WHEN Volvo asked XC90 owners what more they wanted from their next car the response said it all.
Silence.
So, aside from a little nip ’n’ tuck, and a tickle in the damping department, the Swedes have been brave enough not to fix what wasn’t broken.
The latest XC90 is therefore the same reassuringly unflappable package of lofty luxury and high-brow Euro aesthetics it’s always been.
This svelte seven-seat SUV gets a tastefully modernised front end, with an intricate new chrome grille and sleek, slicker headlamps that channel its Polestar relatives.
But the rear and side profile remain the same.
The cabin has taken a few design tweaks and trim upgrades by way of materials – notably better and more expansive use of real textured wood and fabric on the doors, dash and central console.
But the best bit is the bigger 11in touchscreen tablet that’s front and centre.
Still Google-powered (and Apple CarPlay-friendly), the operating system has been vastly improved and is now a pleasure to both look at and use.
There’s good news for current XC90 owners, too, as that same software will soon be rolled out over-the-air to compatible cars. Gratis.
You’ve got two power choices: the 2-litre petrol mild hybrid (badged B5) and the plug-in hybrid (badged T8)
The B5 engine has been modified – not for power but for subtle efficiency gains.
The steel-sprung suspension feels more refined, if not quite up to the glorious waft that the T8’s adjustable air suspension delivers.
But I’d still go for the B5 and save myself £9k.
The T8 plug-in hybrid has a monster 455hp and rockets from 0-62mph in just 5.4 seconds.
Great for the person holding the wheel, less so for the six passengers.
The 44-mile electric range isn’t class-leading either. So unless you must glide through town as a part-time EV, save that £9k and get the B5.
To conclude, then.
The updated Volvo XC90 provides an important alternative to the pure electric EX90 at a time when many people are feeling less confident of making the change to go petrol free.
With all the ingredients that originally made this cavernous 4x4 a hit, plus a few added bonuses, this subtlest of remixes keeps the family favourite favourably familiar in these unpredictable times.
