Volvo XC90

The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size crossover produced by Volvo Cars since it was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show 2002. It is based on the p2 platform, shared with the Volvo S80 and other large Volvo cars. As Volvo’s top-selling vehicle in the United States The XC90 is also Volvo’s best selling model worldwide with 85,994 cars sold in 2005.
A new Ford/Yamaha V8 engine was added in 2005. This 4.4 L Ford V8 engine produces 311 hp (232 kW) and 325 ft·lbf (441 Nm) of torque. The XC90 V8 will be priced at just over US$45,000 and it is expected that more than 15,000 would be sold per year.
The XC90 won the North American Car of the Year award and Motor Trend magazine’s Sport/Utility of the Year for 2003.
The XC90 was updated for 2007 with a restyled front and rear and a revised interior. The 235 hp 3.2 L SI6 straight-6 engine replaced the 208 hp B524T2 straight-5 in the base model for the US market. The 2007 XC90 debuted in April 2006 at the New York Auto Show.
The XC90 is produced at Volvo’s Torslanda plant (Torslandaverken) in Sweden.
The Volvo XC90 SUV is one of the world’s best safety performing luxury SUVs. The Volvo XC90 has been used as bench mark when it comes to safety features such as the front, side, and rear impact crash tests.[citation needed] The XC90 is also known for the world’s best performance in the SUV roll over test, as many other premium brands neglect to test this feature on their models. The Volvo XC90 front end is specifically designed to absorb frontal impacts and also deflect any pedestrians up on to the hood of the vehicle rather than underneath the bonnet. Volvo has patented the unique frontal structure that has renowned crumple zones, and a pre-determined positions for the engine and other ancillaries during a frontal impact.
The XC90’s roof is reinforced with ultra high strength steel to help prevent a collapse in the passenger cavity in the event of a roll over. This Volvo system is called ROpS, and is closely associated with the RSC, DSTC, and SIpS systems of Volvo to prevent and ultimately minimize effects of a pending accident.
This Volvo SUV has been designed on the rear end to absorb impact energy, but the occupants are also protected by one of the world’s most advanced whiplash protection systems. This Volvo WHIpS system cradles the entire body of the occupants when jolted in a rear end collision.
The XC90 has scored the highest rating of “Good” in the IIHS crash test; notably the rear impact, side impact, and roll over; for numerous years since its debut and most recently on July 3, 2007.
At the end of July 2007, Volvo Car Corp. announced the recall of 42,211 2005 year XC90’s in order to check their batteries to avoid the risk of an internal short circuit and fire. The vehicles were manufactured in the Swedish Torslandaverken between June 7, 2004 and May 13, 2005. The recall only applies to cars in the U.S. and Canada. There have been no reports of short circuiting in the vehicles.
The updated XC90 that was scheduled for 2010 introduction, has been canceled. Instead, the current model will undergo a facelift that will keep it on the market until 2012. Volvo has stated that the second generation XC90 is not cancelled altogether, as rumored, but its introduction could be delayed.