While not as popular as its German and British peers, the Volvo XC90 received numerous accolades from the motoring press when it was released to the world in 2015. Revolutionary and exciting, it was lauded to be the best value proposition by many and that included the South African Guild of Motoring Journalist who awarded it the coveted title of South African Car of the Year for 2016.
The years have been kind to the luxury crossover SUV with its styling and technology proving that it was indeed ahead of its time, ageing ever so gracefully. Volvo felt that it was due an update for the 2020 model year, but they had a rather difficult task on their hands; how do you improve on perfection?
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As it turns out, there's only so much you can do, so the new Volvo XC90 is more of the same, but before you scoff at it being a whimsical marketing exercise, remember that there's no need to scratch when it doesn't itch.
Styling
Where many facelifts see extensive changes to the front of a particular vehicle, it's considerably more subtle in the case of the Volvo XC90. Our test model was an R-Design model, the XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design and this sees it fitted with the racy, but stylish R-Design bodywork that opens up the air dams and includes lower splitters and side skirts.
For the 2020 model year, the XC90 gets a fresh new grille although only the eagle-eyed fanatic will spot the difference. It's in the lower section of the bumper where the updates are more visible. The singular lower splitter element now breaks into two spurs that extend upwards into the bumper for a more aggressive portrait.
Included in the updates are a variety of new wheels with our test model riding on 20-inch diamond-cut alloys wheels.
The Drive
Ride comfort has always been a staple of the Volvo brand with every model offering exemplary compliance on less-than-ideal surfaces. It's no different in the XC90 T8 with the one caveat being the additional weight that the T8 carries, thanks to its hybrid drive system and the battery packs. Coming in at 2268 kg, the T8 model is a stout 300 km heavier than its petrol counterpart and 269 kg heavier than its diesel brethren. This can be felt in the ride quality but we had to work hard to spot it. For the layman who hasn't driven the cars back-to-back, this will be near-impossible to detect.
Related: Do hybrid engines improve fuel efficiency?
Handling prowess from the AWD system seems unhindered by the additional weight and the XC90 is every bit as agile as its peers with the R-Design models benefitting from the Drive Select Mode option that allows the driver to select the mode best suited to their driving style and the road ahead. It's able to stiffen up the suspension and in our case, beef up the optional air suspension for just the right amount of damping. The steering weight is also increased but despite this, still came across somewhat woolly. This is to be expected in a 2-ton plus luxury SUV.
Performance
Party piece for the XC90 T8 is the twin-engine system employed. As the name suggests, the XC90 T8 has two "engines" - I place the word engine in parenthesis there because it's amiss to call an electric motor and 'engine'. This is all part and parcel of the hybrid drive system that sees a 2.0-litre petrol engine serve duty up front and an electric motor fitted to the rear axle.
The twin-charged petrol mill has both a supercharger and a turbocharger to help it produce 235 kW and 400 Nm torque while the electric motor and an 11.6 kWh battery provide an additional 65 kW and 240 Nm torque for a combined total of 300 kW and 640 Nm.
This healthy dose of torque also makes this the most powerful XC90 on the market with performance to match. The 0 - 100 km/h sprint comes up in only 5.6-seconds while the top speed of 230 km/h is electronically limited.
Space and Comfort
Space. Space is what the XC90 is all about. The XC90 offers seating for 7 while a new arrangement has been created for the facelifted 2020 model series and buyers can now opt for a 6-seater arrangement.
Practicality is usually one of the first sacrifices that one experiences with a hybrid arrangement, the boot floor often needing to be raised in order to accommodate the batteries. In the XC90 T8, the batteries are situated between the passengers, in the transmission tunnel. This arrangement does not encroach on any of the interior space, so you get the same legroom and headroom that you would in the non-hybrid XC90. The one concession that has been made is that the size of the fuel tank has been reduced to 50-litres, down from 71-litres in the petrol and diesel derivatives. Also, there is no spare wheel.
Passengers will still enjoy the theatrical entertainment from the Bowers & Wilkins audio system with a 1476-Watt Class D amplifier and 16-speaker arrangement. This system includes a free-air subwoofer for the low tones and the ability to recreate your favourite listening environments, from a studio to the Gothenburg concert hall.
Safety
When it wears the Volvo badge you can be assured that safety ranks right up there with the very best, if not setting the pace. It's no different in the XC90 T8. Aside from the usual spill of ABS, EBD and traction control systems, the XC90 also features passive safety systems such as side impact protection, a collapsible steering column and a reinforced passenger compartment.
Dual stage front airbags and side airbags for part of the 6 airbags array while electronic systems such as automatic post-collision braking, Roll-Over Protection, Roll Stability Control, Run-off road protection and City Safety with Autobrake function for pedestrians and cyclists, ensures that you're in the safest environment possible while on the road.
Fuel Consumption
The beauty of a PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle) is the ability to switch to a full-electric mode and use absolutely no fuel whatsoever while travelling. In the XC90 T8, this done by selecting from one of the drive modes - Pure. Getting the petrol engine to charge the batteries as you drive is easier said than done and requires some fiddling with the Sensus infotainment system. Reports vary, but you can expect an electric-only range of 21-40 km.
Volvo's claim of 2.1 l/100km is a little far fetched though, and our mixed bag driving saw us returning numbers in the high 8s and low 9s.
Related: How to drive your hybrid car efficiently
Price
Hybrid technology may have been with us for a while now but the slow uptake has meant that there are still hefty costs associated with the electrical drive technology. Volvo has done well to keep the XC90 T8 in the ballpark though and in R-Design trim you can expect to pay R1 328 200. This makes it rather competitively priced when compared to its British and German counterparts.
The Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD R-Design is also backed by a 5-year / 100 000 km warranty and covered by a 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan.
The Verdict
The Volvo XC90 does so many things well and if I wasn't initially impressed by the offering, I am now. The technology has stood up well over the years and the small changes have made it a more likeable package. It's competitively priced and extremely well presented with the T8 deserving of the 'luxury' moniker.
The singular detraction is the mediocre hybrid system that is only truly effective if left to its own devices and the vehicle is used in the urban environment. The highway just saw it use too much fuel for a vehicle claiming such low figures.
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