2006 Volvo XC90 Road Test

Walkaround

The Volvo XC90 is an attractive SUV and recognizable as a Volvo. The roofline rakes upward dramatically from the windshield to a high horizontal plane, with the arc of the top echoed by the curve of the roof rails. Coming toward you on the freeway, the XC90 almost looks like an old convertible with its top puffing up. A high beltline adds to the typical visual image of a tall SUV.

The overall angularity clearly says Volvo. Head-on, you might think it's the result of the mating of a Honda CRV and a Dodge Ram. The hood shape is similar to the Ram's, but the grille is Honda-like, except for the diagonal band that labels it a Volvo. The grille is elevated four or five inches over the protruding fender contours, and slightly V-shaped to be consistent with Volvo design.

The XC90's long wheelbase, wide stance and low center of gravity promote handling stability. The overall length is not much longer than the wheelbase. As a result, overhangs are short; the body doesn't extend very far past the wheels, in other words. The XC90 has a wide track as well. And despite its height, it has a lower center of gravity than the XC70 Cross Country wagon.

Like the XC70, the back end of the XC90 features huge taillights. Think safety. If it bothers you that the back of your SUV looks like Las Vegas, it might comfort you to think that you're a whole lot less likely to get creamed from behind by some half-asleep driver. You're also less likely to back into something at night, thanks to backup lights that look like they came from a rally car.

The standard wheels measure 17 inches in diameter, but the hottest look comes with the optional 18-inch wheels available in alloy or chrome finish and fitted with lower profile tires.

The XC90's rear hatch has two sections, with a 70/30 top/bottom split. The lower edge of the liftgate is waist level, leaving a small tailgate. If you're just stowing the groceries or dry cleaning, you might not need to drop the tailgate, but the rest of the time you'll need to open both gates. Two gates is more work than one. The good news is that the tiny tailgate lifts and closes easily, and the short liftgate is less likely to bonk you or someone else on the head when you raise or lower it. It's also inclined toward the front of the vehicle, which shortens the roofline and makes the XC90 look shorter. The liftgates on some SUVs are hard to lift due to their weight and the angles involved. That's not the case here.

The fit of body panels and trim is decent. The XC90's big doors close with a light touch and a nice solid sound when they latch. The rear window wiper is sturdy, protected by a flat black plastic sleeve.

Interior Features

We found the cabin of the Volvo XC90 roomy and comfortable. It seats up to seven passengers. By mounting the engine across the chassis, Volvo has created a roomy cabin inside a relatively compact exterior. This allows the instrument panel and front seats to be positioned more forward, opening up space and legroom for back-seat passengers.

The Volvo can carry more stuff than most of its competitors. With all six passenger seats folded down, the XC90 offers 92.3 cubic feet of cargo space, more than what's found in competing SUVs: 2006 Mercedes M-Class (72.4 cubic feet), BMW X5 (54.5), Acura MDX (81.5), Lexus RX 330 (84.7), Cadillac SRX (69.5), INFINITI FX (64.5). Even with all three rows of seats in place there's room in the Volvo for two or three stacked duffel bags behind the third row.

The XC90 carries long objects well. Lowering a small center portion of the second-row seat reveals 9.5 feet of unobstructed space between the instrument panel and the rear liftgate. That can be done even with the third-row seats in place because they have a passage space between the seatbacks. As a result, four surfers and two long boards will easily fit into an XC90, an impressive feat. The XC90 is also good for trout fishing because you can set your rigged 9-foot fly rods in there without having to break them down, useful when moving from spot to spot.

Seating and cargo arrangements are enormously versatile, allowing 64 different configurations, including six of the seven seats folded flat. Equally impressive is the ease with which the seats slide, fold, change and vanish.

Second-row seats are split 40/20/40 and slide forward independently. Headrests don't have to be removed when the seats are folded flat. Up front, the console between the front seats can be easily removed, allowing the center second-row seat to slide way forward between and just behind the front buckets. With the optional integrated booster cushion for that seat, tending to a young child has never been easier.

There's only enough leg room in the third row for two kids or two very short adults. Getting into the third row is easier than it is in many SUVs, however, due to the ease of sliding and flipping the second-row seats. There are entry grab handles to aid getting inside, but the front-door grab handle is a bit narrow. The doors close with aluminum handles, but they too are narrow, with room for only two or three fingers.

The third row is a cozy and convenient little world of its own, however, with its center console, cup holders, deep window pockets, and separate climate controls and outlets. Kids might actually want to sit way back in the wayback. Headphone plugs are provided, meaning second- or third-row headphone users can listen to a CD while the front-seat occupants listen to the radio through the speakers.

The standard interior trim is a mix of brushed aluminum and faux aluminum plastic. Real wood inlay trim is an option on the V8 and a big improvement over the plastic.

There's little storage space for the front seats. The door pockets are narrow and the small center console compartment is slim and difficult to access; if you store a few CDs in the slots, there's no more room at all. The only open bin for tossing small items is on the dash panel, about big enough for a cell phone.

The gauges are simple and the instrument panel is canted upward toward the high seating position. The wood-and-leather steering wheel that comes with the Touring package was more comfortable than the standard steering wheel because it's round; the standard wheel has edges and angles that defy understanding.

The front bucket seats are good, especially with adjustable lumbar support, and Volvo leather is some of the best around. More side bolstering wouldn't hurt, though.

Headroom is exceptional, thanks to the roofline, and the big windows offer excellent visibility and a feeling of roominess. Unfortunately, the price for the