volvo xc90 tft display made in china

Upgrade the Adaptive Digital Display with a 12.3" active TFT screen (Thin Film Transistor) for a bigger screen than the standard 8" active TFT screen. This further enhances the car"s exclusive look and makes driving even safer thanks to the clear onscreen information.

And for those looking for a more plush crossover experience, the luxury brands have that covered. Two of the best large luxury crossovers we"ve ever tested are the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90.

The Volvo XC90 was a revelation for us when we first tested the car in late 2015. It was the first new model to arrive in showrooms following the Swedish automaker"s acquisition by China"s Geely Group.

We loved the second generation XC90 so much that we gave it our 2015 Car of the Year award over some stiff competition like the BMW 7-Series and the Lamborghini Huracan. Amazingly, with the impending arrival of the new S60 sedan, the XC90 will soon become the oldest model in Volvo"s lineup.

Both crossovers are built on modular platforms and share their underpinnings with passengers cars. The Q7 is built on VW Group"s MLB Evo platform that"s shared with the Audi A4 sedan and Bentley Bentayga SUV. While the XC90 is built on Volvo"s SPA platform that underpins the company"s entire passenger car lineup.

Volvo continues to tweak and expand the XC90 model line-up. The Drive-E diesel can now be upgraded with a PowerPulse package that boosts power to 235hp and raises torque to 480Nm.

Working out Volvo model grades and engine designations can be tricky, especially when it comes to the big SUV. R-Design, which is the sports trim level, is available with the D5 diesel and T6 petrol Drive-E engines, and in T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric hybrid form.

The version I borrowed to test had the D5 biturbo engine, which normally means 225hp and 470Nm. But, this one had the option of what Volvo calls ‘PowerPulse’ and GBP835 worth of ‘Polestar Performance software optimisation’. That adds 10 horsepower and 10 Newton metres of torque. While some versions have a six-speed manual gearbox, the D5 PowerPulse has AW’s excellent TG-81SC eight-speed torque converter automatic.

With the upgrade, the 1,969cc diesel pushes the 2,009kg XC90 to 62mph in 7.8 seconds and on to a claimed top speed of 137mph. The CO2 number is 149g/km and the Tax band is F. While the Urban consumption average is quoted as being 45.6mph, in practice, if you don’t drive the car fairly gently, you’ll be seeing closer to the mid-30s.

As I have remarked in the past, it’s a shame that Volvo’s Drive-E engines don’t sound better. The 2,400cc inline five-cylinder which still exists in the PHEV version of the V60 won’t be around for much longer. It’s not available in the XC90, which is something of a shame. Don’t get me wrong, all engines in the Drive-E series are smooth, torquey and decent sounding but there just isn’t much for the enthusiast driver from any of them. More of that soon – I recently also tested the 2017 V60 Polestar which loses the old inline six and gains a Drive-E four-cylinder unit.

Some aural sparkle for Volvo’s four-cylinder diesels might be on my wish list, but it’s hard to think of anything much which needs attention in the chassis department for the XC90. This tall, 4,950mm long vehicle has far better handling than the first generation model. It’s not as wide as a Q7 or a Cayenne and that makes quite a difference on most roads too.

Inside, R-Design means leather and nubuck covering for the sports seats, a 12.3-inch active TFT driver’s information display, a perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel, plus gearshift paddles. The front passenger seat also gains electric adjustment with memory function (matching the driver’s seat), and the headlining is black.

As long as the company continues to keep its biggest SUV up to date by refining existing variants and adding additional ones – and the signs so far are that it will do so – the XC90 should continue to keep lifting the brand’s image and its margins.

The XC90 is still selling strongly more than two years since Volvo introduced it in the first markets. Torslanda remains the only production site though Chinese production will eventually be added at Geely-Volvo’s Daqing plant in Heilongjiang. That plant will soon be making another SPA model, the S90, so it makes sense to add XC90 build there too. A key difference will be that this won’t be a transfer of production from Sweden to China, as is the case with the S90, but additional build.

Volvo’s own data show that the company is having a good 2017, reporting a 5.7 per cent year-on-year sales increase in February. Total deliveries for the month amounted to 36,515 cars, compared to 34,552 cars a year earlier. The YoY gain over the first two months of 2017 was 5.4 per cent. The S90 and V90 are off to a strong start in Sweden and other major markets, while a new XC60 will soon be entering production. It’s already looking as though this year should be a record one for both EBIT and vehicle sales.

