Volvo caused quite a stir in Europe when it launched the XC90: large but not cumbersome, practical - with seven seats and excellent flexibil...
Volvo caused quite a stir in Europe when it launched the XC90: large but not cumbersome, practical - with seven seats and excellent flexibility with the seats folding and flopping to offer a variety of combinations, and with sound road manners, it made perfect sense for the upwardly-mobile families.
In India, the XC90 will compete with a higher level of car, against the likes of the Merc M-Class and BMW X5. It gets off to a flying start: the cheapest version, the D5 diesel, costs Rs 45 lakh (ex-Delhi), seven lakh less than the M-Class, and a whopping 17 lakh less than the cheapest X5.The topper, the V8, is Rs 52 lakh.That's terrific, and all the more so because it doesn't skimp on equipment.
The engine range is the same as in the S80 sedan: the 182bhp D5 turbodiesel, the 238bhp 3.2 petrol and the 4.4 V8 which makes for the ultimate school-run express with 315bhp.The V8 would seem to make least sense of all, more so in this car than in the S80.The diesel, again, ranks as just about perfect and even more so for India.
Volvo's biggest seller around the world, the XC90 concentrates on traditional Volvo strengths: safety and comfort. It isn't the most involving drive, but it's extremely secure and solid, and with all-wheel drive, even monsoon- ravaged roads should be pie. Getting off it however, wouldn’t be much fun.
Volvo only has three dealers right now, but the strengths of this SUV should make up for that
