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AUTO REVIEW
2017 Volvo XC 90
By Steve Schutz, MD
North American Truck of the year, Motor Billion, if they had kept the original XC 90 ular upstarts keep their proverbial heads
Trend SUV of the year, Sunday Times Top platform, updated the engines and transmis- down.
SUV and 4x4, IIHS Top Safety Pick, and on sions, and completely re-done the interior.
and on. And that’s just in the U.S. The latest My sense was that there wasn’t anything As hinted at above, the previous XC 90
Volvo XC 90 has also wowed the automotive wrong with the old XC 90 that those had an unimpressive interior. While the lay-
press in Europe and around the world since changes wouldn’t have fixed. out and tech were fine, the materials left
it launched spectacularly in 2015. Still, while something to be desired. I owned a first gen
I know it’s kind of a big deal, as they say, I Still, while the new XC is bigger and has XC 90 for many years and loved it, mostly,
needed to experience it to see what all the very attractive and sleek styling, it doesn’t but intermittent rattles and continual inte-
fuss was about. look that much different from the old one. rior material degradation were very discour-
The proportions are similar, as are the very aging. Owners of the new XC 90 will
Candidly, at first I thought it was just a Volvo-esque grille, bulbous beltline, and experience neither of those downers. From
reskin of the original XC 90, which it’s not. (highly) vertical taillights that extend up to the headliner to the dashboard to the gauges,
Instead it sits on an all new platform that the roofline. Designwise, the new XC 90 everything you see in the XC 90 is high
adds 5 inches in wheelbase, 6 inches in doesn’t take any risks, instead following the quality. And it features materials that feel as
length, and 4 inches in width to the origi- Audi Q7 into the land of understatement. substantial as they look. Obviously, Geely
nal’s dimensions. Given how expensive Which is OK with me, by the way. As luxury heard the feedback from owners of the old
things are these days, I wouldn’t have blamed crossovers push past luxury sedans in the XC 90 and made corrections. Lots of them.
Geely, the Chinese conglomerate that hearts and minds of well-heeled customers,
bought Volvo from Ford in 2010 for $1.8 it probably makes sense to have those vehic- Naturally, the larger platform means
there’s more space for people and gear in the
44 San Antonio Medicine • March 2017
