A long time ago, Volvo was known as a maker of good quality but boxy vehicles that were high on safety. That was many years ago. Imagine one of those vehicles next to the latest Volvo XC90, its topline SUV, and it’s easy to see how far the carmaker has come from there.

We borrowed the latest XC90, which is retailing for ₹1.03 crore (before taxes, registration and levies) from SPL Cars in Calcutta, where it was unveiled a couple of days ago, and took it out for a spin to find out for ourselves what the latest iteration is all about. Here are our first impressions.

Suspension set at lowest height

ON THE OUTSIDE

The latest update of the XC90 has certainly upped the wow factor substantially and most of it is due to the redesign of the front end. Gone are the earlier vertical slats of the grille, to be replaced with an excellent diagonal design that is flush with the body and that has changed the entire perception of the car to a more dynamic and sleeker one. Along with that is a new headlamp cluster that retains the signature Thor’s Hammer pattern in the DRLs that also double as turn indicators. The front end is now cleaner with the fog lamps moved low and there are vertical elements on the side. All of this makes the car look cool and very upmarket.

The alloy wheels, too, have been redesigned. The rest has remained more or less the same along with the distinctive tail lights that have been given a smoky finish. The overall look is elegantly understated with very judicious use of chrome. We were quite taken in by the looks, especially up front.

ON THE INSIDE

The understated theme from the outside continues inside as well. The light-coloured seats in Nappa leather get ventilation, both warming and cooling. There is soft-touch finish on the dash with leather and the newly-introduced fabric bits, as well as light open-pore wood. There is lots of machined aluminium as well with knurled knobs and smooth touch points that give an overall sense of quality. The crystal gear knob is a neat touch too.

The second and third row seat backs fold down flat, partly or fully, to create a huge amount of luggage space

Space is generous in the first and second rows but the third row is best left to children. The second row also moves forward and back. There are lots of places to store smaller items and quite a good complement of USB ports to connect and charge devices. The space has an uncluttered look while passengers will find most things when they look for it. The split backs of the second and third row seats also fold down to create a flat loading area.

The Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 19 speakers is excellent at any volume and is tuned for an even soundscape rather than an overwhelming bass. The new 11.2-inch touch interface is smooth and intuitive and Google based and connects over the air for updates. It looks almost like an Android tablet with additional functions specific to the vehicle.

ON THE ROAD

The Volvo XC90 is a very comfortable car. The company says the optional air suspension monitors the road, vehicle and driver 500 times a second and adjusts the suspension to try and insulate passengers from road imperfections. There is the option of setting the suspension to firm or soft. The former works very well on smooth roads and on bad surfaces the difference between the two is palpable, with the latter doing a better job. The 20-inch rubber also helps keep things even.

There's not a lot of change to the rear end but it looks smart enough

The vehicle is poised at any speed that we managed to hit and handling is predictable and body-roll controlled. The power delivery linear and the mild hybrid chips in with power and torque in case of emergency if one floors the throttle. Even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the XC90 is quite easy to drive and power comes quickly if one needs to squeeze through gaps in traffic.

With 250hp and 360Nm, performance is more than enough and lets the driver do a nice clip without showing any sign of strain. However, asking for supercar performance from it will be unfair. What we liked about the whole setup is how much happens in the background without screaming from the rooftops. ADAS is always on and the only option the driver has is to switch off the lane-keeping assist. There is all-wheel drive but no option to select gears manually and reaction to kickdown is quick enough to obviate any need for manual intervention. The thing is, we did not feel any need for them.

THE CALL

At ₹1.03 crore ex-showroom, this isn’t cheap. It does bring luxury without making it obvious. The same thought process that has kept the exterior and interior understated has resulted in an experience that is enjoyable without being obtrusive. And that idea flies with us. We think it’s a go for sure.