The three-row luxury Volvo XC90 SUV gets a fresh face for 2020, along with some interior attention. The subtle changes to exterior styling and tech are a move by Volvo to update its flagship SUV to keep it competitive in a crowded class of competitors that include the Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and BMW X5.
On the outside, the XC90 gets a new concave grille and restyling of the front and rear bumpers for 2020. Now standard are roof rails, integrated tail pipes and 19-inch wheels.
Inside, the 12.3-inch driver-instrument-panel display is standard. Also for 2020, the XC90 now comes in a six-seat arrangement with captain’s chairs in the second row. Standard safety tech includes a driver assistance system with adaptive cruise control and a blind spot warning system, to which automatic braking has been added in 2020.
The standard powertrain is a 250-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and for upper trims there’s an optional super- and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that puts out 316 hp and 295 pounds-feet of torque. The XC90 comes in front- or all-wheel drive.
The XC90 is also available in a range-topping plug-in hybrid version. For 2020, the battery capacity in the top T8 Inscription trim has been increased to 11.6 kilowatt-hours, up from 10.4 kwh in the 2019 model. Powering the T8 is a version of Volvo’s super- and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor that’s mounted on the rear axle — combining to amp up output to 400 hp and 472 pounds-feet of torque.
Interested in this subtly updated icon that still manages to impress? Here’s a roundup of our comprehensive coverage, constituting everything you need to know about the 2019-20 Volvo XC90:
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