Volvo’s XC90 goes on sale in spring 2015 and is the Swedish firm’s providing in the competitive premium seven-seat SUV market. but that sentence is far too simplistic to describe this Volvo as this is one of 2015’s many essential cars.
• read the full review of the new XC90 here
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Volvo is calling the XC90 the automobile that is helping them re-launch the brand 85 years on from its birth. That’s no small claim. The automobile debuts an exceptional compliment of technology and is, according to the company themselves, the safest automobile it has ever built.
It shows off a brand new design language – one that will be seen on Volvos for numerous years to come and is Volvo’s best attempt yet at becoming a really premium automobile maker that can take on the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
When it arrives in the spring of 2015, UK buyers will have the choice of three trim levels. Gone are conservative trim names and in their places are ‘Momentum’, ‘R-Design’ and ‘Inscription’ while under the bonnet you’ll find four-cylinder engines – just like every model in the rest of the Volvo range in the near feature, there won’t be any five-, six- or eight-cylinder units.
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When it lands in 2015, the XC90 will go up against premium SUVs like the BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, Volkswagen Touareg, Mercedes M-Class and Land Rover Discovery. It’ll be priced from £45,550.
Volvo XC90 2015: exclusive video tour
Volvo XC90 2015: design details
As well as acquiring new owners, Volvo has also embarked on a new design direction with its flagship SUV. Wrapped in sophisticated new metalwork, the XC90’s styling cues adopted from the Volvo Coupe Concept are clear.
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The popular chrome trimmed grille is a first from Volvo and will become a trademark feature on future models, as too will the T-shaped LED daytime running lights (called Thor). An elongated but chiseled bonnet cuts back into the car’s take on line, stretching all the way to the tapered rear lights, exaggerating the XC90’s broad stance.
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Volvo designer Anders Gunnarson told car express he and his team wanted to give the automobile real confidence on the road and the car’s strong proportions were helped with the new medspa platform that encourages well-portioned designs.
New Volvo XC90 interior design revealed
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The bold redesign extends to cabin, too. A new tablet-like nin-inch touchscreen is the centerpiece, replacing a multitude of buttons and dials with a clean, clutter-free dash.
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