Any idea what Volvo means? We all know what the brand stands for: sensible, classy, incredibly safe motoring, but the actual word is Latin for “I roll”; the company having been set up in 1927 as a subsidiary of SKF, the Swedish ball-bearing manufacturer. And Volvo is definitely on a roll at the moment, having stunned the world with some incredibly beautiful and well-resolved concept cars over the past three years, as well as launching this: the all-new XC90.
Much like Jaguar Land Rover when the corporate giant was bought lock, stock and barrel by India’s Tata, Volvo has also been the subject of intense speculation since it was sold by Ford to China’s Geely Holding Group five years ago. Most believed that Geely would slash spending, reduce quality and desirability and forever tarnish the reputation of a once-proud brand. On the basis of the XC90, however, nobody need worry – it’s an excellent automobile.
It’s quite the looker, too. While Bentley was busy trying – and failing in the most part – to make a beautiful SUV, Volvo quietly got on with the job of making a distinctive, subtly curvaceous and visually harmonious behemoth that immediately makes its predecessor and most of the competition look a bit old hat – and, dare I say it, vulgar.
Volvo proudly says this is the safest car it has ever made and that it comes with more safety features as standard equipment than any before it, although having said that, this is actually reflected in the inflated prices. And that’s all very worthy isn’t it? But it’s a bit dull, too, so it’s with no small relief that I can confirm the XC90 scores extremely highly in areas that you actually want to talk about: the way it accommodates its occupants and the way it drives.
First and foremost, this is a car for families. Middle-class families, I grant you, but it’s rare to see a new car that’s as intelligently thought out as this. There are seven usable seats, although the rear two enjoy less headroom, and all of them individually slide back and forth. Boot space, when the rearmost seats are in use, is compromised, but once they’re folded away, there’s enough room to shame many large estate cars. The tailgate is electrically powered, and there are really useful stowage spaces all around the interior to prevent anything being left to roll around the cabin without restraint. Because, you know, that could be dangerous.
There’s a premium plushness to this car that, depending on the trim level, can easily rival a Range Rover – it’s that lovely. The dashboard is a model of simplicity, with a large touchscreen in the centre to operate pretty much anything – the dashboard area only possesses eight buttons in its entirety. That’s all well and good, but that screen stops looking nice after a few minutes of prodding with anything other than surgically clean fingers – don’t even think about eating while on the move.
And it’s while you’re on the move that Volvo’s recent pledge to make sure nobody is seriously injured or killed in any of its cars by the year 2020 starts to make itself known and felt. There’s even a system to prevent the worst should you career off the road by accident – Volvo’s engineers have studied tens of thousands of crashes involving its cars all over the world. Again, all very admirable, but how does it work in real-world situations?
You soon get the impression that the XC90’s main mission in life is to tell you off. It shrieks and yells with every mistake you make, practically threatening to have you evicted if you don’t do everything by the strict Volvo rule book. Try moving it in a tight space and there are so many alarms going off that there’s a very real risk of getting a migraine. And if you dare drive too close to the white lines or, gasp, actually cross them without your indicators flashing, it fights you for control of the steering wheel. If you’re within three kilometres of the car in front, it will tell you to back off, and if you’re not quick enough on the brakes, it’ll sort that out, too. Why am I even here at all?
So the best thing to do, rather than get the screen even grubbier by swiping through its menus to turn off these nannies, is to just go with the flow and let this Volvo do what it does best: protect you and your fellow occupants. It browbeats its driver into submission, but you realise that if you do as you’re told, everything will be a lot more relaxing.
If the UAE is serious about eradicating road casualties by 2020, it needs to make it compulsory for everyone to drive new Volvos and make it impossible to switch off their safety systems. Overnight, this country would become the safest place on Earth to drive – now isn’t that a thought?
The Specs
Price, base / as tested: Dh269,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged four-cylinder
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 316hp @
Torque: 400Nm @
Fuel economy, combined: 7.7L / 100km
motoring@thenational.ae
