Published:
16 January 2024Volvo has given every reason for potential XC90 buyers to talk themselves into its more affordable relation as much of the larger car’s aesthetic appeal, usability and material quality has been ushered into the latest offering.
The pair are closely related enough that even seasoned commentators were forced to find the differences in side-by-side comparison.
The differences, then, are subtle: vents have been remodelled and switchgear swapped out, but essentially all the important fixtures are transferred, including the portrait-orientated infotainment screen that dominates the dashboard.
This is to the smaller car’s benefit; we rightly lauded the Volvo XC90’s take on an SUV cabin, and its downsizing has done nothing to dilute the impression of sitting in a well-thought-out space.
The larger XC90’s cabin ambience, which manages to seem vaguely Scandinavian without lapsing into the appearance of an IKEA kitchen, is well translated, as is the high-quality fit-and-finish of predominantly premium materials.
It doesn't feel as fresh or innovative as more modern rivals with its material use now but it's still a nice place to be.
As standard, there is an eight-inch digital instrument cluster which, when combined with the nine-inch touchscreen, is still there or thereabouts with the class on technology but it does now feel a bit dated, perhaps through familiarity as much as anything else.
