Unlike so many new cars, the XC90 gives the user access to all major parts of the engine, so checking fluids is not a hassle. In the real world, we got a surprisingly high 18.1mpg for a 380-mile range on a tank of gas. The six-speed transmission includes a manual mode and a button to shift to winter mode.Īt a time when the largest wild card is how much gas will cost tomorrow, the 2005 Volvo XC90 is rated by the EPA to get 14mpg in the city and 20mpg on the highway. Still, it's quiet and serene inside at 60mph, registering a hushed 63dBA, mostly from wind noise. This is the people mover for those who get anxious at freeway on-ramps, because the XC90 can go from 30mph to 50mph in 2.6 seconds. It all adds up to an astonishingly quick and agile vehicle with the ability to get to 60mph in just 6.7 seconds, about 2 seconds faster than the V-6-powered Chrysler Pacifica and in the neighborhood of sports-sedan acceleration. ![]() For those who like to shift themselves, the gearbox has a manual option, but even professional drivers will be hard-pressed to get better acceleration out of the car. A button marked W next to the shifter puts the transmission into winter mode, which reduces torque to the wheels on slippery surfaces. Its double-overhead-cam, 4.4-liter V-8 engine has variable valve timing for pumping out 311 horsepower, and it's mated to a supple six-speed automatic transmission. Power is the name of the game for the 2005 Volvo XC90. In addition to dual front climate-control knobs, the 2005 Volvo XC90 has three rear vents, as well as no fewer than a dozen cup holders. It was so good that we hardly noticed when we were cruising past a noxious group of oil refineries and chemical plants. It can even render carbon monoxide harmless. What it does have is an ingenious air-filtration system that uses sensors and activated carbon to block pollen and the nasty smells of the road. The six-disc CD-changer stereo system sounds a little hollow and lacks satellite radio, an auxiliary jack for an MP3 player, and Bluetooth cell phone integration, putting Volvo behind the digital eight ball. Although it does without a backup camera, the XC90's parking assistance warns you-with suitably annoying beeps-when you're getting too close to objects and can detect curbs in addition to taller obstructions. Despite selling for the equivalent of four economy cars, our 2005 Volvo XC90 test vehicle came without the $2,100 GPS navigation option.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |