Test Drive: Taking the All-New Volvo XC90 From Copenhagen to MalmÃ

Volvo’s recently designed XC90 features an charismatic suite of tech, styling and polished plan updates – each superbly showcased connected a two-day thrust betwixt Denmark and Southern Sweden.

Volvo debuted its XC90 backmost successful 2002 winning the North American Car of the Year Award, but it was the Swedish carmaker's second-gen iteration in 2015 that brought a modern Scandi plan aesthetic to the luxury SUV marketplace and changed the crippled successful the three-row conception – its cleanable lines, elegant interiors, and precocious exertion resonated with buyers looking for luxury and family-friendly utility. It remains the brand's best-selling exemplary successful the U.S., with astir 1 cardinal sold worldwide, the uber-popular 7-seater hasn't received a implicit redesign successful a decade. To enactment competitory successful its people portion keeping hybrid and PHEV options successful the lineup, Volvo opted for a "2025.5" midcycle refresh with caller look exterior detailing and a redesigned cabin, among different revisions. A caller sojourn to Scandinavia rewarded with clip down the instrumentality successful the T8 Ultra plug-in hybrid and B5 Ultra mild hybrid.

The B5 AWD

After a precise civilized Volvo squad briefing implicit 'fika' (a cherished Swedish societal customized involving java and pastries), I acceptable retired from Copenhagen Airport nether steely grey skies successful a B5 Ultra that sported a handsome Denim Blue exterior and coordinated interior and rode connected 21-inch 5-multi spoke diamond chopped wheels shod successful wintertime tires. Because, Sweden and Volvo and information first. The thrust way that greeting took america crossed the 10-mile agelong Øresund Bridge (the longest road- and obstruction span successful Europe that connects Denmark and confederate Sweden) for a leisurely thrust to the municipality of Skanör earlier circling backmost up the seashore to the Volvo Landscape astatine Limhamn, a tiny beachy vicinity connected the outskirts of Malmö.

Light connected traffic, the mostly two-lane roads provided ample accidental to get acquainted with the caller 11.2-inch halfway display, which features Google built-in and promises a much seamless interface idiosyncratic acquisition with Media, Navigation, and Climate Settings permanently connected the location screen. Alongside aesthetically pleasing details (of which determination are many) with their chrome inserts and premium high-touch materials, the tailored dashboard and doorway panels are what I noticed archetypal and foremost: successful this model, a airy ash trim paired with a charcoal grey textile connected the dash and seats dressed successful a navy herringbone weave upholstery inspired by the water made from 100% recycled polyester. Practical touches abounded successful the cabin, too, including a redesigned passageway console with a caller and ever handy wireless telephone charger. Even the aerial vents diagnostic an elegant vertical leaf design.

A halt successful Skanör provided the accidental to get a amended look astatine immoderate of the besides crisp and modernized exterior plan details, including the sculpted hood, beforehand fenders, and aerial intake with counteracting slats. Volvo's signature Thor's hammer plan headlights person been slimmed down excessively and diagnostic a matrix-design LED exertion that allows you to fundamentally enactment connected precocious beam without worrying astir oncoming roadworthy users erstwhile driving successful the dark.

The B5 AWD mild hybrid pairs a 2.0-liter turbocharged motor that produces 247 hp and 266 lb.-ft. of torque promising 0-60mph successful 7.3 seconds and with velocity limits ranging from 70 km/h (43mph) connected state roads and 40 km/h (24mph) done tiny towns and villages it meant the heads-up show often flashed to fto maine cognize I was (unintentionally) speeding. Despite the compartment being susurration quiescent and easiness of acceleration truthful velvety creaseless you could hardly notice, acknowledgment to Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA), portion of Volvo's Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) that besides includes collision avoidance, collision mitigation, and operator enactment technologies, meant dependable alerts served arsenic a gentle nudge to easiness my ft disconnected the state though an automatic adaptative pedal effect was different mounting option.

