2017 Volvo Xc90 T6 Inscription 0 60

Giving a neck-to-neck competition to the new Volvo XC90 are three other leading luxury SUVs in the USA auto-market, which are namely the Acura MDX, BMW X5 sDrive 35i, and the Lexus RX 350. By performing a comprehensive comparison between the Volvo XC 90 and its competitors, we have to extract the worthiness of owning a Volvo XC 90 SUV.

2017 Volvo XC90 Pricing and Features

Volvo offers four distinct trims of the XC90 consisting of the Momentum, R-Design, Inscription, and Excellence trim. Furthermore, all the trims have a total of 10 different configurations. Spectating the price range of the 2017 Volvo XC90, it starts from $45,750 and ends at a whopping amount of $104,900.

Trim	T5 FWD	T5 AWD	T6 AWD
MSRP (Momentum)	$46,745	$48,945	$53,245
MSRP (R-design)	$52,145	$54,345	$57,245
MSRP (Inscription)	N/A	N/A	$58,345
Key Features	LED Headlights with Thor's Hammer DRL & Auto Highbeam (AHB)	Same as T5 FWD	LED Headlights with Thor's Hammer DRL & Auto Highbeam (AHB)
	Laminated panoramic sunroof with power sunshade		Laminated panoramic sunroof with power sunshade
	Volvo Sensus Connect with a 9-inch touchscreen and six-month complimentary subscription		Volvo Sensus Connect with a 9-inch touchscreen and six-month complimentary subscription
	Sensus Navigation		Sensus Navigation
	Driver Display (Digital Instrument Cluster)		High-performance 330-watt audio system with 10 speakers
	Two-zone electronic climate control Cargo cover		Four-zone electronic climate control
			Leather upholstery (seating surfaces)

Starting from the low-end Momentum trim, it is available with a choice of having either a T5 or a T6 engine. Moreover, the T5 Momentum also offers an option of either getting a Front-Wheel-Drive or an All-Wheel-Drive drivetrain while the T6 variant only offers the AWD mechanism.

The next trim of the Volvo XC90 is the R-design and apart from offering similar engine and drivetrain options as that of the Momentum trim, it adds a T8 twin-engine variant in its queue. Taking a leap ahead, we got the Inscription trim, which has a starting price of $57,350. Unlike the lower two trims, the Inscription does not come with the T5 engine and only offers a T6 and a T8 engine variant.

Priced excessively at $104,900, the Excellence is the topmost trim of XC90 and it has only one configuration, which comes with a T8 twin-engine. Additionally, this trim is different from all other trims in the way that it has a 4-seat layout. Moreover, there are some exclusive luxury features such as reclining rear captain chairs with footrests, 21-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, and dark tinted rear windows accessible within the Excellence trim.

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Assuming the budget to be around $50 - 55K, the low-end Excellence trim is just an ideal choice. Moreover, if the requirement encompasses a 5-seat layout then the T5 variant is just perfect while for availing 7 passenger capacity, one has to look further at the Momentum T6 variant. However, if one needs the XC90 with the most powerful T8 twin-engine, then R-design trim is suggested.

2017 Volvo XC90 Engine and Performance

In the powertrain of the 2017 Volvo XC90, there are three different engines available namely, the T5, T6, and T8. The T5 is a 2.0-Liter Turbocharged engine that can produce a maximum of 250 hp of power along with 258 lbs.-ft. of torque. The engine capacities of both the T6 and T8 are the same as that of the T5 but the major difference lies in the fact that the T6 engine gets added with a supercharger while the T8 incorporates an additional electric motor for powering the vehicle.

The addition of a supercharger to the base 2.0 L turbocharged engine causes the T6 to have more power and torque output, which corresponds to 346 hp and 295 lbs.-ft. On the other hand, the electric motor present in the T8 plug-in hybrid engine makes it the mightiest with a maximum of 400 hp of power and 472 lbs.-ft. of torque.