Volvo seems to be on the long road to recovery. Although sales have continued to slip in the USA, the numbers were up worldwide last year. In an interesting twist, 2014 was also the first year more Volvos were sold in China than North America. That could be cause-and-effect since Volvo had been more focused on their European-only new compact sedan and wagon. 2016 finally showers some Swedish love on America with a complete redesign of the XC90, the SUV originally designed for us. Because China is now a bigger market than we are, this XC90 isn’t just for us, but for China and the growing number of big crossovers clogging up Europe as well.

The Volvo DNA is undeniable, but an Audi influence is also readily apparent. While I admit I like Audi’s design language, I am a little saddened the very distinct Volvo styling cues from the original S80, S60 and XC90 continue to get softened over time.

Up front is a bolder, flatter grille (thanks to pedestrian impact regulations), distinctive optional LED headlamps and a shorter front overhang than ever before. The shorter overhang is possible because this is the first Volvo in ages designed to accept only 4-cylinder or smaller engines under the hood. Out back, the distinctive Swedish hips are nearly gone, replaced by a more sloping profile that is more aggressive but less extraordinary. The Audi influence is most apparent out back where U.S.-bound models get red turn signals instead of the amber blinkers found on the European model. While Audi supposedly makes the amber-to-red change because the amber lamps from the EU don’t cover enough surface area, Volvo’s switch is purely aesthetic.

Until the new Q7 lands and we can look inside, the new XC90 has the best interior in the segment with no exceptions. After stepping into a Range Rover Sport after the event, I can safely say the Volvo compares well with the next category up. Momentum trims make do with injection moulded door and dash components, while Inscription models slather everything within reach in acres of cowhide, more wood trim than a modern Jaguar and a simple style that is distinctly Scandinavian. (Which is surprising since the lead interior designer is American.)

The new SUV gets Volvo’s first complete seat redesign in ages. The Swedish thrones have long had a reputation for impressive ergonomics, but a refresh was overdue. The new design allows for 4-way lumbar, adjusting side bolsters, extending thigh cushions and ventilation in addition to heating. I was unable to sample the less capable base seat, but 8 hours in the top-end model confirms Volvo has improved the adjustability without sacrificing their legendary comfort and support.

Hop in the back and you’ll notice the XC90’s length may have grown over time, but interior height is actually down in some measures. This makes the third row very unusual. The seats are some of the most comfortable mother-in-law-row seats I’ve had the pleasure to sit in, but the headroom limits their usefulness to those under 5’8. The cargo area is surprisingly generous behind the third row with enough room to stuff roller bags in the long way, but I suspect most folks will keep the way-back seats folded. If that describes your typical third row usage, you may want to lobby Volvo for the seating accoutrements in the picture below.

As we’ve all heard, chauffeurs are cheap in China and being driven is preferred to driving. To satisfy this growing segment of Chinese society, Volvo will build the XC90 Excellence, which can be had as either a 3 or 4 seat model. No, Volvo didn’t bring one to sample to the event, but I mention it because the concept sounded way out in left field when I first saw the blog posts about it a few weeks ago. After having experienced the new interior, however, I have to say it makes sense. All but the steering wheel airbag cover is Range Rover competitive and I wouldn’t mind seeing a 5-seat variant with a little extra “plush” in the back. Just call it something other than the “XC90 Excellence.” Please.

Volvo placed a 9.3-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dash, which acts more like a tablet computer than a traditional infotainment system. The display actually works a little more smoothly than Tesla’s ginormous 17-inch model, although it’s much less snazzy. The overall concept allows four different data “zones” to coexist on-screen at the same time, customizable by the user. To interact with them, you touch the option and it expands while shrinking the others. This allows you to see the nav system’s map and your next turn directions while also seeing your media information, fuel economy, vehicle status and other pertinent bits. Touch responses were lightning fast, just like the latest tablet computers. The system offers iDrive-like levels of adjustment and vehicle customization.

Over on the driver’s side is an all-new and all-gigantic 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster. The gauge design is elegant and well-laid out using nearly 1/3 of the display for either your media functions or a navigation map, even when a destination is not set. I’d say the new Volvo display ranks on par with the new Mercedes S-Class and ahead of the Jaguars and Land Rovers with disco dashes in terms of design. Speaking of JLR products, I have one gripe: like the English disco dashes, Volvo has little ability to customize the LCD aside from colors and some minor gauge changes. Although GM has only four different layouts to chose from in Cadillac CUE, that’s three more than Volvo and the looks are all different.

