May 03--Most new-car debuts are a whole lot of hype wrapped around four wheels and some steel. The 2016 Volvo XC90 is not one of those.
The redesigned three-row SUV with a plug signifies a comeback for Volvo and a future of cleaner, smarter, safer cars.
The turbo and supercharged twin engine has a battery powered motor that you'll only notice when you pass by the gas station. It can drive itself at low speeds, and is loaded with the kind of safety technology Volvo is using to deliver on its promise of making deathless cars by 2020. And it's gorgeous.
It's not perfect -- that's the stuff of fantasy.
But inside and out, it is a whole, distinctive vehicle, and not an amalgamation of Ford parts.
The exterior is understated refinement. There isn't anything jaw-dropping about one particular feature but front to back there is a consistency that bestows confidence. Some luxury models try too hard, with menacing grilles and coupelike roof lines that reek of the kind of arrogance that says "Because I can." The XC90 is gorgeous in its oneness.
The rounded, rectangular grille is flanked by headlights split by T-shaped daytime running lights that Volvo describes as "Thor's Hammer." The body is clean down the sides, with aluminum bands on the rocker panels complementing the aluminum integrated rails on the roof. The top-of-the-line Inscription trim comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, but for another $750 the tester had 21-inch alloy wheels, giving it a muscularity matched by the shoulders.
The balance carries through on the inside. Real wood trim fills the doors, center console and dash, contrasting with nappa leather trim on the lower parts.
The center controls consist of a small band of buttons, including one for the glove box, and above it, a tablet-sized touch screen that controls everything, from the digital owner's manual to the self-perpendicular park function. Like Tesla's large touch screen, Volvo's system doesn't leave you wanting dials and knobs. Since the XC90 is loaded with features, the touch screen houses many functions. By the end of the week, alternating between steering wheel controls and the touch screen was relatively mindless and natural.
