for
power on the low-end, and the turbo boost to keep it going, along with decent
fuel efficiency. The T6 produces 316 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, more than
enough to climb hills and merge into traffic without sweating a bead. Although
we didn’t experience any snow in the Rockies on our trip, we easily could have conquered
it with Volvo’s AWD system. The BorgWarner Gen 5 system reads the road and will
send up to 50 percent of the torque to the rear wheels for traction. Under
normal conditions, the XC60 is front drive, but when stopped, such as at a red light,
AWD is always engaged to prepare for maximum traction during initial take off.
Gotta love that thinking. I guess when you live in Sweden, snow isn’t too far
from the top of your mind. Even without inclement weather, the XC60’s AWD
system kicks in if there’s any slip, which provides great driver confidence.
The second XC60 we drove was the T8 E-AWD Inscription, the
hybrid version of this SUV. The biggest difference was the powertrain. The T8
E-AWD features not only the same 2.0L engine as found in the T6 version, but
adds an 87-horsepower electric motor. Combined, the output is 400 horsepower
and a ridiculous 472 lb-ft of torque. Remember, with an electric motor, all
that torque is available right off the line. This is a parallel hybrid, which
means the electric motor and gas engine can work individually or together.
The T8 features five different drive modes. Hybrid is the
default mode, which means the vehicle will decide when to use electric power or
the gas engine. The five modes include: Pure, Power, AWD, Individual, and Off
Road. In Pure mode, the T8 can run up to 78 mph without engine operation. Here,
the Start/Stop function is active, the engine, gearbox and climate controls
switch to Eco mode, and other systems that draw battery power are reduced as
well. There’s also a reminder that the system gives the driver to promote economical
driving. Switch to Power mode, and the gas and electric work together to
deliver performance and economy. Most
interesting is when in AWD mode, the T8 will send power from the gas engine to
the front wheels, and power from the electric motor to the rear wheels.
We prefer the Individual mode, because we can tailor the
drive elements that made us the happiest, including steering and suspension. It
can be linked to the remote key, and will go to that mode automatically when
the door is unlocked. Finally, off-road mode is for speeds below 12 mph. This locks
power 50/50 front to rear, optimizes the engine and gearbox for traction, and initiates
a few other systems to provide the best grip when off the pavement. You also
can select a Hold function to save the battery charge for later, and a Charge
button to tell the gas engine to start charging the battery.
Because the 10.4 kWh battery is large, the T8 is a
plug-in-hybrid, so you can virtually drive all day on electric power if you can
charge at home and/or at work, depending on your commute. The battery pack is located
in the center tunnel of the vehicle so it doesn’t interfere with leg or cargo
room. The T8 comes with a TurboCord, so you can charge both 110v or 220v, or
even at a public charging station. With 200v power, recharge time is a fairly
quick 2.5 hours. Fuel economy numbers are 26 mpg for gas only, and 59-mpg
equivalent when both are working together. Explaining MPGe is a full story unto
itself, and maybe at some point we’ll get in a little deeper in a separate
story. It’s hard to make a competitive comparison to other PHEV SUVs because
there aren’t many, but the BMW X5 xDrive 40e has an MPGe of 56, and a gas-only mpg
rating of 24, so the T8 beats that easily.
While we like the driving feel of the T8, we had some
trouble deciphering the hybrid-specific gauges. Not the most intuitive, but if
we owned the vehicle, I’m sure we’d be able to figure out just what each one
did. As far as observed fuel economy, we saw 27.3 mpg, which came primarily
from highway driving with the gas engine burning a lot of the time. With two
drivers in the vehicle for a short stint of about an hour, one of us did the
power testing, and one did the mileage run. Because we were up in the
mountains, trying to maintain pure EV mode was difficult; we are going to
assume if you’re commuting and doing around-town driving, your mileage (as they
say) may vary, skewed more to the higher side.
Price for the T8 AWD Inscription model we drove starts at
$52,900 with mostly the same options as the T6 version but packaged
differently. As tested, it came to $71,590. If the price of the T6 pinched,
this one would be a definite slug to the arm. But Volvo is posturing itself as
a full-boat luxury brand now, so those prices go with the territory, and are
competitive with the likes of the BMW previously mentioned, which retails for almost
$80,000 loaded.