For 2016, Volvo reprises most of its safety systems, updates several of them and adds some new ones for good measure. The usual suspects – like a plethora of airbags and anti-whiplash seats – are standard. Volvo’s City Safety autonomous braking system gets an under the covers overhaul. Previously, the system came in two different versions: the base version relied solely on a laser scanner and camera to detect traffic and the second version was bundled with the adaptive cruise control using a radar sensor to expand coverage to pedestrians and cyclists. This generation of City Safety doesn’t increase the speeds above 31 mph, but the radar sensor and expanded sensing is now standard, as is a software tweak to improve accident avoidance in intersections. The new radar sensor replaces the laser scanner and is located in the same housing behind the rear-view mirror. The new location is less susceptible to ice build-up or snow packing in cold weather and may reduce repair costs in minor accidents.

As advertised, Volvo has kicked their 5- and 6-cylinder engines to the curb with the new XC90. While there are a selection of engines available in the EU, the only one making it to the USA is the turbocharged and supercharged 2.0L direct-injection four-cylinder. In the SPA platform, there’s a little more room for the plumbing. So, power is up slightly from the XC60 Drive-E to 316 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, nearly the equal of the BMW N55 in most tunes. The only transmission is an 8-speed Aisin automatic. All T6 models get a standard Haldex AWD system that will send up to 50 percent of available power to the rear whenever it wants. And, depending on the situation, the system will send up to 80 percent of power to the rear axle if a front wheel slips. If you need more power, Volvo doesn’t give you a bigger engine; they add a hybrid system in addition to the turbo and the supercharger. Say what? You heard that right, the XC90 T8 is a plug-in turbocharged and supercharged 400 horsepower hybrid.

Volvo’s hybrid system is thematically similar to Acura’s RLX hybrid. Things start with the same 316 hp engine and 8-speed auto as the T6, but they jam a 46 hp, 103 lb-ft electric starter/motor/generator between the engine and torque converter. The engineers ditched the Haldex AWD so they could stuff a water-cooled 9.3 kWh lithium ion battery in the tunnel between the front seats. The mechanical AWD is replaced by a 87 hp, 177 lb-ft electric motor connected to the rear axle sending power through a fixed 10:1 reduction gear. With a maximum discharge rate of 87 hp from the battery, the power and torque curves combine to give the driver 400 ponies and 475 lb-ft of torque. (Official US numbers are not final.) If you live in the snow belt, you should know while the T6 can send 158 hp to the rear on a whim, 87 is the most you’ll ever get in the T8. If that sounds like the Lexus and Acura eAWD systems, you’re right, so expect similar snow and ice performance.

I was honestly a little surprised Volvo designed an entirely new suspension system for the SPA platform in addition to everything else. Instead of MacPherson struts, Volvo fits double wishbones up front producing a positive impact on handling. Out back, the XC90 sports a funky single composite leaf-spring in the independent multi-link suspension. The rear suspension design (except the leaf spring part) is quite similar to what Jaguar is using in the new XE. Logical, since both were started while Volvo and Jaguar were owned by Ford. The new design makes it easier to integrate the optional four-corner air suspension fitted to all XC90s at the testing event. The new suspension design, the lightened front end and the widest tires Volvo has ever put on a production car (275 width) improve handling just as you’d expect.

This puts the XC90 closer to the X5 than the MDX or QX60 in terms of grip. Configured comparably, the X5 will out handle the XC90 thanks to a RWD dynamic and better weight balance. But, the XC90 is less expensive. So, configured to a similar price, the Volvo will likely win. Speaking of price, the XC90 and the MDX price out almost identically. Although the XC90 starts higher at $48,900, it comes with standard AWD and the Acura doesn’t. Similarly configured an MDX Advance and a XC90 Momentum (with appropriate options) end up just $100 apart, a decent discount vs the other Euro options.

The engineers are claiming a 6.1 second 0-60 time – the same time advertised by BMW for the X5 in both RWD and AWD forms. Unfortunately, I was unable to 0-60 test the Volvo. Going back in our logs, I discovered that the 2015 X5 xDrive35i is the only BMW in recent memory to take longer to get to 60 than BMW’s claimed. The X5 hit 60 after 6.5 seconds, meaning the Volvo may be a hair faster. Check back for full specs when we get our hands on one for a full review. Add the hybrid hardware and Volvo says 0-60 drops to 5.7 seconds – notably faster than the QX60 hybrid (7.1) but a far cry from the 4.4L turbo X5 (4.7).

