My thoughts on the 2018 Volvo Xc90 T6 Inscription with the 2.0L Twin charged inline 4 cylinder engine and 8 speed automatic gearbox:
I had my doubts before stepping into the Volvo XC90. My only experience with the Volvo brand used to be either old 240 wagon drift videos, or an old relative reminiscing on the fact that they had a Volvo as a kid and the rear seats faced backwards. So how was my first experience with the Volvo brand? Fantastic.
Let’s start with what I didn’t like, because I like ending on a positive note. The XC90 has a feature that boils my blood: The start/stop feature. It’s a system that shuts the engine off at stoplights in order to save gas. No car has done it properly, but thank the heavens the XC90 gives you the capability to turn off that setting by switching the car into off-road or dynamic mode.
Now, let’s talk about what I did like. The first thing I noticed was the superb interior quality. The leather was nothing short of eye catching, wrapping the entire interior in a beautiful tan color, which for once didn’t remind me of a nursing home. It actually reminded me of a Ferrari, which might be the furthest thing from a nursing home there is. Then there’s the tech: marvelous. The touch screen has every feature you could ever want, but the crown of coolest feature is stolen by the Volvo’s autopilot mode. With the touch of a button, the XC90 will take control of itself and drive for you. It stays in it’s lane, speeds up, and slows down depending on the car ahead of you. This feature gives the driver and odd sensation, but could be useful on long trips.
The XC90 wasn’t on my list of cars to review that day, but it ended up being the most surprising. Volvo has really been reinventing itself as a brand in recent years, so much so that I think Audi and Mercedes might not have as much room to breathe as they think.