S90
Moving up a notch but down in height is the S90, Volvo’s
flagship luxury sedan. Not only does the S90 look equally as good as the XC60,
but the interior and features easily land it solidly on the shopping list. The
version we tested had the same T6 powerplant as the XC60, and was also AWD and
the Inscription trim level. All the vehicles we drove today were fitted with
Volvo’s new 8-speed Geartronic automatic transmission. We neglected to mention
the transmission previously, mostly because it’s so smooth and shifts so
effortlessly, it was practically invisible. Our only nit to pick here is that
the S90 was missing paddle shifters, a feature that’s almost mandatory on
luxury sedans today.
When we started out in the S90, we were still getting
familiar with all the controls and features of the vehicle. As we said
previously, the Sensus connectivity and information-loaded tablet touchscreen
in the center console pretty much gives you anything and everything you need.
Your job is to figure out how to access it. Once you do, however, it becomes
second nature. We played with the different drive modes (located on a
diamond-patterned scroll-and-push control in the center console), which allowed
us to customize our vehicle dynamics preference. Our personal setup is a tighter
steering feel, more toward the sport side, a medium ride on the suspension, and
absolutely no economy mode. Sure, there are times when we might want to watch
the fuel economy, but with this lovely engine and gobs of power, it would be a
crime not to use it, wouldn’t it? Especially driving through some of the nicer
roads on the outskirts of Denver. To set the way we wanted, we dialed up
Individual mode and made it a custom fit. When you pay $54,100 for a vehicle
($69,140 as tested), you darn tootin’ it better drive just how you want. That
said, even when pushing it hard, we still were able to manage close to the
combined mpg rating of 25. A more conservative driver would have no problem hitting
the 31-mpg highway number that eluded us through total fault of our own.
The S90 also has a rear air suspension system, which can be
adjusted from the cargo area. Loading a lot of gear that’s bringing down the
tail? Push the button and elevate for a level, comfortable ride. Brilliant. Another
brilliant feature, and yes, the word will be completely used up by the time we're
done talking about the S90, is the Orrefors crystal shift knob. Who else but
Volvo could pull that off? No one else, that’s who. It’s indulgent, ridiculous,
absurd, and we love it.
Hate to say it, but we just might enjoy being a passenger in
the S90 more than we like driving it. We’re talking about the back-seat
passenger in particular, because this is where those of a certain status should
be, chauffeured from the country club to the yacht. Volvo gets it, with second-row
seating designed to please even the fussiest millionaire. Sunshades for the
side windows and rear window, almost 5 inches more leg room, heated and
ventilated outboard seats, and rear seat center armrest. The only item missing
is the massage function that’s available in the front seats. Granted, some of
these items mentioned are part of the Luxury Package, but when you have
millions, another $3,450 isn’t going to break you. Truth is, these seats
probably were originally designed to please the China market, where more people
are driven around in luxury cars than drive them.
There’s not much more to say here except we want one, and
when we hit the Megabucks jackpot at the casino, a trip to the Volvo dealership
won’t be far behind.
V90
Our final vehicle, and as they say, last but not least, is
the Volvo V90. Our tester was the V90 T6 AWD Inscription, to be exact. While it
shares the T6 engine, SPA platform, 8-speed transmission, and just about
everything else we listed for the S90, the difference here is that it’s a wagon
configuration. Hallelujah! Growing up with wagons, we really miss them. Sure,
SUVs and crossovers are great and all, but a station wagon is where our heart
lies. And bless Volvo for still making them. (Volvo has been producing wagons
for 60 years, and has sold over 6 million of them, so we’re pretty sure it
knows how to build a good one.) While it may not have the cargo area jump seats
like the ones we sat in back in the ’60s and ’70s (no third row at all, as a
matter of fact), it does offer exactly what you need a wagon for: lots of cargo
room. Having excellent road-going stability is a bonus. Volvo offers three
wagons: V60, V90 and V90 Cross Country, which provides more go-anywhere
capability. Unfortunately, on our press trip we aren’t carrying an abundance of
cargo, so we can’t really test the pack-rat capabilities, but we plan on
getting one as a longer-duration tester, and we’ll see what fits and what doesn’t.
