Royal Tunbridge Wells Lifestyle Dec 2019 / Jan 2020

ADVERTISING FEATURE
Volvo XC90
Plug in Hybrid
Motoring journalist Sue Cooke test drives
the all new Volvo XC90 plug in hybrid
A car powered by an all-electric motor is
an alien to me, even though I have driven
several around the streets of Birmingham.
The City environment is where electric
cars are at their best, but it is not a future
I easily embrace.
Electrification is being introduced across
the whole range of Volvo Cars and in the
next few years, Volvo says it will have five
fully electric cars with a decent expected
range of 250 miles. “These times are
exciting for manufacturers” said Iain
Howat, Head of Product and Pricing for
Volvo UK and the XC40 SUV will be the
first electric car to arrive in 2020.
Personally, I prefer a safer step at a time,
so would buy a hybrid and if the battery
runs out, you have fuel back up. Volvo
expects to sell one million plug-in hybrid
cars by 2025, where you drive up to 30
miles in battery mode, before the engine
automatically kicks in. With less CO2
emissions you pay less road tax, or none
at all.
the high-voltage battery’s capacity
from 10.4 to 11.8 kilowatt hours. This
increases the car’s electric-only driving
range to a maximum of 28.6 miles –
more than enough for an all-electric
urban commuting journey. A new
automatic gearbox brings improved fuel
efficiency and slick gearshifts and I found
acceleration from standstill is sharp.
The 2020 seven-seater model, on sale
now, has exterior design changes which
include a new grille and lower front
bumper. The air intakes have a fresh look
and new alloy wheel designs have been
introduced. Integrated roof rails have
been added and dual integrated exhaust
tailpipes are standard.
As with all Volvos, there is a range
of fantastic gadgets which I enjoy
discovering. There is a new feature which
is particularly useful for me when I forget
which car I’m driving, let alone where
I’ve parked. You can flash the lights and
sound the horn to help you find your car!
Brilliant.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Model: Volvo XC90 AWD R-Design
Automatic
Basic Price: £66,645 otr
Engine: T8 Twin engine petrol plug in
hybrid
Performance: 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds
and on to a top speed of 140 mph
CO2 emissions: 52 g/km
Combined fuel consumption:
90.7-113mpg (WLTP)
happen. Other equipment includes a
Sensus nine-inch multimedia touchscreen
with voice-activated control, navigation
system and access to the Volvo On
Call connected services platform. As
standard, there are LED headlights, a
rear parking camera, keyless entry and
start and when your arms are loaded
with bags, there is a very useful poweroperated
tailgate.
Safety has always been a top priority for
the Swedish manufacturer and in another
innovative move, Volvo has announced
that from 2020, all new cars will have the
top speed limited to 112mph. This is a
major step when currently on this model
the top speed is 140mph.
The new luxury Volvo XC90 has a revised
T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric plug-in
hybrid powertrain with an increase in
City Safety warns of and helps avoid
many common accident risks and
provides protection if a collision does
The XC90 will be the first to offer Volvo’s
new mild hybrid engine, powered by a
2 litre 235hp diesel B5 engine with a 48
volt battery. Volvo says that this engine is
more efficient than a petrol. The system
improves fuel economy – by up to 15 per
cent in real-world driving – and produces
lower NOx emissions than the outgoing
D5 it replaces.
The world of motoring is an exciting one
which is changing rapidly. From hybrid
to electric and in early 2020, Volvo says
it will launch its first autonomous driving
car. I guess it’s something that I will just
have to get used to and may even learn
to embrace.
8 | www.tunbridgewellslifestyle.co.uk