Models	Volvo XC90 T5 Momentum	Acura MDX	BMW X5 sDrive 35i	Lexus RX 350
MSRP	$46,745	$45,045	$57,595	$44,215
Engine	2.0L, Turbocharged Inline-4	3.5L, Naturally Aspirated V6	3.0L, Turbocharged Inline-6	3.5L, Naturally Aspirated V6
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD	RWD	FWD
Transmission	8-speed automatic w/OD	9-Speed Automatic w/OD	8-speed automatic w/OD	8-Speed Automatic w/OD
Horsepower	250 hp @ 5,600 rpm	290 hp @ 6,200 rpm	300 hp @ 5,800 rpm	295 hp @ 6,300 rpm
Torque	258 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm	267 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm	300 lb-ft @ 1,300 rpm	267 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm

Taking the base XC90 T5 Momentum trim for the comparison, its engine power and torque falls short against all three rivals. Moreover, the BMW X5 sDrive 35i has the highest power and torque figure of 300 each. For realizing gear shifts, each 2017 Volvo XC90, BMW X5 sDrive 35i, and Lexus RX 350 employ an 8-speed automatic transmission, while a 9-speed automatic transmission is present in the Acura MDX.

What is the 2017 Volvo XC90's 0-60 mph Acceleration Performance?

In the acceleration department, the 2017 Volvo XC90 performs well with its 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds. The quarter-mile too is covered in a decent 15.5 seconds timing and although these timings are not as bad, the rivals with more powerful engines perform much better in all these aspects.

2017 Volvo XC90 Sprints 0-60 mph in just 7.2s

Models	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
0-60 MPH	7.2 sec	6.4 sec	6.1 sec	7.2 sec
Quarter mile	15.5 sec	14.9 sec	14.8 sec	15.6 sec
Engine	2.0L, Turbocharged Inline-4	3.5L, Naturally Aspirated V6	3.0L, Turbocharged Inline-6	3.5L, Naturally Aspirated V6
Top Speed	132 mph	130 mph	130 mph	124 mph

The BMW X5 is the fastest amongst all the cars present here, both in terms of accelerating to 60 mph and in the quarter-mile drag run. The Acura MDX is right at its tail with a very little gap between them. The Lexus and the Volvo have similar timings and are both over a second slower than the BMW.

What is the 2017 Volvo XC90's Braking Performance?

To help stop the XC90, 13.2-inch brakes are used for decelerating at the front while the rear wheels make use of 12.1-inch rotors. These rotors seem a size smaller for the almost 4,300 lbs SUV but do perform well to halt the car from 60 mph to standstill in a respectable 126 feet, which again isn't amongst the best but it ain't bad either.

The BMW X5 features the largest front brake rotors while the Acura has a very large set of disc brakes at the rear.

Model	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
Brake Front (in)	13.2	12.6	13.7	13.3
Brake Rear (in)	12.1	13.0	12.6	12.9
Curb Weight (lbs)	4,293	4,001	4,680	4,222
60-0 MPH (ft)	126	120	122	126

The Acura MDX is also the lightest one here and hence has the shortest braking distance in this comparison. The BMW takes a couple of feet more than the Acura whereas the Lexus and the Volvo both have an identical stopping distance.

Has the Ride and Handling of the 2017 Volvo XC90 improved?

The 2017 Volvo XC90 is among the exceptional driver-friendly cars due to the sophisticated features that enable it to have an enhanced driving experience. Digging further, we found features such as speed-sensing steering, gas-pressurized front shockers, independent rear multi-link suspension with anti-roll bar, and highly responsive power steering for providing extra stability and command over the vehicle.

Additionally, the powerful turbocharged, supercharged, and twin-power engines incorporated in the SUV increases the agility of the vehicle. The Volvo XC 90 also offers an impressive ride experience on off-roads with its highly capable All-Wheel-Drive variants. In total, the riding and handling quality of the XC90 is promising and illustrates the competency of Volvo engineering.

What is the towing capacity of the 2017 Volvo XC90?

The Swedish SUV has a great towing capacity for those who wish to haul their campers or trailers, providing 258lb-ft torque to haul up to 4000 lbs of loads. Although it isn't the best that one can find in the market, it surely is very much usable and adds to the practicality of the car.

Model	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
Capacity (lbs)	4,000	3,500	5,952	3,500

The X5 again proves to be a leader with the best in class towing capacity of almost 6,000 lbs which is way more than what the XC90 has to offer. The Acura and the Lexus on the other hand have identical towing capacities which are a bit lower than the Volvo and almost half of the X5's towing prowess.

2017 Volvo XC90 Fuel Economy

Volvo has engineered the 2017 Volvo XC90's powertrain section pretty well, which results in it having a superlative fuel efficiency. While driving in the city, the XC 90 delivers a fuel economy of 22 MPG, which is the greatest among the rivalry.

