12 February 2015
Review

The Volvo XC90 is as significant as new cars come, replacing a 13-year-old model and featuring a design and technology that will be rolled out across the entire Volvo range over the next few years. Matt Prior has now driven the crucial new seven-seat SUV; watch on for his first verdict. 

Click here to read the first drive review on the 2015 Volvo XC90

Full pricing and specification details on the new Volvo XC90 

Matt Prior

Matt Prior
Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car. 

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes. 

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RPrior 10 March 2015

See what I mean

The comment was duplicated 6 times whilst travelling (as a passenger) after I hit the send button on my tablet
Cobnapint 22 February 2015

So yet again, here we have...

...another car manufacturer that thinks the motoring public are suffering from button overload. This is a motoring public which is used to operating, amongst many other things, tv remotes, pvr remotes, computer keyboards, and Blackberrys. Quite why they think we can't handle a couple of seat heater buttons and a few radio buttons is beyond me. Particularly when this latest example of the touch-screen-menu fad is being pushed by a company that prides itself so much on promoting safety. Surely if it's illegal to operate a handheld device whilst driving, then fumbling about with what are fast becoming dashboard mounted tablets, must be too. It's exactly the same, except the dashboard is holding it for you. And it's a bit of an ugly thing isn't it - the car. And it looks a bit cumbersome in some of the corner shots. The engine is quoted as being too noisy, and the gearbox is slow to react, so Autocar have given it 4.5 stars. More a reaction to the XC90's iconic status than it's actual substance, I feel.
RPrior 10 March 2015

Button & Switches preferred

I thought my preferences for Button and Switches indicated my age. Upon reflection once the button/switch locations are embedded in the memory the location and operation of them is an automatic brain function.

Even as a passenger in a softly sprung saloon, I find it hard to operate my tablet efficiently.

There are applications for technology in cars but ONLY where the operation of such technology does not require the driver to take his eyes off the road. Heads Up Display technology has much going for it as a method of providing key driver information.

Voice command (if it works efficiently) also has a place.

Interactive touch screens are definitely a step backwards for me..

RPrior 10 March 2015

Button & Switches preferred

I thought my preferences for Button and Switches indicated my age. Upon reflection once the button/switch locations are embedded in the memory the location and operation of them is an automatic brain function.

Even as a passenger in a softly sprung saloon, I find it hard to operate my tablet efficiently.

There are applications for technology in cars but ONLY where the operation of such technology does not require the driver to take his eyes off the road. Heads Up Display technology has much going for it as a method of providing key driver information.

Voice command (if it works efficiently) also has a place.

Interactive touch screens are definitely a step backwards for me..

RPrior 10 March 2015

Button & Switches preferred

I thought my preferences for Button and Switches indicated my age. Upon reflection once the button/switch locations are embedded in the memory the location and operation of them is an automatic brain function.

Even as a passenger in a softly sprung saloon, I find it hard to operate my tablet efficiently.

There are applications for technology in cars but ONLY where the operation of such technology does not require the driver to take his eyes off the road. Heads Up Display technology has much going for it as a method of providing key driver information.

Voice command (if it works efficiently) also has a place.

Interactive touch screens are definitely a step backwards for me..

RPrior 10 March 2015

Button & Switches preferred

I thought my preferences for Button and Switches indicated my age. Upon reflection once the button/switch locations are embedded in the memory the location and operation of them is an automatic brain function.

Even as a passenger in a softly sprung saloon, I find it hard to operate my tablet efficiently.

There are applications for technology in cars but ONLY where the operation of such technology does not require the driver to take his eyes off the road. Heads Up Display technology has much going for it as a method of providing key driver information.

Voice command (if it works efficiently) also has a place.

Interactive touch screens are definitely a step backwards for me..

RPrior 10 March 2015

Button & Switches preferred

I thought my preferences for Button and Switches indicated my age. Upon reflection once the button/switch locations are embedded in the memory the location and operation of them is an automatic brain function.

Even as a passenger in a softly sprung saloon, I find it hard to operate my tablet efficiently.

There are applications for technology in cars but ONLY where the operation of such technology does not require the driver to take his eyes off the road. Heads Up Display technology has much going for it as a method of providing key driver information.

Voice command (if it works efficiently) also has a place.

Interactive touch screens are definitely a step backwards for me..

RPrior 10 March 2015

Button & Switches preferred

I thought my preferences for Button and Switches indicated my age. Upon reflection once the button/switch locations are embedded in the memory the location and operation of them is an automatic brain function.

Even as a passenger in a softly sprung saloon, I find it hard to operate my tablet efficiently.

There are applications for technology in cars but ONLY where the operation of such technology does not require the driver to take his eyes off the road. Heads Up Display technology has much going for it as a method of providing key driver information.

Voice command (if it works efficiently) also has a place.

Interactive touch screens are definitely a step backwards for me..

Zeddy 14 February 2015

Time consuming

Call me a luddite but I have a real unease about the multi- functional touch screens.
Matt wasn't half fannying around with it whilst driving around.
How much time were his eyes actually not on the road?

A lot of the functions such as map adjustment should only react when the car is stationary.