New Volvo XC90 to start from $89,950

VOLVO Car Australia has announced that its vital new-generation seven-seat XC90 luxury SUV will be priced from $89,950 plus on-road costs when it arrives here next year, adding more than $20,000 to the entry level but bringing substantial improvements that the Swedish company believes marks a new era for the brand.

D5 Diesel and T6 Petrol engine variants in base Momentum and mid-series Inscription model grades will launch in the second quarter, followed by the sportier R-Design line and flagship plug-in hybrid T8 Twin Engine model in the third quarter.

At the circa-$90,000 entry level, the D5 Diesel – with a 165kW/470Nm 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel with eight-speed Geartronic automatic and all-wheel drive – is now placed right among its segment-leading rivals and no longer has substantially cheaper pricing with which to sway buyers.

The BMW X5, for example, opens at $83,900 for the X5 sDrive25d (AWD arrives at $88,900) and Mercedes-Benz’s ML250 BlueTec starts from $83,500. The current XC90 D5 R-Design starts at $73,090, while the 3.2 petrol kicks off proceedings at $69,590.

With the generational change, the T6 Petrol Momentum – with a 236kW/400Nm 2.0-litre supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine, also with eight-speed auto and AWD – is to start from $93,950, while at the top of the range the plug-in petrol-electric T8 Twin Engine, in R-Design trim only and featuring the T6’s 236kW petrol engine and a 60kW electric motor (likewise with eight-speed auto/AWD), will carry a $122,950 pricetag.

On the D5 Diesel and T6 Petrol, the mid-series Inscription trim will add $7000 to the bottom line, while R-Design is a further $1000 upstream.

In announcing the model range and pricing, Volvo Car Australia’s new managing director Kevin McCann described the redesigned XC90 as an “exciting step towards the future for Volvo in Australia”.

“It’s a vehicle which will continue to redefine the perception of the Volvo brand and deliver on the promise of uncompromised luxury, class-leading technology and world-first safety innovations,” he said.

Much has been written about the all-new platform underpinning the new XC90 and the vast array of technology and equipment onboard.

For Momentum buyers, the list includes 19-inch alloy wheels, a ‘Touring’ chassis set-up, LED headlights with ‘active bending’ and active high beam, daytime running lights, road sign recognition system, hill-start assist, park assist camera and front/rear sensors, lane-departure warning, collision mitigation support, power-operated tailgate, roof rails, keyless start, satellite navigation, cruise control, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, and auto-dimming interior and exterior rearview mirrors.

The cabin also has a 9.3-inch ‘graphical instrument cluster’, leather trim, electric front seats with driver’s position memory, four-zone climate-control air-conditioning with humidity sensor, high-grade audio with aux-in and USB connections and, of course, Volvo’s must-have integrated child booster seat.

Inscription spec adds 20-inch alloys, blind-spot monitoring (BLIS) and cross traffic alert, front/rear collision warning mitigation, a 12.3-inch ‘full graphical instrument cluster’, Nappa leather seats, keyless entry, hands-free tailgate opening, illuminated doorhandles, puddle lights and tread plates, upgraded interior lighting and revised cabin and exterior detailing such as dual integrated tailpipes.

R-Design has a plethora of sportier features inside and out, most notably unique 20-inch alloy wheels, gearshift paddles, drive mode settings, sports seats (still with Nappa trim) and charcoal headlining.

A wide variety of options are available across the range, although the main package at launch will be a $4000 ‘driver support pack’ that includes a 360-degree surround-view parking camera (this requires BLIS to be fitted), adaptive cruise control with lane-keep assist, and a head-up display.

The D5 Diesel, T6 Petrol and T8 Twin Engine all use a Euro 6-compliant 1969cc four-cylinder engine with forced induction, and all have a fuel-saving automatic idle-stop system.

The common-rail twin-turbo diesel churns out 165kW of power at 4250rpm and 470Nm of torque from 1750-2500rpm, which can send the big SUV from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds, on its way to a 220km/h top speed. Fuel consumption comes in at 5.8L/100km on the combined cycle, equating to 152g/km of CO2.

The supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine produces 236kW at 5700rpm and 400Nm from 2200-4500rpm and can push the XC90 to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. Top speed is also slightly higher than the diesel at 230km/h, but the trade-off is higher fuel consumption and emissions – 7.7L/100km and 179g/km, although these figures are quite respectable for such a large vehicle.

Performance details are still to be provided for the plug-in hybrid.

Volvo XC90 pricing*

Momentum D5 diesel	$89,950
Momentum T6 petrol	$93,950
Inscriptioin D5 diesel	$96,950
Inscription T6 petrol	$100,950
R-Design D5 diesel	$97,950
R-Design T6 petrol	$101,950
R-Design T8 hybrid	$122,950

*Excludes on-road costs.