From an XC-90 Owner:Safety, Class and Style Worthy of My Family
Written: Dec 14 '03 (Updated Apr 23 '06)
Product Rating:
Reliability:
Roominess:
Seat Comfort:
Build Quality
Handling And Control:
Pros: This car's safety features,performance,fit and finish is fantastic - above and beyond all expectations.
Cons: Could use a couple more inches of leg room in the 3rd row seats.
The Bottom Line: The XC90 performs above and beyond all expectations and claims. Safety, Performance and style in harmony. Truly engineered with people, especially those with a family they love, in mind.
It has safety, for its driver, occupants and those around it on its mind first and foremost but the XC90 has the same class and style of even the finest piece of automobile engineering. A car designed for real world driving.
Performance: This car is not soft in handling nor is it bone jarring rough. It is quick to respond and compensates for even the most unforeseen road conditions and hazards. The fast, responsive handling still amazes me after a year of driving it. The Roll Stability Control is so quick to respond you will probably never even realize it has activated.
The stereo with a 6 disk changer is easy to listen to though I do feel it's volume limiter is a bit too restricting. Bass is great; treble is a bit rough bouncing off the glass if you turn it too high. Buttons are easy to see and the car is equipped with steering wheel buttons for changing tracks / channels and adjusting volume so you do not have to look away from the road. Passengers in the back have their own headphone jacks and are able to make volume adjustments. Rear passengers can even scan a disk while you listen to the tuner.
My car has the HID headlamps. This makes night driving on dark country roads much easier. Driving lights add to the side visibility as well. This car has a feature that allows you to increase the brightness of the taillights so on foggy days you are easier to see from the rear by approaching cars. Interior lighting is good and the car has a 'fade' feature gradually turning down the interior lamps, which makes it easier for your eyes to adjust to the darkness.
The keychain has auto lock / alarm but momentarily turns on the marker lights instead of honking the horn as many newer cars do. There is a panic button that trips the alarm and headlamps in case you are in need of emergency aid. There is also a button that light the lamps under the mirrors in case you want to see who or what may be near your car before you approach it.
The leather seating is very comfortable and rather well made. The heated seat feature makes driving in the cold winters of the Midwest a lot more comfortable when you get in the car.
The car has a rear window wiper / washer that works well as does the front wiper / washers. This car also had a headlamp washer; not the wiper type such as older Volvos had, but a sprayer. The front wipers tend to get frozen in place if you leave the vehicle outside over night and it sleets. Volvo has equipped the wipers with a slip nut that will loosen so as not to damage the wiper motor.
Here are some links to give you further details on the cars' performance:
http://www.volvoxc90.com/details/specs.shtml
All Wheel Drive Functionality: Check out test comparisons such as the 'MudFest' where this vehicle has won two years running, this year for class and over all merit.
http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4022231&src=msn
Safety: Among other awards it received the IIHSA highest rating:
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0305.htm
Economy/Ecology: Great Gas Mileage for a vehicle of its class 18 - 25mpg. The vehicle is 85% recyclable, which should impress environmentally conscience drivers. The vehicle also turns up to 75% of harmful ground-level ozone into oxygen as air flows through the radiator. The XC90 2.5T engine also meets ULEV II stringent standards.
http://www.volvoxc90.com/benefits/environment.shtml
Overall Review:
I have driven my XC for a little over a year now and I am as happy with it today as the day I picked it up. I have been in situations where quick acceleration or nimble handling were required to keep me and my passengers safe and the Volvo has not let me down. In city driving the XC handles as quick and nimbly as any mid or full size car. On long trips it is very comfortable. Gas mileage is great for a vehicle of it's size (I general see 19 to 21 mpg in daily around town driving). Golf bags or kids, it has a place to put it all. Dealer support has been fantastic. Fit and finish on the interior is wonderful. I think the Premium package; Versatility package and the Climate package are all worthwhile.
Unfortunately the car market is one where such features as brand appeal or engine size determines what we drive. In so far as 'real world' performances like handling, safety and gas mileage the Volvo really stands alone in the SUV market.
You may never see a famous celebrity as a spokesperson or a loud Volvo commercial grabbing at your TV viewing attention but if you ask the people who know, Volvo owners, they'll tell you, this is a car worth owning.
Update 4/2006
Just replaced the OEM tires at ~ 35,000 miles. The ride on this vehicle is still great. It is still trouble free. Handles and drives out as well or better than the day it rolled off the showroom floor. I have yet to find any reason to regret it's purchase. IMO a really GREAT vehicle!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 42,000
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: 5cyl Turbo,Premium Package, Auto-stick AWDr
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