Numbers aside, the small engine in the XC90 certainly has a different feel than the 3.0L engine in the BMW. Low end torque from idle lags then comes on strong. Passing torque is excellent at most speeds, and at high RPMs the engine feels a hair more out of breath than the larger displacement options.

The XC90 isn’t a game changer for Volvo in America. It can’t be. A brand is more than one car. However, if the XC90 is a window into Volvo’s future, then I have high hopes. If the Swedes can make over their entire lineup fast enough, they may also salvage their American sales numbers. This kind of interior quality in a 3-series sized vehicle would give even the all-new and all-tasty C-Class a run for its money. Just two things stand in their way: a distinct lack of marketing to let Audi shoppers know there is a better crossover for sale and the worrying thought it may be another 12 years until this XC90 gets redesigned. If you’re shopping for a luxury 3-row and don’t give the XC90 a look, you’re missing out on one tasty meatball.

Do you remember what you were doing in 2002? To many of us, Volvo included, 12 years ago seems like another lifetime. In 2002, Volvo was launching its XC90 flagship SUV at the Detroit auto show. The brand, under Ford ownership for the better part of three years, was eager to take a chunk out of the premium sport-utility market while bringing its unique blend of Swedish design and safety savvy to the segment. The three-row "ute did well enough to win Motor Trend"s 2003 Sport Utility of the Year award and quickly become the brand"s best-selling vehicle. Engines started with a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five and a twin-turbo I-6, but expanded to include a V-8 for several years at the height of the XC90"s popularity.

Twelve years, a new owner (China-based Geely automotive), and just one major face-lift later, the XC90 is still here, having sold more than 550,000 units worldwide. There"s just one engine option now, a 3.2-liter I-6 that makes all of 240 hp and is mated to a six-speed automatic. The base price sits at a shade over $40,000 including destination. But all that"s about to change for the 2016 model year.

I was invited to Volvo"s top-secret winter testing facility in very northern Sweden (the appearance isn"t as exciting as it sounds - this is no Bond villain hideaway) where temperatures don"t often swing out of negative digits in winter. The reason? To catch a sneak preview of Volvo"s second-generation XC90, due to be unveiled to the public later this year, ahead of a production launch in early 2015. While the photos shown here are of a heavily camouflaged (Mad Max-influenced?) prototype, I actually got ride in an undisguised mule to get an impression of what"s to come for Volvo"s top-flight vehicle.

Initial styling impressions are good. Take a look at Volvo"s recent Concept Estate shown in Geneva and you"ll get an idea of what the front end is all about. The nose is at once sleek and abrupt, with a very large, upright grille, short front overhang, and long hood. Moving rearwards, the waistline sits a little higher than the current XC90, meaning less window surface area, but an overall sleeker appearance to the current vehicle"s utilitarian look.

The interiors I was shown were not yet up to production spec and looked unfinished, but appeared vastly more contemporary than the current XC90. Various real metal and wood trim packages are available, including options for open-pore wood - a natural finish currently popular with Audi and BMW, among others. The instrument display is fully digital on higher spec models (12.3-inches), similar to current Range Rover setups, and features a center information display between two projected analog-style gauges. Standard instrument panels include a small TFT information display between two actual analog gauges.

The display on the center stack is where things get really interesting, with a portrait-oriented, 9.3-inch touch screen with multi-gesture functionality, similar to tablets. A lone rotary dial sits at bottom center to adjust the radio volume and pause or play music, but all other controls are on the screen. The home screen is divided into five horizontal sections. The bottom section contains climate control functions, while the upper four sections are (from top to bottom) navigation, audio, phone, and a user-selectable function. To expand any to full screen, simply tap once. The screen can be swiped to either side for submenus or to change other basic vehicle controls, such as interior lighting preferences or audio tone. The demo system I played with was extremely intuitive and responsive and the vertical orientation seems to be the way forward, as Tesla has realized for some time now. Apple"s CarPlay application has been worked into the new unit to aid mobile device integration.

