VOLVO XC 90

The premium SUV market is burgeoning. First came the Mercedes M-class, BMW X5, Range Rover and Mitsubishi Pajero that set hearts aflutter and dealer cash registers ringing. The Porsche Cayenne and Toyota Prado followed soon after to whet appetites further. VW and Audi jumped on to the SUV bandwagon and unleashed the Touareg and Q7. Now Volvo is ready to launch the XC90 in India.

Volvo has always been perceived as a manufacturer of safe and reliable cars. So it isn’t surprising that Volvo actually managed to keep the SUV bashing green brigade at bay when they launched the XC90 in 2002, their first attempt at a ute after the TP21 of the 1950s. Since then it has surpassed its intended target of 50,000 units a year, selling 90,000 units in 2005. To put it into perspective, BMW sold 1.01 lakh units of the X5 in 2005 while Audi aims to sell 40,000 units of the Q7 in its first full year. Not only have toddlers in the third row approved of the SUV in markets like the US, which incidentally accounts for 50 per cent of all XC90s sold, even the swish set have taken a liking for this Swedish ‘jumped up’ mommy wagon.

Designed under the tutelage of Peter Horbury, the then vice president of design for PAG, the XC90 appears subtly aggressive without the steroid pumping overtones seen in other SUVs. It isn’t conventionally pretty, what with that egg crate grille and runny egg headlamps. But that’s where Volvo stopped with their poultry excursion and created lines that are unconventionally beautiful. Right from the V-shaped hood that snakes itself to the A-pillar, the broad shoulders, the uncharacteristically shaped tail lamps that blend itself with the D-pillar and those wheel arches that hark back to SUVs from the 50s, the design is a study in retro-futuristic marriage. Sure it won’t cause your hair to stand when it passes by, unlike a Range Rover or an X5, but its quirkiness might cause you to give it a second look.

This approach hasn’t led to compromise in the vehicle architecture. Split tailgate in 70/30 proportion allows for groceries to be dumped without the need for Herculean forearms. Black bumpers and a toughened guardrail accentuate the SUV profile. On the inside too the vehicle typifies Scandinavian pragmatism. The wide side glass area gives the vehicle a feeling of airiness, a largesse bestowed upon the occupants by the designers. While the 2-3-2 passenger layout isn’t new, the fact that it is a genuine seven seater is quite evident by the use of bucket instead of jump seats for the last row. Flexibility is accorded prime importance as all five rear seats can be folded flat, making house moving less of a chore. The middle row has 40/20/40 split enabling adventure seekers to carry skis or foldable bikes with ease. The dashboard is an expanse of black with either a silver or wooden strip, depending on trim. A three-spoke steering features controls for the audio and trip computer with the steering embodying the interior theme of the car. The centre console is lined with a bevy of buttons and rotary knobs that control the audio, navigation and climate control systems. No expense has been shorn in adorning the car with the best of hides that brighten up the interiors, something found wanting in the pre-facelift model.

Based on the E2 platform which is also the basis of the S80, the XC90 has a monocoque frame with MacPherson type strut suspensions in the front and a rear-multi-link set-up that