Volvo XC90 - road test

The XC90 is the biggest of Volvo’s range of 4x4 vehicles and also one of its top-selling models, with over half a million units built so far at the factory in Sweden.

This nip-and-tuck is an effort to keep things contemporary, but is no major detour from the original recipe. There’s a new model on the way in 2014 with a range of far more efficient engines, so you could see this as a ‘last hurrah’ for the dependable seven-seater.

The changes are mainly aesthetic. New for 2012 are a pair of alloy wheel designs (one in 18- and one in 19-inch), while there’s a bumper bar at the front, fully colour-coded front and rear bumpers, sill mouldings and wheel arches, those by-now ubiquitous LED daytime running lights, tweaked tail lights, a new three-spoke steering wheel, some white detailing on the dash and leather upholstery for the R-Design trim level our car got.

Another addition for 2012 is an application which connects your car to a mobile phone. If you have an iPhone or an Android mobile then - thanks to an extension of Volvo’s ‘On Call’ system - you can find your car on an app-generated map. You can also find out information remotely, such as fuel level, range remaining, average fuel consumption, average speed and even how many miles the car has done. It can also perform a mobile ‘heath’ check which tells you if there’s a problem with your coolant, your oil or your brake fluid.

There’s no new engine technology whatsoever with the old 2.4-litre D5 diesel unit producing 200bhp and emitting a substantial 219g/km of CO2. Claimed fuel economy is 34mpg on the combined cycle, but over our route of motorway and city driving we managed just 24mpg according to the car’s trip computer.

The engine could be classed as slightly old-fashioned compared to powerplants from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes. However, while they may be more sophisticated engines on offer from the German rivals, the costs mean the Volvo may still be the best option.

The Audi Q7 3.0-litre TDI Quattro Clean diesel SE, for instance, costs £45,525. That's £4,750 more than our Volvo. Economy is a claimed 38mpg while road tax for the Audi is just £15 per year less at £260. So, while the technology may not be as modern as Audi's, the Volvo will cost £3,224 less over three years/30,000 miles according to our Cost of Motoring tool.

There’s no lack of pulling power though – with 420Nm available there’s enough grunt to get the heavy XC90 to 62mpg in 10.3 seconds with a top speed of 127mph. The gearbox is Volvo’s Geartronic system, a particularly smooth six-speed automatic.

Thanks to the car’s four-wheel-drive system there’s a huge amount of grip available, and it is a very easy car to drive. We had cause to try the car on snow, fitted with Continental winter tyres, and it performed like, well, like a car designed and built in Sweden. It’s extremely capable on the white stuff, the heated seats and effective climate control system keeping things toasty in the cabin when the temperatures do start to fall.

One thing that can prove tiresome is the foot-operated parking brake, which must be released by hand using the handle on the driver’s right hand side. In a world where competitors are moving rapidly towards electric systems once again the big Volvo begins to show its age. It’s a similar story with the sat nav – although the split-screen is a nice touch it does feel somewhat antiquated now, and can be confusing to operate at times too. You’d get used to it, but there will be some frustration to begin with as you get to grips with it.

As you’d expect, being a Volvo, there’s a raft of safety systems fitted. The blindspot warning system works very well, and takes the form of an orange light on the A-pillar which comes on when there’s a car in the area behind not visible in the mirrors. Another feature – which came in very useful on our jaunt onto the continent – was the adjustable headlights which can be converted to face the other side of the road, negating the requirement for stick-on reflectors which are impractical and quite often ineffective.

The latest XC90 model is available to order now, with prices starting at £35,175 for the D5 AWD Active geartronic model, rising to £43,775 for the Executive version. The D5 R-DESIGN model we drove is priced from £40,775. 

Also consider:

BMW X5
The ultimate 'Chelsea tractor', the X5 is good to drive and a stylish alternative to the XC90.

Mercedes-Benz M-Class
The Mercedes offers a sumptous interior and a decent range of engines. It is expensive, though.

Audi Q7
It does everything well and the infotainment system is very user-friendly. It is big though, so can prove difficult to park.