The chassis comes from Volvo"s new Scalable Product Architecture (otherwise known as SPA), which will debut on the XC90 before spreading to new generations of mid- and full-size Volvo vehicles. The same architecture underpins the Concept Estate and is designed to take advantage of a lineup that will rely solely on inline four-cylinder engines, as currently found in the S60 sedan. Combined with the increased use of high-strength steel and aluminum, the idea is that the new XC90 will be lighter than the current version, despite its roughly four-inch longer body and slightly increased width.

A big goal is also to make the XC90 drive smaller than it looks - a sporty, nimble option in the three-row SUV space. The car uses an A-arm suspension up front and a multilink rear design. Standard cars receive steel coil springs, while air springs will be available. Steering is electronic, though a different system than the current S60 uses. It will, however, feature user-selectable weighting.

Volvo will launch the XC90 in the U.S. with both internal combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrain variants. Expect the new Drive-E T5 and T6 engines as found in the current S60 to be present here, mated to an evolution of the new eight-speed Aisin automatic transmission. That means either a 240-hp/258-lb-ft direct-injected, turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 or a 302-hp/295-lb-ft turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter I4. Those concerned about the all-four-cylinder lineup power-wise needn"t worry: Even the T5 makes the same horsepower and more torque than the current 3.2-liter I-6. Details are currently slim on the new plug-in hybrid powertrain, but as the top-shelf model, expect the T6 engine to form the combustion component. Gasoline variants will be front- or all-wheel drive, while the hybrid will be all-wheel drive only, with its electric motor powering the rear wheels. This motor can be decoupled to save energy using a Haldex clutch. Electric-only range is expected to be in the 30 km range (about 18 miles) on a full charge.

I got a brief ride-along on a relatively smooth, but dotted with snow test track in both a 2.0-liter turbodiesel XC90 (diesel is not on the roster for U.S. launch, but could be considered in the future) and a T6 gasoline-powered version. Both felt adequately peppy (the T6 variant even more so), and, though it was difficult to say from the passenger seat, both felt on the sporty side of things, with little body roll and fairly agile reactions. As might be expected, the air-sprung XC90 seemed a little plusher than the steel-sprung version, but both seemed to have rides and driving manners that target the sportier vehicles in the segment, such as the Audi Q7. Visibility seemed strong, both front and rear, and both engines gave muted grumbles - not particularly wonderful-sounding, but far from obnoxious.

When the 2016 Volvo XC90 hits showrooms early next year, it appears ready to take the fight to upscale German competitors. For that advantage, it will also likely cost a good chunk more than the $40,000 starting price of the outgoing model. With any luck, Volvo"s effort will be rewarded. We"ll know more when we get a chance to drive the all-new XC90 by the end of this year.Looks good! More details?

By India Today Web Desk: Volvo Cars India had a very eventful 2016 with 4 launches including the flagship product, S90 in India. The company has reported a third consecutive year of record sales in 2016, increasing 6.2 per cent compared to 2015 to 534,332 cars. Volvo"s largest market in 2016 was China, with total sales of 90,930 cars, an increase of 11.5 per cent. In India, Volvo launched the Volvo V40, V40 Cross Country, Volvo S90 and Volvo XC90 Excellence.

The Volvo V90 Cross Country is everything one would expect from such an automobile. Firstly, the car sits higher off the ground compared to the Volvo V90. By comparison, the difference in ride height between the V60 and V60 Cross Country is 65 millimetres.

As far as the interior is concerned, there won"t be a significant departure from the cabin design of the 2016 Volvo V90. As with every other Cross Country model, the V90 Cross Country won"t carry over the entire engine range of its on-road brother. Only the more powerful gasoline- and diesel-fed engines will be available, as will the plug-in hybrid T8 Twin Engine powertrain.

The R-Design models are the sportiest XC90s to date, featuring a range of design, dynamic and equipment upgrades to give Volvo"s seven-seat SUV a sporty makeover. Prices of the XC90 R-Design start at 49,785 (Rs 50.11 lakh). R-Design versions are available with the D5 diesel and T6 petrol Drive-E engines, and in T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric hybrid form.

The outside of the car is distinguished by 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, silver-effect door mirrors, gloss black mesh front grille and tinted rear windows. Inside, there are leather/nubuck sports seats, a 12.3-inch active TFT driver"s information display and a perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel complete with gearshift paddles.

Developed from 17 years of motorsport experience, and sharing DNA with the 508bhp Volvo S60 Polestar Concept Car, the Volvo S60 Polestar was manufactured in 2013. A limited production run has been developed exclusively for the Australian market as a pilot project.

