Drove the Volvo XC 90 T8 Phev last week. The car has been around since last year August, but finally got grips with it. Volvo as we know build quality cars with safety as a hallmark. The XC 90 has been one of their halo models and it did not disappoint.

Looks wise, it came in a grey colour which did not do a lot for the car in my opinion, but it has distinctive lines and cues that make it quintessentionally Volvo. Nice big aluminium alloy wheels give it a good stance, with the prominent Volvo grille and air intakes at the bottom in front. Thor insignia headlamps in front, and the sickle like lights at the rear give presence

Cabin.

Nice luxurious cabin with a lot packed in. Leather seats with electronic movement, a large infotainment screen at the centre which is a cinch to use, and the steering wheel has all the controls needed. Bowers & Wilkins sound system is the bomb. The active suspension gives all passengers a smooth & bumpless drive.

Offering Pilot Assist the Volvo has loads of tech and it has adaptive cruise control for hassle free drive and keeping on top of fuel economy. It has lots of room inside with fold-down options for seats, and a large boot area for luggage. Heads up display, heated front seats are some of the features available.

Engine.

It is a hybrid, so has a petrol engine as well as an electric one.  Powered by a turbo and super charged 2.0L petrol engine it smashes out 340kw & 709 Nm of torque, so it can say giddyup very nicely. It can go from 0 to 100kmh in 5.4 secs quite easily. Topping up the battery overnight is the suggested option.

Fuel economy is quite a bit off from the claimed 1.8L per 100km. But if you keep the electric engine charged, you will get a decent yield. You have different drive options and can even raise ground clearance a tad.

It has a raft of safety systems as a Volvo would have.

Now we get to the price, in a competitive market where luxury models are struggling against highly specced Chinese models, R1 808 900 might be a bit of a wad to chew.

It comes standard with a 5 year/100 00km warranty and a 5 year /100 000km service plan.

Summation.

Great ride, might not be as refined as some of it’s German rivals, and considered expensive in a tight market. Volvo has some challenges in SA with a shrinking dealer footprint, so it will be interesting to see the next couple of months performance.