Driven: Volvo XC90

I have driven the future, and its name is Volvo XC90. The exterior styling is new and futuristic. The interior is equally so, with a large touchscreen replacing the myriad buttons and knobs that have dominated automotive dashboards up to now.

Available luxury goodies include a moonroof, heated and cooled front seats, an integrated child seat in the rear, hands-free power tailgate, keyless entry and drive, and an optional heads-up display that shows information on the base of the windshield, such as your speed, the posted speed limit and a red warning light if you get too close to the car in front of you. If you really get too close, the XC90 will actually brake for you. Second-row room is good, with the seats sliding fore and aft. The third row could accommodate adults, but is better for children, especially during entering and exiting. There’s a decent amount of cargo space behind the third row seats, even more with that row folded down.

Power, braking, steering and handling are all good and make driving enjoyable, especially for an SUV. Different driving ‘modes’ offer a mix of economy and performance. I preferred the ‘dynamic’ mode, which seemed to offer the most engine power. Of course, being a Volvo, the XC90 has a laundry list of safety features, including a blind spot information system and cross traffic alert, front park assist, rear park assist with camera, a 360 degree surround-view camera, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, driver alert control, and automatic parallel or back-in parking.

Steven Lynch, general sales manager at West County Volvo, applauds the power in this car and the simplicity of its interior. “I like the lack of multiple buttons; all functions are controlled on the large center screen. And when you drive it, you forget that it’s a 4-cylinder, it’s so smooth and powerful.”

technicals
Price:
▶ Base $50,800, including delivery
▶ As driven with options, $57,700
Gas mileage:
▶ 20 city
▶ 25 highway
Drivetrain:
▶ Front engine; all-wheel drive
▶ 2.0-litre turbo and supercharged 4-cylinder engine
▶ 316 horsepower
▶ 8-speed automatic transmission

Robert Paster (robertpaster.com) is also an attorney in private practice, concentrating in estate planning and probate.