The Volvo S60 Polestar shares technology from the Polestar racing cars, like dampers from Ohlins, high capacity brakes, and the extensively developed, highly-tuned chassis.

The six-cylinder turbo-charged Volvo T6 engine has been optimised by Polestar with a bigger turbo, new intercooler, revised engine mapping and racing exhaust to produce 350bhp and 500+Nm. The S60 Polestar accelerates from 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds, via a Polestar-tuned six-speed automatic gearbox - which also features a launch control system - and a Polestar-tuned Haldex 4WD system. The car is governed to a top speed of 250km/h.

The new seven-seat SUV is the first of a range of all-new models that the company hopes will propel it into the first division of automotive premium brands. The new XC90, codenamed V526, sticks closely to the formula set by its predecessor, which was launched in 2002 in the international markets. The Mk2 model is 4.9m in length, making it 100mm longer than the outgoing model, as well as being slightly lower and wider. Interior space is said to be significantly improved for second and third-row passengers, while boot space with the third row of seats in place is increased.

Volvo has also rethought the control layout, with the XC90"s interior recently revealed. The centre of the dash is dominated by a 9.5in, tablet-like screen, through which all of the car’s functions can be controlled. There are only seven conventional switches on the fascia, including a combined volume and on/off switch for the entertainment system. The main dials are displayed on a small TFT screen, which expands to a full-width configurable display on high-end models. The XC90 will also be equipped with new levels of passive and active safety systems as part of Volvo’s ‘Vision 2020’ plan, the goal of which is to ensure that no one is killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo from 2020.

The SUV is the first car to be based on Volvo’s new Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA), which will eventually underpin all future 40, 60 and 90-series models. Dennis Nobelius, vice-president of ‘Vehicle Line 90’, Volvo’s large model programme, said the SPA was flexible enough to cover all types of vehicle, from low-roof cars to SUVs. “We want to have the best possible proportions [in the front-wheel drive class],” said Nobelius. “We have pushed the front wheels forwards and the A-pillars backwards to get a long bonnet. We have also restricted the platform to accommodating four-cylinder engines, although there will be everything from a mild hybrid to a pure electric version.”

Internationally, the XC90, like its future sister models, will be powered by a range of Volvo’s own four-cylinder petrol and diesel VEA engines, which will be variously boosted by single and twin turbochargers or a combination of both a turbo and a supercharger. One of the most powerful engines will be a 300bhp petrol unit using a turbo and supercharger. Beyond that, the XC90 will also come in hybrid form with an electric motor powering the rear wheels. Further down the line, a version of the XC90 equipped with an energy-harvesting flywheel on the rear axle is likely, while a pure electric version of the large SUV will have its batteries packaged in the centre tunnel and under the rear floor so interior space won’t be compromised.

Volvo’s research and development chief, Peter Mertens, revealed that when Ford first put Volvo up for sale in 2008, bosses sat down and completely rethought the company’s future. “We went through the first analysis and come up with the SPA and VEA concepts,” he said. Only when Volvo was bought by Chinese car maker Geely in 2010 did the Swedish firm have access to the funds to bring its vision to reality. Mertens said this is because Volvo is a relatively small car maker and can make decisions quickly. Development of the XC90 will now concentrate on extreme heat, humidity and high-altitude testing. The showroom-ready car should be revealed to international public before the end of the year.

Until batteries are good enough for us to go all-electric, hybrid cars are currently the perfect balance between planet-friendly and practical. We"ve driven the XC90 with the brand new 2016 T8 engine, which uses a 320bhp 2.0-litre turbocharge petrol engine and an 87bhp electric motor. Combined, you get a total of 395bhp with the ability to reach 62mph in 5.3 seconds. And it only produces 49g/km! If you"ve got the money, the T8 would definitely be our choice of the range.

As part of their cost-crunching future, Volvo have gone from cherry picking from an option list of eight different engines to manufacturing just one – a two-litre, four cylinder block. There will be “versions”, obviously: a twin-turbo charged diesel, a super- and turbocharged petrol and a hybrid will all be options.Andto be honest, although plucky and capable, it isn"t an engine to love.

Volvo claims the diesel will deliver 48mpg, we found it to be just over 28mpg. But this is a car with all the aerodynamics of a block of cheddar and we were spending diesel like it"s never going to run out. So those figures are to be expected.