VOLVO XC90 2.5
WORDS & PHOTOS” MEL LEE
FEATURED: DECEMBER 2008
The Volvo XC90 is decidedly long in the tooth. It has been in the market for a good five years,
having done reasonably well for itself all that time, flying the flag for this Swedish marque. With a
replacement some time in the future, it needs to be relevant, and saleable, more so when its
stablemates are not doing all that well. What it has in its favour must surely be its price. At about
RM350K, on the road, and now with loads of bespoke options, the XC90 2.5 is a steal against the
other European SUVs, the nearest being the Volkswagen Touareg 3.6, which is about RM80K
more expensive. The Volvo comes across as a good-value large SUV, with the bonus of safety as
defined by the brand. It is a solid and suitably rugged family conveyance with the prestige of a
European brand. It would synch quite nicely with many people’s, and also companies’ philosophy.
And it definitely has versatility, probably more than the owners can fully utilise. It is quite an adept
off-roader, which most people tend to forget. It has sufficient ruggedness, and looks the part.
Some may find it not as trendy looking, but it is still rather handsome, with a refined machismo.
The latest makeover adds some highlights in the necessary places.
There is no denying that this SUV looks solid. With the 2.5L petrol engine, it also feels solid, and
heavy. The steering, too, has a substantial heft to it, which might put off the more demure lady
drivers.
The benefit of all that mass is a carriage that is hard to match in anything smaller or less
substantial. This SUV feels planted in challenging conditions. It is in storming form in a deluge,
helpd by the intelligent traction-distribution feature. The Roll Stability Control feature, a world’s
first, helps in keeping the tallish vehicle stable in the turns. On the minus side, it is a large mass to
move about; the XC90 can get very thirsty. The instantaneous fuel consumption readout on the
trip computer bears testimony to that, never mind what the claimed figures say. The figures get
larger as the engine roars louder. There are many situations with this Volvo when it is just not
possible to get anywhere without getting the powertrain to roar. Even with 320Nm available from
low revs, the 5-speed automatic gets very busy with all that weight to lug around. And that is even
before you load up this 7-seater. But at this sort of price you can’t really fault the XC90; it has a
lot of features that you can appreciate. You can’t really have it both ways - all that mass and
space AND low fuel consumption.
The interior looks subdued with the off-black leather upholstery. And the dashboard is very old-
school. There is no floating console but there is a pop-up monitor, if you opt for the Sat/Nav
system. This is a Garmin unit. I still have to resist the temptation to straighten the monitor.
The cockpit lacks easy storage spaces, which is unfortunate seeing how large it is. You would be
left befuddled as to where you can keep most of your stuff.
The XC90 remains the only Volvo I am impressed with, as it can get away with its heavyduty feel
and old-tech nature. It still does a good job as an SUV. mel
VOLVO XC90 2.5T 2.5L INLINE-5 PETROL. 210BHP. 320NM. 0-100KPH: 9.9S.
TOP SPEED: 210KPH. PRICE: RM350K. LOCALLY ASSEMBLED.
WORDS & PHOTOS” MEL LEE
FEATURED: DECEMBER 2008
The Volvo XC90 is decidedly long in the tooth. It has been in the market for a good five years,
having done reasonably well for itself all that time, flying the flag for this Swedish marque. With a
replacement some time in the future, it needs to be relevant, and saleable, more so when its
stablemates are not doing all that well. What it has in its favour must surely be its price. At about
RM350K, on the road, and now with loads of bespoke options, the XC90 2.5 is a steal against the
other European SUVs, the nearest being the Volkswagen Touareg 3.6, which is about RM80K
more expensive. The Volvo comes across as a good-value large SUV, with the bonus of safety as
defined by the brand. It is a solid and suitably rugged family conveyance with the prestige of a
European brand. It would synch quite nicely with many people’s, and also companies’ philosophy.
And it definitely has versatility, probably more than the owners can fully utilise. It is quite an adept
off-roader, which most people tend to forget. It has sufficient ruggedness, and looks the part.
Some may find it not as trendy looking, but it is still rather handsome, with a refined machismo.
The latest makeover adds some highlights in the necessary places.
There is no denying that this SUV looks solid. With the 2.5L petrol engine, it also feels solid, and
heavy. The steering, too, has a substantial heft to it, which might put off the more demure lady
drivers.
The benefit of all that mass is a carriage that is hard to match in anything smaller or less
substantial. This SUV feels planted in challenging conditions. It is in storming form in a deluge,
helpd by the intelligent traction-distribution feature. The Roll Stability Control feature, a world’s
first, helps in keeping the tallish vehicle stable in the turns. On the minus side, it is a large mass to
move about; the XC90 can get very thirsty. The instantaneous fuel consumption readout on the
trip computer bears testimony to that, never mind what the claimed figures say. The figures get
larger as the engine roars louder. There are many situations with this Volvo when it is just not
possible to get anywhere without getting the powertrain to roar. Even with 320Nm available from
low revs, the 5-speed automatic gets very busy with all that weight to lug around. And that is even
before you load up this 7-seater. But at this sort of price you can’t really fault the XC90; it has a
lot of features that you can appreciate. You can’t really have it both ways - all that mass and
space AND low fuel consumption.
The interior looks subdued with the off-black leather upholstery. And the dashboard is very old-
school. There is no floating console but there is a pop-up monitor, if you opt for the Sat/Nav
system. This is a Garmin unit. I still have to resist the temptation to straighten the monitor.
The cockpit lacks easy storage spaces, which is unfortunate seeing how large it is. You would be
left befuddled as to where you can keep most of your stuff.
The XC90 remains the only Volvo I am impressed with, as it can get away with its heavyduty feel
and old-tech nature. It still does a good job as an SUV. mel
VOLVO XC90 2.5T 2.5L INLINE-5 PETROL. 210BHP. 320NM. 0-100KPH: 9.9S.
TOP SPEED: 210KPH. PRICE: RM350K. LOCALLY ASSEMBLED.
STILL SWEDE SENSE
The XC90 is a space
king, especially in the
rear. There is a
palpable sense of
airiness, heightened
by the elevated ride.
And it is especially
child centric, not only
in terms of safety but
also in catering to
their needs for
entertainment and
gratification. Volvo Car
Malaysia are offering a
whole list of
equipment, including
dedicated audio/
video for the rear, as
well as Sat/Nav
system, parking
assistance camera,
and bodykit, at
reduced prices. These
ought to go a long way
in enhancing the
ownership of this
Volvo model, both to
cater to the family as
well as the owner's
sense of individuality.
king, especially in the
rear. There is a
palpable sense of
airiness, heightened
by the elevated ride.
And it is especially
child centric, not only
in terms of safety but
also in catering to
their needs for
entertainment and
gratification. Volvo Car
Malaysia are offering a
whole list of
equipment, including
dedicated audio/
video for the rear, as
well as Sat/Nav
system, parking
assistance camera,
and bodykit, at
reduced prices. These
ought to go a long way
in enhancing the
ownership of this
Volvo model, both to
cater to the family as
well as the owner's
sense of individuality.
BY COMPARISON
Audi Q7 30 TDi RM580K
BMW X5 3.0i RM569K
Land Rover Discovery III 4.4 V8 RM498K
Mercedes-Benz ML350 RM509K
Porsche Cayenne RM650K
VW Touareg 3.6 RM434K
Audi Q7 30 TDi RM580K
BMW X5 3.0i RM569K
Land Rover Discovery III 4.4 V8 RM498K
Mercedes-Benz ML350 RM509K
Porsche Cayenne RM650K
VW Touareg 3.6 RM434K
