Test drive Volvo XC90 2002 - 2006 SUV

Mighty Swede

The Volvo XC90 with the V8 motor in Russia is as good as in America
 
You, dear reader, may not believe, but the most vivid impression on me personally made the ability of this car almost painlessly swallowing monstrous joints on the third transport ring of Moscow. I am ready to say that no other car with the same stamina can transfer this indecency. Yes, I agree that the car should not be ready for this, and the roads should be brought into a normal state. And how to do with those who allowed these joints - I also guess, and I won’t argue. But still, you see, readiness for adversity is characterized by an SUV from the best side. In addition, the Volvo XC90 V8 has other advantages, which turned out during monthly operational tests.
 
Arizona - Moscow
 
Although the modification with a 315-horsepower engine appeared on the Russian market not so long ago, I already had to talk about it a year and a half ago in a report from the first test drive from Arizona. But smooth haweve or even frank off -road, when you are absolutely absolutely concerned about - neither gasoline consumption, nor the capacity of the car, and there is simply no way to feel reliability - this is one thing. And quite another when you use a car in everyday life, according to service or family need. The general is a sense of impeccable comfort and security, a feeling of simultaneously power and tranquility, which literally come from such a Volvo XC90. In this sense, the whereabouts does not matter, Arizona, Moscow, the African province or the Swedish Arctic - it seems to him everything is one.
 
Here, by the way, is funny, but the fact: for gasoline we now pay about the same as the Americans. And I have repeatedly caught myself thinking that it would not be bad to always have a small tank on the trailer - this V8 loves to eat. Although I would not say that it is in unreasonable limits: 17.6 liters per 100 km of run. It was about such a consumption that the on -board computer testified on the last day of the test. True, it should be taken into account that I traveled through the banned Moscow, in recent weeks - with a working air conditioner, and in addition, I did not deny myself the pleasure of pressing the accelerator pedal when such an opportunity was given.
 
On the other hand, a person or company capable of paying about one hundred thousand dollars for a car, the issue of fuel consumption may not be particularly worried. To be extremely accurate, on the test was the most expensive version of the XC90 at a price of $ 102,259,35. It was stuffed, it seems, to everything that the company can offer from seven seats to monitors in the backs of the front seats and a DVD player. All the seats, of course, are covered with leather, but not easy, and with tangerine inserts, which introduce additional diversity into the interior. You should not talk about the quality of finishing materials, they are quite consistent with both the price and class of the car. The front seats are equipped with electric controls, but the steering column has a handle, pulling for which you can adjust the steering wheel under yourself. It will not be difficult for a person to choose the optimal planting to a person.
 
For the experiment and, if necessary, my colleagues and I stacked and laid out the third row of seats several times - it is easy to do, even it is not necessary to study the instructions. In the back row, of course, not so spacious, but the chairs are full -fledged, on the sides there are niches with cup holders and connectors for connecting headphones. In addition, the second row can be moved forward and fixed, then an additional place for the legs will appear. During the galer test, adults were also sitting, who, without the slightest complaints, suffered relatively short trips.
 
Probably, it is worth clarifying that in the seven -seater version, the XC90 is ready to provide only 249 liters instead of 613 under luggage. However, no one bothers to fold the seats. But the back of the back door, which is thrown out and automatically expanding, is very comfortable.
 
Advantages V8
 
First of all, I remind you that this engine is the first in the entire long history of the Swedish company V8, developed in cooperation with Yamaha. It is unique, because it is extremely small: 74 cm in length and 62.5 cm in width, with an angle of collapse of cylinders of 60 degrees. Which made it possible to install the motor across the motor compartment, preserving the damping zones under the hood and, thereby, providing a traditionally high passive safety level for the Swedish brand. But the main thing is that it gives xc90 excellent potential, and it sounds, perhaps, much more pleasant than a turbocharged with a volume of 2.5 liters. Excellent dynamics, the ability to move quickly, even very quickly - this by itself. However, I dare to say that the advantages of both this and all other modifications of the XC90 are not at all. There are other cars for races, including SUVs. And this - for what?
 
I would determine its main purpose as follows: serve as a house on wheels. Cozy, reliable and, again, safe. In this regard, or - from this point of view, Volvo in general, and XC90, in particular, may not arrange only hot drivers. Well, there is always a choice.
 
If we consider the car from the driver’s positions, it should be said that the XC90 V8 has changed compared to other versions. Firstly, the pendants have become more elastic, which does not prevent them from fighting the very joints and other vicissitudes of our roads. The cranes of the body in corners, of course, remained very tangible, but they clearly decreased.
 
Secondly, this version has a 6-band GEARTRONIC automatic transmission with the possibility of manual transition from one stage to another. The reaction time to the work of the gas pedal clearly decreased compared to the 5-speed automatic transmission. The sixth - economical - the transmission is designed to move at flat speed, when the driver spurges the car, the box quickly goes to the lower step. Two more advantages are that the automatic transmission is adaptive, that is, it is adjusted to the individual driving style, and allows you to twist the engine to maximum revolutions in manual mode. In general, this XC90 is no longer the one that is equipped with less powerful motors. Although it is obliged to note that the designers failed to get rid of the automatic box, and it takes away the power of the engine significantly. But, I repeat, all this matters only for an active driver, in everyday operation to the character of XC90 V8 you quickly get used to it and enjoy - not a drive, but a trip.
 
Text: Oleg Osipov

Brief technical characteristics of the Volvo XC90 V8
Engine volume, cubic meter. See 4414
The number of valves per cylinder 4
Power, l. With. at about./min. 315/5850
Max. Torque, NM at about./Min. 440/3900
Acceleration to 100 km/h, p. 7.3
Maximum speed, km/h 210*
The average fuel consumption l./100 km. 13.3
The volume of the fuel tank, l. 80
Car mass, kg. 1980
Dimensions, mm. 4800x1900x1740
*Maximum speed is limited by electronics
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 12 (102), 2006]