Model	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
MPG (City)	22	19	18	20
MPG (Highway)	26	27	25	27
MPG (Combined)	24	22	21	23
Fuel Tank Capacity	18.8 gal	19.5 gal	22.4 gal	19.2 gal
Range (City / Highway / Combined) (miles)	414 / 489 / 451	371 / 527 / 429	403 / 560 / 470	384 / 518 / 442

On the other side, the fuel economies of both the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 350 are the most while cursing on highways. Overall, the combined fuel economy offered by the Volvo XC90 stands unbeatable at 24 MPG.

2017 Volvo XC90 Interior

Jumping to the seating section of XC90, it has a passenger capacity of 5 and offers two seating rows. There is a decent amount of headroom throughout the cabin whereas the legroom could have been better when compared to the competitors. The interior materials quality and fit and finish are amongst the best while it is also very aesthetically pleasing in terms of design and layout.

Only the Acura MDX offers seating for 7 passengers while all the other three have only rows of seats.

Model	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
Passenger capacity	5	7	5	5
Front Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in)	38.9 / 57.7 / 40.9	38.1 / 61.1 / 41.4	40.5 / 61.5 / 40.4	39.4 / 57.8 / 44.1
Second Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in)	38.5 / 56.5 / 37.0	38.3 / 59.1 / 38.5	38.8 / 60.0 / 36.6	39.1 / 57.6 / 38.0
Third Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in)	N/A	35.6 / 54.7 / 28.1	N/A	N/A

At the front, the Lexus boasts of abundant legroom and a great amount of headroom to fit in passengers of all sizes whereas at the back as well it is amongst the best. The X5 and the Volvo on the other hand lack space both at the front and the rear but it isn't cramped in any way and can seat 5 adults comfortably.

10-way power front seats w/power lumbar support adjust and memory function for driver's seat
Heated and Ventilated Front Bucket Seats
40-20-40 Folding Split-Bench Manual Reclining Rear Seat w/Manual Fore/Aft
Nappa Leather Seating Surfaces w/Charcoal Interior
Leather Steering Wheel
Voice Activated Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning
Rear HVAC w/Separate Controls

How is the 2017 Volvo XC90's infotainment system?

The 2017 Volvo XC90 features a Sensus Connect infotainment system, which comes with a 9.0-inch standard touchscreen display for operating it. Apart from displaying the music player and navigation status, the Sensus Connect also acts as a way of controlling the car's various convenience features such as climate control, seating positions, and steering wheel heating.

Moreover, for having an improved in-car audio experience, a high-quality audio system with 10-speakers is embedded in the SUV. The XC90 also has steering mounted audio controls, which eliminates the need of taking the eyes off the road while changing the music, adjusting the volume, or taking calls.

As Volvo only manufactures luxury car models, so having magnificent interiors is just a trait of Volvo-made cars. This fact also holds true for the XC90 and its interior is also awe-inspiring. Apart from the luxurious looks, the SUV also has some competent features inside it, which are listed as follows:

9.0-inch Sensus Connect touchscreen infotainment system
SiriusXM satellite radio w/6-month subscription
Apple CarPlay compatibility
10-speaker 330W High-Performance Audio System
Bluetooth Wireless Phone Connectivity
Integrated Navigation System w/Voice Activation and Real-Time Traffic Display
Smart Device Remote Engine Start

How much is the 2017 Volvo XC90's Cargo capacity?

Along with the luxurious features of the Volvo XC90 comes its massive cargo capacity of 41.3 cubic feet with the rear seat up and 85.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. Only the Acura MDX has larger cargo volumes of 43.4 cubic feet to seat 2 and 90.9 cubic feet to seat 1 as compared to the XC 90. Moreover, because of the presence of the third row, the Acura MDX also offers an additional cargo space of 15.8 cubic feet.

Model	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
Volume with all seats upright (cu-ft)	35.6	14.9	35.8	18.4
Volume with the third row folded (cu-ft)	N/A	43.4	N/A	N/A
Volume with the second row folded (cu-ft)	6.5	90.9	76.7	56.3

Attaching a trailer or towing a vehicle is not a problem at all for the Volvo XC 90 SUV as its towing capacity is quite high at 5000lbs. However, looking at its counterparts, both the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 350 have a relatively lower towing capacity of 3500 lbs. Each.

2017 Volvo XC90 Exterior

Talking about the proportions of the 2017 Volvo XC90, its length, breadth, and height are 194.9 inches, 79.1 inches, and 69.9 inches respectively. Surprisingly, the XC90 is wider as well as taller than all of its competitors.

