A touch of mascara and new tech tricks for Volvo's face-lifted XC90

 

Did Volvo mess with a winning recipe?

Fortunately not. The exterior enhancements are almost imperceptible. There are new wheel styles available as well as a range of different body colours to choose from. If you look very carefully, you'll notice the chrome grille looking eye-pleasingly concave. 

 

 

The interior stays mostly unchanged, but there are more options available for trim inlays and such, and another USB port as well as a sim card slot make their way into the minimalist cabin. You can now also have your XC90 in a six-seater configuration where the middle seat of the second row is absent, creating a passage for easy access to the rearmost seats for that private-jet feeling.

 

 

The R-Design variant gets a slightly more thorough, sporty makeover that includes a glossy black mesh front grille, Nubuck leather sports seats, a perforated leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles, and other interior luxuries such as sports pedals, black headlining and upgraded interior lighting.  Drive Mode Settings and Adjustable Steering Force are standard features that allow you to choose between different settings for the engine, transmission, steering, and the optional air suspension. (Read: Top 3 Volvo XC90 articles on AutoTrader)

 

 

Always at your service

The big news is Volvo's new On Call system that works via the Volvo On Call app that you download onto your phone. This app gives you remote access to select XC90 functions such as the ability to find your car in a large parking lot, locking or unlocking the doors, turning the engine on and even setting the air-conditioning to the temperature of your choice. You also have the option of speaking to an operator if you so desire.

How does it work?

Upon arrival at the airport, we were all given an iPhone with the app already installed, paired to our test model for the day. At first, we activated our specific XC90's lights and horn, in order to locate the car. Should your memory fail you completely and you have no inkling where you parked, a map (on the app) will show you the exact location of your car as well.

Once we were comfortably seated in our XC90, we were instructed to press the On Call button located next to the frontal reading lights. I was then put through to the Volvo call centre where an actual living, breathing person offered their assistance. I requested the directions to Hazendal Wine Estate, and the person at the end of the line proceeded to send the location to the app on our phone as well as the Volvo's Satnav system, so I only needed to press 'accept' for the directions to be downloaded, and we were on our way. Volvo On Call is standard on all XC90s for the first five years of ownership.

 

Excellent as always: Volvo Pilot Assist

Since the Volvo almost drives itself thanks to its outstanding Pilot Assist system, all I needed to do was lightly hold on to the steering wheel, as the XC90 steered, stopped, pulled away, and adhered to the speed limit which I had already entered into the adaptive cruise control system, which is a standard feature. The only time I would prod the accelerator was when we would stand stationary in traffic for quite a while. With just a touch of the toe to the petrol pedal,  the Pilot Assist system would then resume its self-driving duties. In Cape Town's ridiculous traffic, this is a huge mood stabiliser, and you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and calm. Goodbye, road rage!

 

 

Safety first

The 2020 XC90 comes fitted with safety features galore, including: Adaptive Cruise Control, Distance Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, Run-Off Road Mitigation/Protection, Driver Alert Control, Road Sign Information, Electronic Stability Control, Emergency Brake Light, Brakes with Hill Start Assist and Automatic Hold, Automatic braking after a collision, Roll-Over Protection System, Roll Stability Control, a reinforced passenger compartment, a side impact protection system, collapsible steering column, side and dual-stage airbags, inflatable curtain airbags, a whiplash injury protection system and City Safety with Autobrake, which can "see" and stop for cyclists, pedestrians, and large animals.

 

Do you have to let the XC90 do all of the driving?

Of course not. You can choose which systems you enable and you can drive completely unassisted if you like (bar the passive safety systems such as stability control, but even this can be switched off when going off-road or if you have the strange urge to let the massive SUV's tail slide sideways). But let me warn you; it's easy to get spoilt with all this modern autonomous gadgetry. And why shouldn't you, if it keeps you safe and cool-headed? My fiancé is a prime example of the old school driver who always wants to be in complete control. However, after 20 minutes behind the wheel of the Volvo V90 Cross Country, he was happily lifting his hands from the steering wheel to witness the magic of the V90 steering itself around corners. Travelling like this is blissful, and a game-changer!

 

 

Engines 

All engines in the range are of the four-cylinder variety with one D5 diesel (with 127kW and 480Nm) and two petrols (the T5 with 187kW and 350Nm and the T6 with 235kW and 400Nm). The T8 hybrid model has extra power coming from an electric motor so its output figures look as impressive as they feel: 300kW and 640Nm. And as with all hybrids, throttle response is instantaneous. 

All Volvos come standard with a 5-year / 100 000km Warranty and Maintenance Plan (Volvo Plan), a 5 years  / unlimited mileage Roadside Assistance, and DataDot application.

 

 

Are we lining up to buy one?

I can't speak for the rest of the team, but I am a huge Volvo fan and therefore I choose the XC90 over any of its German seven-seater (or six-seater) counterparts, including the much-pricier BMW X7. Even though our drive was mostly in heavy traffic on smooth tar, I still had immense fun driving it (or letting it drive me). Thanks to light steering, pliant suspension, and a well-balanced chassis, it doesn't feel big and heavy, so it's an easy, effortless drive around town. With the help of Pilot Assist, it doesn't get much easier than this.

 

Pricing

 

Can't quite make it to just over a million bucks, but in need of a six- or seven-seater?

No, you don't have to buy a Toyota Avanza, or a used Fortuner. A Kia Grand Sedona will do a brilliant job, used or new. It may not be an SUV but it's the ultimate camping mobile or people ferry.  (Interested in a smaller Volvo, like the XC60? Read our XC60 T6 AWD R-Design review here).