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| The 2020 Volvo XC90 T6 R-Design. |
I can only assume those people have never driven a contemporary Volvo---and certainly not an R-Design Volvo.
Case in point, the 2020 Volvo XC90 T6 R-Design. The XC90 has been the quiet choice for affluent families since its introduction in 2003. But much has changed in those 17 years.
Under the hood, there's a two-liter four-cylinder engine that is both turbocharged and supercharged. End result? 316 horsepower, 295 pounds per foot of torque. It's mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive with instant traction and selectable drive modes are standard. Sixty miles an hour happens from a standing start in 6.1 seconds and fuel economy is a respectable EPA estimated 18 city/26 highway.
Accomodations are, as expected, safe, sturdy and luxurious.
Base price for the 2020 Volvo XC90 T6 R-Design is $56,300 and that brings with it a comprehensive list of standard features:
- Electric power-assisted steering.
- Anti-lock braking with hill start assist.
- Advanced Electronic Stability Control.
- 20-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires.
- Nine-inch integrated Sensus touchscreen.
- Sensus Navigation Pro.
- Wi-Fi hotspot with complimentary trial subscription.
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
- 12.3-inch driver display.
- Volvo On Call with four-year complimentary subscription including mobile app with remote start.
- 600 watt, 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.
- HD Radio.
- Two USB ports.
- Bluetooth handsfree with audio streaming.
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio with free 3-month trial subscription.
- Collision avoidance by City Safety (detects vehicle/pedestrian/large animal)
- Run off-road protection and run-off road mitigation.
- Lane-keeping aid and oncoming lane mitigation.
- Rear park assist and rear park assist camera.
- Road sign information.
- Supplemental restraint system (airbags).
- Side Impact Protection System.
- Whiplash Protection System (front seats).
- Unibody high-strength steel safety cage.
- Five three-point safety belts with pre-tensioners.
- Child safety locks in rear doors.
- Hill descent control.
- LED headlights with Thor's Hammer daytime running lights and auto high-beams.
- Seven-passenger seating.
- Blind Spot Information System with steer assist and cross traffic alert with Autobrake.
- Pilot Assist-driver assistance system with adaptive cruise control.
- Laminated panorama moonroof with power sunshade.
- R-Design Nappa leather sport seats.
- R-Design leather sport steering wheel and gearshift knob.
- Heated front seats.
- Ten-way power front seats and driver seat memory.
- Keyless entry & drive with hands-free power tailgate.
- Four-zone automatic climate control with CleanZone.
- HomeLink and compass in rearview mirror.
- Tinted rear door and cargo bay windows.
- Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors.
- Heated windshield washer nozzles.
Our tester also had some extra-cost options---$17,440 worth, to be exact:
- R-Design Features (R-Design exterior elements, R-Design Nappa Leather Sport Seats, Front seats with power cushion extensions, metal mesh aluminum deco inlays, steering wheel shift paddles and sport pedals, black headliner, R-Design 20-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, park assist front, sunblinds for side rear windows, tailored dashboard, interior high level illumination): $5,700.
- Advanced Package (Full LED headlights with active bending lights, headlight high pressure cleaning system, 360-degree surround view camera, graphical head-up display): $2,450.
- Heated rear seats and heated steering wheel: $750.
- Thunder Grey Metallic paint: $645.
- Integrated center booster cushion: $300.
- Bowers and Wilkins premium sound system: $3,200.
- Park assist pilot: $200.
- Four-corner air suspension: $1,800.
- 22-inch five-double spoke wheels with summer tires: $1,100.
With $995 destination charge, the bottom line on the window sticker reads $74,735.
That last number is more of a shock than it should be, because of the wide gap between it and the base price. But---if Volvo simply went to a one-price option of $74,735 for a loaded XC90 T6 R-Design---call it "Ultra" or "Ultimate" or something---I couldn't argue that it's not worth it.
As shocking as it may be if you've been out of the SUV market for a while, 74 grand is not-quite-even-loaded Chevy Tahoe money these days, and the Volvo XC90 is a far more refined machine.
