Available to order now, and will start production in May.
Volvo has given its biggest crossover a refresh for 2020. There are some styling revisions and some changes on the inside. But most importantly, there’s a new electrified powertrain and a new badge to go with it.
The exterior updates are on the mild side. The grille has changed shape slightly and the base models get new slats. There are some new colour choices as well, but the XC90’s handsome styling and Thor’s Hammer headlights remain.
Inside, there is a new seating configuration. The standard seven-seat layout remains, as does the four-seat Excellence that gives rear-seat passengers first-class accommodations. The new version is a six-seat configuration. It trades space for comfort in the middle row. Another interesting addition to that interior is a new wool-blend upholstery option
The powertrain change is a new kinetic energy recovery braking system. A Formula 1-style mild hybrid system that can add some extra boost and reduce how often the engine runs.
The company isn’t providing power figures for the new system just yet, but back when they were testing it, they said it could add up to 80 hp under acceleration. The system uses a steel hub that holds a carbon fibre rotor. The rotor weighs about 6 kg, and it spins up to 60,000 rpm. Braking energy spins it up and it can then transfer that energy to the car on acceleration. The automaker claims up to a 15 percent fuel economy savings in real-world driving.
Volvo is branding the new system with a B badge. It’s a new brand for the company that will go into the engine designations. So while the current car offers T5, T6, and T8 options, the new model will add B5 and B6 versions that use the new powertrain.
The plug-in hybrid T8 twin-engine XC90 will remain in the lineup, which is good for eco-conscious buyers since Volvo said that the refreshed crossover’s B powertrains won’t be in Canada yet for model year 2020.
Since this is a Volvo, there’s more safety kit added to the refreshed XC. The City Safety with Autobrake is already the only system of its kind that can recognize pedestrians, cyclists, and large animals. Now, it has Oncoming Lane Mitigation. That feature, which debuted on the XC60, can steer the vehicle back into its own lane, should the driver have wandered out of their driving lane. It can do that at speeds between 60 and 140 km/h. The Cross Traffic Alert system is upgraded as well with auto-braking technology.
Volvo’s Sensus infotainment has had Apply CarPlay integration for a few years now but was missing Android Auto. That’s fixed for 2020 and Android users can now connect their phones too. Volvo says that the system receives some of the incremental changes that have been made to other versions of the system since 2015, and Spotify streaming is now integrated.
The 2020 Volvo XC90 is available to order now, and will start production in May.
Keyword: Volvo's XC90 Gets Wooly, New Powertrains for 2020