The ground clearance of the 2017 Volvo XC90 is outstanding and measures about 9.4 inches. On the other hand, both the BMW X5 sDrive and Lexus RX350 have the 2nd best ground clearance of 8.2 inches each.

Model	Volvo XC90 T5	Acura MDX	BMW X5	Lexus RX 350
Curb weight (lbs)	4,293	4,001	4,680	4,222
Length (in)	194.9	196.2	192.4	192.5
Width (in)	79.1	77.8	76.3	74.6
Height (in)	69.9	67.4	69.4	67.7
Ground clearance (in)	9.4	5.6	8.2	8.2
Wheelbase (in)	117.5	111.0	115.5	109.8
Track width (in) F/R	65.8 / 66.1	66.3 / 66.3	64.7 / 65.0	64.4 / 64.0

The XC90 has an exterior, which looks dashing and sturdy at the same time. Moreover, the exteriors even become more appealing and dominant when moving up to the higher-level trims. Keeping only the standard exterior features as a priority, the following are the main highlights:

Chrome tip exhaust
Turn signal indicator mirrors
Roof rails
Body-colored door handles
Heated power door mirrors
Power liftgate
18-inch painted alloy wheels
LED Daytime Running Lights
LED headlamp and uniquely styled LED taillights
Illuminating glove compartment

2017 Volvo XC90 Safety

Safety is the top priority of Volvo and to prove it, the automaker has integrated numerous ultra-modern safety features into the XC90 series. Features comprehending brake assist, ABS, driveline traction control, electronic stability system, engine immobilizer, 3-point rear seat belt, occupant sensing airbags, side-impact bars, and perimeter/approach lights come standard in all the trims of the new Volvo XC90.

The SUV has also performed extraordinarily in both the IIHS and NHTSA safety tests. Regarding IIHS, the XC90 has scored above average score in all the individual safety constraints except for the headlights and child seat anchors. Moreover, the NHTSA has given the XC 90 a maximum safety rating of 5, proving its worth from the safety perspective.

Volvo On Call includes: Convenience features - remote lock/unlock, Send to Car, vehicle tracking with a six-month subscription
City Safety - Low-speed collision avoidance support system, including, pedestrian, cyclist & large animal detection (day and night)
Run-off-Road Protection and Run-off-Road Mitigation
DSTC/RSC Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control (RSC)
Road Sign Information
Driver Alert
Volvo On-Call Emergency SOS
Low Tire Pressure Warning
Rear Parking Sensors and Back-Up Camera

2017 Volvo XC90 Competition

Volvo XC90 vs Acura MDX

In comparison to the Volvo's XC 90, the Acura MDX is priced a little lower at $44,050 and offers various advantages such as a powerful engine, faster acceleration, and lower curb weight. Moreover, the length, seating capacity, interior space, and cargo capacity of Acura MDX is also better than the XC 90.

On the other hand, the Volvo XC90 has an upper hand in terms of low emission, combined mileage, ground clearance, and towing capacity.

Volvo XC90 vs BMW X5 sDrive 35i

Fitted with a higher capacity 3.0 L V6 engine, the price tag of BMW's X5 sDrive 35i exceeds the price of XC90 by a huge sum of $10,850. The power and torque figures of X5 SDrive 35i are extraordinary.

The Volvo XC 90 finds itself inferior to the BMW X5 sDrive 35i when it comes to acceleration, brake size, and headroom and shoulder room availability at both front and second row. However, the X5 sDrive 35i is no match for the XC90's extraordinary fuel economy, ground clearance, and cargo volume.

Volvo XC90 vs Lexus RX 350

Another more affordable SUV competing with the XC90 is the Japanese-made Lexus RX 350. The RX-350 is almost $2,500 cheaper than the Volvo XC 90 but its benefits are only limited to higher engine power, torque, and more interior space.

Whereas, in all the other remaining parameters, the XC90 easily outshines the Lexus RX350 by a fair margin.

2017 Volvo XC90 Final Verdict

If luxury is your priority along with outstanding road performance, then the XC90 is definitely your thing. The main perks that a 2017 Volvo XC90 offers to its buyers include high fuel economy especially in the T5 variants, extra-large cargo holding space, and excellent eye-stealing road presence. Additionally, you do not have to worry about the safety of the car or yourself because of the tough build quality and state-of-the-art safety features fused in the Volvo XC90.

2017 Volvo Xc90 T6 Inscription 0 60

Source: https://www.carindigo.com/volvo/xc90-2017

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2017 Volvo Xc90 T6 Inscription 0 60