Crossover sport utility vehicles are supposed to bring versatility back into the SUV marketplace. Depending on what you cross it with, that will probably be true.
For the most part, this new breed of SUV tends to be a vehicle based on a truck and the manufacturers seem intent on turning that sow’s ear into a silk purse.
Along comes Volvo, the company that has a reputation for building safe, stuffy and boring cars driven by accountants. My wife is an accountant and used to own a Volvo, so it must be true.
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Volvo has decided to take its purse and put a bit of sow’s ear in it. The vehicles I’m referring to are the XC70 and XC90, Volvo’s all-wheel drive, slightly elevated, highly modified SUVs.
Think of the XC70 as a base version of the XC90. Both are wagon based and the main differences are in power trains and equipment.
The XC 70 comes with a five cylinder, turbocharged, 208 horsepower 2.5 litre engine with continuously variable valve timing. The XC90 has the same standard motor, but if you tick off the optional power plant, you will wind up with a twin turbo 2.9 L engine that puts out 268 hp.
Power gets to the wheels via a five speed electronically controlled Getrag automatic that incorporates a manual sequential shifting program. Under normal, dry driving conditions, up to 95 percent of the power goes to the front wheels. In as little as one-seventh of a wheel rotation, power can be shifted proportionately to the rear if front wheel slippage is detected.
Volvo admits that the XC series is not about being the ultimate off-road vehicle, but it feels that with these vehicles you should be able to travel safely on all the roads in nearly all weather conditions. This is why the XC series has 21.8 centimetres of ground clearance, a wider than average track front and rear, as well as an independent front and multi-link rear suspension.
On the flip side, the XC series needs to meet passenger car standards for emissions and safety, not the softer ones that SUVs designated as trucks have to meet. Volvo engines meet ultra low emissions vehicle standards, while leading the way in fuel economy.
Volvo didn’t want to make concessions to space use. XC Volvos come with a second and third-row passenger seat. As with many in this class, the second row is the place to be. Full-size adults fit in the third row, but getting there is an exercise for the agile of body and spirit. When the second and third rows of seats are folded down, cargo space is close to that of many equivalent sized SUVs.
Once in place, adjusting the seat properly put me in a comfortable driving position. I find Volvo seats to be among the top in the industry for being able to fit me while having enough adjustment to make my wife comfortable as well.
Getting behind the wheel of a XC was an interesting combination.
On main roads you could sit back and enjoy the luxury of heated leather seats, climate control and a host of other “can’t be without” features. Turn onto a gravel road and nothing much changed, including speed, because the car is still that comfortable. The nose started to push out on some of the softer corners, but the electronics soon brought everything back into line.
Charles Renny is a freelance automotive columnist and a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. The opinions expressed in this column are the personal views of the writer.
