New version of Volvo XC90 is brand’s most advanced SUV yet

This week, I’m back behind the wheel of the Volvo XC90. First seen in its present form in 2015, this is an upgraded R-Design B5 version of Volvo’s biggest and most advanced SUV with a price tag to match.

External changes are minimal enough, with a re-shaped front bumper and radiator grille, some new wheel designs, and a number of different colour variants. However, it is in the mechanical department that Volvo has made the biggest change with the addition of a seamless 48-volt mild hybrid system. That means that it has the addition of separate battery, a kinetic energy recovery system and incorporated starter generator leading to a 15% step up in efficiency.

The XC90 B5 R-Design is one of the more stately SUVs in the current market with seven individually-adjustable seats and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine under the bonnet. It is smoothness personified and you can be assured of a silky, comfortable drive, respectable handling despite its size, and plenty of poke when required.

On the motorway, it proved to be pretty faultless; while on the meandering roads, there is nothing to fear either. It sits on massive 20” wheels and that has some effects on the ride at low speed and over broken surfaces. However, as you increase the pace, most of that is eliminated by the chassis and the suspension.

It is a bulky brute for manoeuvring around town, but good visibility, its high stance, and complete surround camera and sensor system means you have all the tools you need to keep it between the traffic with a certain amount of care.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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