Test Drive: Volvo XC90 Inscription

We test drove the Volvo XC-90 last week, with the purpose of looking for an SUV for a growing family, and what the car had to offer was simply amazing. Having been christened with the title of ‘Premium Luxury SUV of The Year 2016’ at the ASEAN Car of The Year Awards and ‘Plug-in Electric Vehicle of the Year 2016’ by CarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards 2016, you already know that you’re getting something great.

The XC-90 has a stunning yet sleek design that pays homage to its predecessor’s functional design. The signature ‘Thor Hammer’ LED DRLs are part of the headlamps, which come with LED Active Bending Lights and Active High Beam Control.



Everything about the car exudes luxury: the dashboard layout, feel of the steering, the crystal shifter (hand-made by Scandinavian glassmaker, Orrefors), diamond-cut engine start/stop button and volume control knob, and premium leather seats with a fingernail-sized Swedish flag sewn at the side. The plush leather seats wrap around you and give you that secured and comfy feeling. That’s what Volvo wants you to feel. Brilliant!

We got into the car and were immediately enveloped in orchestral sound projected by 19 Bowers & Wilkins speakers.

 

Just out of the showroom, we tested its power by gunning the throttle and the reaction was instantaneous. The XC-90’s Twin engine provides adequate power and some more when you floor it. Equipped with a Drive-E petrol engine with a powerful electric motor, this beast churns out 407 hp and a delicious 640 Nm of torque. With an eight-speed automatic transmission, the century sprint can be done in just 5.6 seconds! It tops off at 230km/h.

You can change to your preferred drive setting of Pure, Hybrid or Power via a large touchscreen, leaving the area clean and minimalistic. Mounted high on the centre console, the portrait-format touchscreen ensures that it is easy and safe to view without unnecessarily diverting your attention. The touchscreen uses a highly advanced infrared film which can operate even when you are wearing gloves! The Sensus Connect system has been recognized by the automotive industry as the best-in-class infotainment system.

Another feature that was equally interesting was its ‘Autopilot’ mode. Yes, Volvo intends to have autonomous driving and this is its first step towards realization of that goal. It is called ‘Pilot Assist’ to be exact. Say you’re stuck in the middle of traffic, you can set it to self-drive mode below speeds of 50km/h. It worked brilliantly.



The Volvo XC-90 has safety features second to none. The Volvo brand has been established throughout the years as producing safe and reliable cars, with passenger safety as utmost importance. Volvo gave us the seatbelt (literally gave its patent to the world as they decided that it was too important to keep it for themselves), Rear-Facing Child Safety Seat, and Child Booster Cushion among others. Standard features include: Adaptive Cruise Control; Blind Spot Information System, and City Safety technology, which detects pedestrians on the road ahead, whether they are stationary or moving into your path.

The fully assembled Volvo XC-90, qualified with EEV status, goes for the price of RM403,888 on-the-road without insurance. Each purchase is inclusive of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and five years of free Volvo On-Call roadside assist.