Other tech upgrades include enhanced ambient lighting and a 360-degree camera system with split screen, though the 12-inch fully digital driver’s display is the same as before.
There’s a strong focus on sustainably sourced materials inside the new XC90, and the cabin is also meant to be more practical, with some changes based on feedback from owners of the current XC90. For instance, the centre console has additional storage space, like a handy extra cup-holder for skinny drinks cans, and the wireless smartphone charger has been moved to a more convenient spot.
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We didn’t think refinement was an issue in the outgoing XC90, but Volvo decided to take things up a level by adding acoustic foam to the A and B-pillars to improve insulation from road and wind noise. Meanwhile the standard suspension set-up now features Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) technology that’s designed to improve ride comfort without compromising handling. Air suspension remains available as an option, too.
All new XC90s, including plug-in hybrid models, will be fitted with seven seats as standard. When you’re not ferrying passengers around, the second and third rows of seats can be folded down fully flat, which provides up to 1,856 litres of cargo space, depending on the exact model.
As before, the XC90 can be had with either a mild-hybrid petrol engine or a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but every version still comes with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Entry-level B5 cars have a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 247bhp and 360Nm of torque – enough for 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds, and it can return up to 33.2mpg. The B6 engine is both turbocharged and supercharged, which increases the output to 295bhp and 420Nm, cutting a full second off the 0-62mph time, but making this version slightly less efficient.
The T8 plug-in hybrid set-up consists of the same turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine, assisted by an electric motor on the rear axle and a 18.8kWh battery. The combined output is 449bhp and 709Nm of torque, so 0-62mph only takes 5.4 seconds.
The XC90 T8 offers up to 44 miles of pure-electric driving – slightly more than before – while Volvo claims it return up to 235mpg and emits 30-36g/km of CO2. Those efficiency figures haven’t changed, but still allow the PHEV to attract an eight per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate for company car drivers.
The new Volvo XC90 will be available to order in the UK from October, with prices starting from £63,790 for mild-hybrid versions or £72,650 if you want a plug-in hybrid.
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