Volvo finally catches up

The notorious reputation that Volvo drivers once had was a bit harsh, but any remnants of such behaviour will be well and truly washed away with the announcement of the 2003 Volvo XC90.

Not only a quite attractive-looking Volvo, it almost has a BMW X5-ish glint in its eye, indicating perhaps the company's new direction.

Volvo is calling the new model a sports utility vehicle, or SUV, and many have been quick to question why the marque hadn't created an SUV sooner.

Volvo is looking at it this way: let's spend more time evaluating the genre and then decide where we want our new product to sit.

Will the 'wait and see' approach work? Unfortunately, we'll have to wait and see as well...

The new Swedish X5-esque Volvo shares some parts with its stablemates, the S60 and V70 models. For instance, the floorplan structure is very similar and aspects of the engine bay are taken from the former vehicles - but apart from these, the XC90 will be an all-new beast.

First up, the new Volvo will seat seven - there will be three rows of seats in a 2-3-2 order from front to back. That said, it will also be available is a five-seater with more boot space. This alone will put the XC90 in good stead with buyers looking for something to get the whole family around in, while another nice feature will impress those with young ones.

A child safety seat can be interlocked into the second row, which can be moved forward so it's closer to the front passenger - presumably mum or dad - allowing them to take better care of the bub without having to unbuckle seatbelts.

Safety is a prime concern for the Swedish luxury automaker, and in a first for an automobile, Volvo has created inflatable side curtains that completely cover all three rows of passengers seats - like an elongated airbag.

Other safety features include the now familiar 4 channel ABS and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), plus disc brakes all round, coupled with electronic braking assistance.

Volvo seems keen to roll out the acronyms, which means you also get roll stability control (RSC), dynamic stability and traction control (DSTC), a side impact protection system (SIPS) and a whiplash protection system (WHIPS).

Inside the XC90, you can expect a high quality stereo in the form of a 305W Dolby Pro-Logic II digital surround sound system, a moonroof, a rear seat entertainment, including a 7-inch roof-mounted monitor and DVD player - though the last one is available at an optional cost.

Potential buyers will get roof racks, fog lights and a choice of 16, 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels, tinted windows and though not yet confirmed, we're hoping for cup holders.

An electronically controlled all-wheel drive setup will put the power to ground, which will be provided by one of two different models - either an inline five or inline six cylinder engine.

Both will be turbocharged, the smaller 2.5-litre mill comes with four valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts, and has only light boost, according to Volvo. It pumps out 154kW @ 5000rpm and is mated to a five-speed Geartronic transmission. Gotta love the tronics.

The inline six-cylinder powerplant has a twin-turbocharger setup, but in a strange move by Volvo, it is being offered with only a four-speed automative, sorry, Geartronic transmission. One wonders what the thinking behind this move was, but seeing as the XC90 is yet to release in even the States, perhaps this will be changed before launch.

The larger 2.8-litre twin-turbo mill is worth an impressive 200Kw @ 5000rpm, with maximum torque generated at a staggeringly low 1500rpm. Forced induction is an amazing thing.

While both models will be offered with AWD, the five-cylinder XC90 is rumoured to be available as a front-wheel drive too. We'll have to wait and see on that one, though. The six-cylinder model is claimed to reach 100mk/h from rest in about 8.0-seconds - which is quite admirable for a seven seater.

The roof structure of the XC90 incorporates boron, a high-density, extremely strong metal and Volvo's XC90 is touted with setting new industry benchmarks for roll-over protection. Hans Wikman, Volvo's XC90 project director, had this to say: "Being first in the next generation of SUV's allows us to set new standards for safety and functionality in the segment."

It's interesting to note that Volvo believes the North American market will make up for roughly 65 per cent of total XC90 sales. The profile of the XC90 is much broader than previous Volvos, and perhaps the new model will once and for all silence critics who believe that all Volvos are poorly styled, stagnant and boring.

From the rear, the Swede is particularly evocative of the BMW X5 and, in general, the new look is pleasing. Volvo has taken it time moving into the SUV or 4WD market, but translating its impressive and highly engineered safety systems into an almost brand-new structure wouldn't have been easy.

Will the XC90 be a hit? We think so. It's got the looks, the technology and power to provide the American market, at least, with the most important SUV aspects. The only thing left to to sort out is price, but going up against the likes of BMW's X5 and Mercedes' ML-Class, the SUV from Scandinavia could gift Volvo with a sterling start to its aspiring SUV life.