Volvo XC90 500 km Review: Is This the Best Luxury SUV Under ₹1.25 Crore?

Volvo XC90 500 km Review: Volvo Cars India recently launched the XC90 facelift, which is the flagship offering in India. The new XC90 boasts an updated design, enhanced features, and a more refined engine compared to its predecessor. It is priced around ₹1 crore, and is a seven-seater luxury SUV, competing with the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5, and Audi Q7 in its segment. We took it out for a spin in the city and on highways, driving it for 500 km to test its fuel efficiency, comfort, and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) features.

Here are our thoughts after driving it for 500 km, and we will tell you whether the Volvo XC90 is worth considering or not and why it is an underrated luxury SUV in the segment:

Volvo XC90 Exterior

The exterior design of the Volvo XC90 remains similar to the previous model. The noticeable changes to the front profile of the XC90 are made to the headlamps and the grille. The LED headlamps have a new design for the Thor’s hammer-shaped LED DRLs, LED headlights with pixel LED technology, and the design pattern on the grill is also changed. The front bumper is also revised, and the design has become more subtle and composed as compared to the previous generation.

On the side, the dimensions are almost similar to the previous XC90, which was on sale in India. The silhouette is identical, and it continues to run on 21-inch alloy wheels. It has all four-disc brakes for sure-footed stopping and comes with air suspension, which increases or decreases the ride height of the car depending on the speed and the road conditions. The window area gets chrome surrounds, which enhance the overall luxury feeling of the XC90.

At the rear, the design continues to be the same as the previous generation. One thing to notice is that the new LED DRLs and the LED taillamps have become sleeker and sharper. It has a wide profile as the front, and there is a rear wiper, washer, and reverse fog lamp on offer. Regarding the boot space, the Volvo XC90 has decent space with the third row up.

On folding the third-row seats, there is ample space to store your luggage, and you get a retractable parcel tray that is removable. 

One clever trick that we experienced during our drives was that the XC90 has two dedicated buttons to increase or decrease the ride height of the vehicle, resulting in stuffing luggage inside the boot easily.

Volvo XC90 Interiors

On the inside, the new Volvo XC90 has subtle luxury elements. Starting with the rear seats, the new XC90 has beige leatherette upholstery, which gives a premium experience, but on long usage, it may become dirty and is slightly difficult to maintain. Let’s discuss the space inside the XC90 first. The third row space in the XC90 is decent. You sit in a knee-up position, which is suitable for short commutes. The third row is best suited for kids.

In the middle row, there is ample knee room, legroom, and shoulder room on offer. You can even recline the seats so that the comfort is enhanced. To block the sun, there are sunshades on offer. The interiors boast a premium quality, and the central AC vents and USB charging sockets enhance the cabin's practicality.

One thing we noticed was that there was plenty of hard plastic used on the lower side panels in multiple areas of the car. However, to make you comfortable, there are rear AC vents and a small screen to set the temperature and the fan speed according to your preference.

The front row seats of the Volvo XC90 are comfortable, and there are multiple adjustments for the driver and the co-driver. You can adjust the lumbar as well, and the seats have ventilation, heating, and a massage function, along with memory seats, which can save up to 3 passenger settings.

The dashboard design of the Volvo XC90 has a new infotainment system. Despite having a vertical screen,  Volvo still offers physical controls for the volume and track changing buttons, which we feel are a nice touch in the SUV. 

It uses premium fabric and leatherette materials on the upper side of the dashboard, but there are plenty of hard plastics on the lower side. The gear knob is finished in transparent and the ignition switch gets a chrome finish, which enhances the overall luxury appeal inside the XC90.

Volvo XC90 Features

Regarding the feature list, the Volvo XC90 has a long list of features. For starters, it has a new 11.2-inch vertical infotainment screen, with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The mobile connected instantly, and the touchscreen is responsive to use Then, it has four-zone climate control with a steering wheel heating function, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with map view, and others. Additionally, you have voice commands as well, and there is a panoramic sunroof, which enhances the airiness of the cabin.

The Volvo XC90 has a 360-degree parking camera as well, along with front and rear parking sensors. The camera quality is decent, and the parking sensors are quite sensitive and get activated immediately when not needed.

Volvo cars are always known for the safety on offer. In the XC90, you get multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, indirect Highline TPMS, traction control, and other safety features. It also gets Level-2 ADAS features, like adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist, adaptive lane keep assist, adaptive dampers, front collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, and some extras. These ADAS features work flawlessly, and multiple settings can help you in a better driving experience.

If you are a music lover, then you’ll enjoy the experience in the XC90, as it has a 19-speaker Bowers and Wilkins audio system with surround sound. The music experience was great, and the musical notes and the beats were evident with bass and treble.

Volvo XC90 Performance

The Volvo XC90 is equipped with a 2.0L inline four-cylinder turbo petrol engine. This engine makes 250 bhp and 360 Nm of peak torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This is the only engine option available in the XC90 and is continued from the previous generation. The 2.0L engine comes with a 48V mild hybrid assist.

The performance from the engine is smooth. Since the XC90 comes with an AWD drivetrain, the power is channelled to all four wheels at the same time. Further, if your drive is smooth and steady, it glides on the road effortlessly, and you don’t even feel that the engine is running. Once you go hard on the throttle, it instantly picks up pace and reaches triple-digit speeds quickly. Since Volvos are famous for their safety, the car is restricted to 180 km/h top speed. The throttle response is good. However, around 80-90 km/h, you have to upshift manually to bring the RPMs down.

Volvo XC90 Fuel Efficiency

As per ARAI, the Volvo XC90 has a claimed fuel efficiency of 12.35 km/l. The fuel tank capacity of the XC90 is 71L, and it showed a driving range of 950 km. After driving it for 500 km on the highways and in city traffic conditions, the XC90 returned a fuel efficiency of 12.1km/l.

Volvo XC90 Ride Quality

Since it is the flagship luxury SUV in the Volvo Car India lineup, the comfort levels are good. It comes with adaptive air suspensions, which can increase or decrease the ride height of the vehicle and adapt to the road conditions while driving, to deliver a smooth cabin experience. On higher speeds, the ride height automatically decreases for better aerodynamics and efficiency.

You have multiple settings in the menu to adjust the ride quality. You can adjust the steering wheel feedback or the tuning of the suspension if you want the road or off-road. They alter the parameters and give you a good driving experience. Talking about the body roll, it is well contained and on hard cornerings, the XC90 maintains its line and the pace.

The comfort and the ride quality in the middle row are great. Since you have good space for the knee room, leg room, and shoulder room, you are quite comfortable in the middle row, and the cabin is silent, and the bumps and the potholes hardly filter inside the cabin.

Volvo XC90 Price

The price tag on the Volvo XC90 facelift starts at ₹1.03 crore (ex-showroom) and is available in a single variant option.

Should You Buy It?

Now the main question is, should you buy the Volvo XC90? Our answer is Yes. If you want a luxury SUV with good fuel efficiency, a SUV with subtle luxury, that is loaded with features, then you should consider the XC90. While it does not feel as spacious and tech-loaded as the German competitors, like the Mercedes-Benz GLE, Audi Q7, or the BMW X5, it can be a good option if you prioritise fuel efficiency, and it is an underrated choice in the segment. 

Also Read: Exclusive: Volvo’s New Car Will Strengthen Ties Between Sweden and India, Says Sweden Ambassador