Volvo V90 In Winterland
VOLVO V90
WINTERLAND
Words: Andrea Balti
Photography: Daniél Rikkard
When I see the snow falling down, I look out of the windows for hours, peering at the landscape that despite being in front of my eyes everyday, becomes unrecognizable within a few hours. The lightness of the snowflakes is something that has always fascinated me and that I have always linked to the great Christmas spirit that my family has transmitted to me since I was a little boy. When it snowed it was almost Christmas and this announced the arrival of many presents – what else does a child need to be happy? The magic has remained unchanged, despite everything else is inexorably changed around me and every time the snow is so insistent that it starts covering the ground, I come back to those carefree years. In the automotive world, next to a snowy road you will always find two brands in the front row contending the winter ruler scepter, Volvo and Subaru. But it is the Swedish company that has raised the bar in the last few years in a way that could not pass unnoticed; comfort and active and passive safety combine with great care for materials and huge comfort for those on board and a typically Nordic design, made of clean but seductive lines. The V90 is the only car you want for taking your family to the mountains and reach the chalet now covered in snow.
Clarity and quality, the recipe of Volvo is very simple and consists of a whole range equipped with 2-liter 4-cylinder engines (to be honest, Volvo will soon introduce a smaller 3-cylinder that will debut on the XC40 and then there are hybrid versions too), which benefits running costs and reduced consumption, without necessarily affecting too much performance. The Volvo that I brought home for a few days is at the top of the Swedish brand’s food chain in terms of wagons and is also available as a sedan (S90) and a Crossover (V90 Cross Country). This is the D4 version, and therefore its 2.0 turbodiesel has 190 horses and 400Nm of torque. Despite its far from reduced dimensions and a consequent weight that touches the 1,800kg, the great amount of torque is the key factor that allows the V90 to be agile on secondary roads and in the city, and thrifty on the motorway, when the 8-speed automatic transmission comes into play and makes us travelling in full relax. Comfort that is emphasized by an excellent soundproofing, with the only flaw of the noise of the small 4-cylinder, with the car standing still. Once moving the automatic transmission is smooth and will never require the intervention of the driver to select a gear rather than another, however you can always use the paddles behind the wheel. As for the interior, we find a well-kept environment, with the now typical leather seats which are thinner than usual and that give a few extra inches to the passengers sitting behind. The luggage space is not lacking, connectivity is fast and intuitive and the satellite navigation system does not miss a shot, just like the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, authentic jewel of the multimedia package on this Inscription. To select the various driving mode, you have the “diamond-like” switch on the central tunnel, next to the massive gear lever.
As said before, the V90 is not only comfort and safety, thanks to the countless driving aids, but shows how a seemingly simple design, is able to make a properly expendable car, even a nice object to look at. An example is the large 20-inch alloy wheels, which fill the wheel arches and create an unmistakable silhouette full of personality. The materials assemblies are perfect and on zero occasion I found myself wishing to be on another car, especially when reached the destination and unloaded the luggage from the wide loading compartment fitted with automatic hatch, I took some secondary road and I found myself driving surrounded by high walls of snow – in the middle, a road covered with a thin layer of ice, which tested the traction (in this case only at front) of my V90. Not an uncertainty, not a moment of panic and I managed to climb where others, although provided with off-road and four-wheel drive vehicles, preferred to continue by foot. What we must say is that this V90 is really big, I had to tidy up the garage because its almost 5 meters in lenght (494cm) were too many even for allowing me to leave the bikes placed along the back wall. The feeling that you have once you drive it is not to be at the helm of a modern Titanic, but by adjusting the seat in the ideal position, even the narrowest roads will not create any kind of hesitation.
Being a car designed to live with the most disparate needs, fuel consumption plays a key role and given that Volvo has made a courageous choice with the engines of its entire range, I think it is worth talking about. The D4 delivers its 190 horses at 4250 rpm, very close to the red line then, but the torque comes into play immediately and then you can enjoy a good compromise, without seeing your savings wasted in the diesel pump. 4.1 l/100km in the extra-urban cycle, something more in the city with about 5.2 l/100km and a combined estimate of 4.5 l/100km, make the V90 D4 not just the ideal car to manage your weekend, but also the whole working week. Prices start at € 45,500 for a D3 Kinetic entry level model and can reach at least € 81,640 for a T8 hybrid with all-wheel drive and automatic transmission. A model like the one of my test, with front-wheel drive and automatic transmission, instead starts at € 61,830 and represents the ideal compromise, without making you think to give up those details that make this Volvo your best friend for enjoying the winter. But also autumn, spring, summer …
VOLVO V90 D4 GEARTRONIC INSCRIPTION
Layout – front-engined, front wheel drive
Engine – 4 cylinder 1.969cc – turbodiesel
Transmission – 8-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 190 hp @ 4.250 rpm
400 Nm @ 1.750 rpm
Weight – 1.741 kg
Acceleration – 8,5 sec.
Top Speed – 225 kph
Price – from € 61.830