Superb family all-rounder will politely give rivals a bloody nose
Overview
What is it?
Volvo’s legendarily safe,
spacious and useful seven-seat SUV, given a nut-and-bolt re-boot. One major
principle remains: the engine is transversely mounted, and so a huge proportion
of its length can be given over to the interior. More than ever this time, because
they didn’t leave space for a V8 option. Pretty well every part is fresh, even
the redesigned Volvo badge.
The all-new platform,
engines and dash interface are Volvo’s own work, so if you like them don’t go
thinking you can find them cheaper on another brand – this company acts
independently these days, albeit under hands-off ownership of a large Chinese conglomerate.
Driving
What
is it like on the road?
Sensibly,
this family SUV majors on comfort. The handling’s not bad, but the main thing
is relaxed well-being. Steering is feel-less but there’s not too much roll or
understeer, and as it’s 4WD it has secure traction on wet roads. Caveat: so far
we’ve tested only the ones with optional adaptive air suspension. The dash
displays on most models are entirely virtual, and there’s an optional
HUD too.
The turbo-and-supercharged
petrol has good performance but only four cylinders, so why not just get the
diesel? Unless that is you need the amazing tax-avoiding ‘twin-engine’ plug-in
hybrid, with 320bhp for the front wheels and electric drive at the back for
another 80-odd. Safety aids help make driving even more relaxing.
On the inside
Layout,
finish and space
The
Scandinavian-modern design is visually beautiful, and its execution quality
pretty high too. The other wow factor comes from the all-new infotainment
system which resides in a responsive tablet that takes up most of the centre
dash. Its graphics are stylish, resolution high and menus remarkably intuitive.
You can swipe, pinch and zoom with smooth ease.
For family travel, there’s
little argument with the three row seat design: the first two rows have five
seats that all recline and slide. The third row is more than OK for teens, and
behind that is the size of boot you’d find on a mid-size hatch. Extend it by
folding one to five of the back seats.
Basic kit is pretty strong, and includes
8-speed auto, 4WD, LED active bending lights, full navigation and connectivity,
leather, park assist (needed in a car that’s nearly 5m long), auto-brake with
detection of vehicles and pedestrians and cyclists. The new engines serve up
decent official economy and CO2 numbers, and the T8 Twin engine is a startlingly
low 59g/km and 113mpg, though that depends on you plugging it into the mains
frequently. Currently the used values are predicted above BMW and
Mercedes rivals.
Verdict
Final thoughts and pick of
the range
So well-targeted as a big family wagon: lovely to sit in, safe, very
versatile and not too costly to own