The wagon has over 30 cubic feet more storage than the sedan, so keep that in
mind when shopping for your upscale family vehicle.
Drivability in the V90 is comparable to the S90, so much so
that you don’t really notice a difference in handling. The steering feel is
spot on and responsive, and the double wishbone front suspension and transverse
composite leaf spring rear with available air suspension do a great job of
delivering both ride comfort and predictable stability even at higher speeds.
Again, since it basically mimics the S90 sedan, those looking for luxury feel
and sportiness won’t be disappointed.
Outside of pricing, which is $57,950 base and $69,340 as
tested (B&W audio, air suspension and tailored dash account for $5,400 of
those extras), we only need to mention the extensive list of standard and
available safety features. So let’s get to it. All the Volvos we tested (and
the XC90, which we’ve driven but didn’t test here) come with Volvo City Safety,
designed to alert and fully stop when necessary in the event of a forward
collision, pedestrian crossing, or animal surprise. Lane Keeping Aid, Blind Spot Information
System, Run Off Road Mitigation, Driver Alert, Road Sign Information, Distance
Alert, 360-degree camera, rear collision warning with braking, Automatic
Braking After Collision and a full suite of airbags round out this robust
safety game plan. No wonder Volvo feels confident about its Vision 2020
statement.
Another safety feature that merits further discussion is
Pilot Assist, or semi-autonomous driving with Adaptive Cruise Control. We saved
this feature for last because we like this one the best. One step closer to
self-driving cars, the Volvo Pilot Assist is fun to use because it still amazes
us. With ACC and Pilot Assist on, you can actually drive down the road with the
vehicle in control. It will accelerate and brake when necessary, and steer the
vehicle, even around corners. But semi- autonomous is true, because if you
leave your hands off the wheel too long, you’ll get a reminder in the driver
information center to tell you to put your paws back on it. If not, the system
will disengage. It works at speeds up to 80 mph, but its best use is in
stop-and-go traffic.
When the system was first introduced, we engaged it in the
XC90 test vehicle we had at the time, and it practically saved our lives
because we were suffering from what felt like a dislocated shoulder, and had a
two-hour drive from Santa Barbara, California, to the San Fernando Valley, with
a fair portion during rush hour. Engaging Pilot Assist meant we could cradle
our arm, putting our hands on the wheel when required, and letting the Volvo do
most of the heavy lifting for us at low speeds. While we don’t recommend doing
this as a habit, it sure helped us more than Volvo would ever know. Just from
this experience, we can’t wait for fully autonomous vehicles to take us to
doctor’s appointments, drive us home after being sedated at the dentist, or
just making our lives easier all around. Even though Volvo isn’t the only one
working on driver-free vehicles, we gladly will state that we’d feel enthusiastically
positive about riding in an autonomous Volvo once it comes to fruition.
For those who want to take the Volvo ownership experience a
step further (or should we say farther – a lot farther), you can buy your Volvo
then choose overseas delivery, where you get two paid airlines tickets (plus
hotel accommodations) to Gothenburg, Sweden. At the Volvo factory you’ll get a
tour of the plant, then head to the delivery experience center to accept your
car. Spend a vacation driving it through Europe, then drop it at the port where
Volvo will ship it back to the U.S. and you fly home. We’ve been to Gothenburg on
a few occasions, and think the city and its people are simply lovely. What
better way to enjoy your new Volvo from start to finish (not Finnish, although
you could go to Finland from Sweden on your vacation!).
If it appears after reading all this (and we’re impressed
that you did) that we have a soft spot in our heart for Volvo products, it’s
because we do. The revitalized vehicle lineup is better than we ever could have
imagined, the designs and quality of materials are stunning, and the overall
business plan is solid, especially with a great forward gameplan. For those
buyers who are stuck in the BMW to Mercedes-Benz circle, do yourself a favor
and step out of your comfort zone. Go to the Volvo dealership, drive a few of
the vehicles, and open your eyes. It won’t take long for you to fall in love
with Scandinavian design and Volvo’s desire to be the best.