Unintentional speeding aside, I made it safely to the Volvo Landscape astatine Limhamn successful clip for luncheon and an immersive dive into different elements of the new-look XC90, including its gorgeous sustainably sourced materials, textiles, and 'Scandinavian surviving room' inspired compartment with Head of Interior Design Lisa Reeves and the Bowers & Wilkens High Fidelity audio system, which features a whopping 19 abstracted hi-fi speakers, including the audio makers iconic Tweeter-on-top halfway speaker. Sold arsenic portion of the Ultimate package, it's a three-dimensional in-car acquisition that faithfully replicates the situation dependable listening modes of a signaling studio, performance hallway and jazz club. As idiosyncratic who appreciates the powerfulness of dependable and euphony but successful nary mode considers myself an audiophile, it wholly knocked my socks off.

After going down the Bowers & Wilkens rabbit hole, determination was conscionable capable clip for a stab astatine a timed trunk packing situation utilizing assorted Tetris-shaped cushions (that I failed miserably) but showcased the XC90's clever usage of abstraction and interior retention versatility (an awesome 85.7 cubic feet of cargo capableness connected the 7-seater) earlier switching cars for the afternoon.

The T8 eAWD

From the Volvo Landscape, I hopped successful the T8 eAWD Ultra for a 45-minute scenic thrust into the countryside, ostensibly to the Österlenchoklad café and store successful the hamlet of Skåne-Tranås. A airy but lukewarm metallic high-metallic with delicate rosé tones, its Bright Dusk exterior truly popped contempt the overcast skies, overmuch similar the interior whose Bright taxable featured seats dressed successful Cardamom quilted Nordico (a leather alternate fabric) and a subtly contrasting charcoal headlining with cardamom textile doorway sheet inserts and Brown Ash décor. Plus, a idiosyncratic Volvo favourite touch: the oh-so-chic crystal cogwheel shifter by Swedish glassmaker Orrefors.

Despite pursuing Google Maps, a bid of missteps took maine to a equine workplace followed by a gravel quarry wherever I became well-acquainted with the 360°camera making a bid of multi-point turns. After astir an hr pursuing scenic state roads with nary cocoa store successful show and daylight fading fast, I admitted decision and headed backmost to Malmö. Along the mode I noted that the aerial suspension made the thrust consciousness adjacent much refined. The dependable insulation was next-level, with roadworthy sound hardly perceptible. While modular FSD damper exertion connected the B5 felt great, the T8's electronically controlled progressive chassis monitors the car, road, and operator 500 times per second, which made cornering much dynamic and perfectly reduced roll.

Between the comfy seats, clime strategy and aerial prime system, which monitors incoming aerial and reduces dust, pollen and particulates (a monolithic positive for allergy sufferers), and easiness of connectivity for a seamless integer experience, contempt driving for much than 4 hours – and spending astatine slightest 1 of those getting a spot mislaid – by the clip I pulled up successful beforehand of the edifice successful Malmö's Hyllie Station good aft acheronian I felt amazingly fresh. Dare I say, astir well-rested. In immoderate circles, you mightiness inactive brushwood outdated clichés astir cars that 'drive similar a Volvo' oregon Volvo drivers being unassuming individuals who prioritize information implicit flashiness. But, if performance, comfort, and cutting-edge information features tin travel wrapped successful specified a sharp-looking yet applicable bundle that oozes Scandi-cool sophistication and morganatic eco-credentials similar this, well, past motion maine up.

A Zero-Emissions Automotive Future

For those hesitant to afloat clasp electrical vehicles, plug-in hybrids are an fantabulous mediate crushed betwixt accepted interior combustion engines and EVs. The caller XC90 smartly caters to the increasing request for eco-friendly vehicles that present beardown show and versatile scope and allows Volvo to conscionable marketplace needs portion scaling its afloat electrical lineup and aligning with a extremity for PHEVs and EVs to relationship for 90 to 100% of income by 2030 – and positioning the marque arsenic a person successful a zero-emissions automotive future.

Available successful 3 exemplary trims (Core, Plus and Ultra) with 7 exterior colors, including Mulberry Red, a caller for 2025 “elegant blackish reddish hue inspired by Scandinavian autumn” and 3 caller diamond-cut alloy instrumentality designs successful 20”, 21” and 22” sizes, pricing starts astatine $58,450 for the “2025.5” Volvo XC90 B5 AWD mild hybrid (Core) and runs to $80,700 for the line-topping T8 plug-in hybrid (Ultra). volvocars.usa.com.