Volvo XC90 D5 SE March 6, 2008
Posted by carcritic in Uncategorized.Tags: 4x4, cars, new car, volvo
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Model tested: Volvo XC90 D5 SE
Price as tested: £35,345
Range price: £32,845 – £54,420
Insurance group as tested: 15E
Insurance group range: 15E-19E
Date tested: January 2008
Road tester: Adrian HigginsAuto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 82%
The Volvo XC90 was a hit as soon as it was launched in 2003 for its understated quality, practicality and luxury.
Now the Swedes have given it a shove upmarket with a facelift and introduced two powerful new petrol engines to add to the more frugal diesel model.
We drove one for a week to see how this multipurpose seven-seater SUV punches at a higher weight
Volvo is pitching its flagship off-roader at the luxury end of the SUV market and changes to the 2007 model reflect this. At the front this takes the form of a new, more chrome-laden grille and a bigger Volvo badge. The rear sees redesigned lights, a full-width rear skidplate and a greater level of colour coding than on previous models. The car also has a shorter roofline due to the sloping tailgate, designed to make it clear this is most definitely not a Volvo estate. Trim levels SE and SE Lux also feature new 18-inch alloy wheels as standard with 19-inch alloy wheels available on the top Executive trim.
8/10
Volvo interiors have a calming effect. The Swedish manufacturer likes to ensure its drivers are unhurried and unflustered and the Volvo XC90 is no exception. The information display is set low to emphasise the vehicle’s car-like credentials while the updated central console is angled away from the cabin, helping create the feeling of space. The latest model also incorporates new materials and upholsteries, such as Sovereign Hide leather to enhance the premium quality claims.
8/10
The Volvo XC90 seats up to seven, with the sixth and seventh seats able to fold flat while not in use, just one of a total 64 possible seating combinations available – a big feature for buyers who have placed the car’s passenger capacity top of their list of reasons for buying. The split tailgate features a bottom half able to take the weight of an adult standing to load items on to the roof. The car features very comfortable seats with plenty of headroom. The second row centre seat is less roomy, but among a number of smart space-increasing ideas from Volvo is a removable armrest between the driver and the front seat passenger to create more legroom. It is also possible to slide the centre seat forwards to bring a child closer to the front seats. The downside of using all seven seats is the remaining boot space only amounts to 249 litres. However, this can be increased to 615 litres with the third row folded flat and up to a maximum of 1,837 litres with both rows of seats down. The XC90 also boasts off-road ability through all wheel drive, 218mm ground clearance and stability and traction controls.
9/10
The Volvo XC90 lives up to its promise of a luxury SUV drive. We found the car very comfortable as a driver and as passengers with the vehicle dealing with even the most demanding lumps and bumps with disdain. The handling does not match up to the benchmarks of 4×4 rivals the BMW X5 and the Porsche Cayenne and feels a bit vague in comparison but we were generally impressed by handling which instilled confidence through corners.
8/10
Buyers can now choose between three engines, two petrol and one diesel. The 185bhp D5 turbodiesel six-speed automatic gearbox model we drove covers 0-62mph in 11.5 seconds and has a top speed of 118mph. This delivered plenty of punch when required to overtake but also felt smooth for cruising. Go for the manual and the 0-62mph drops to 10.9 seconds while the top speed is increased to 121mph. If it is power you’re after however, the two automatic gearbox-equipped petrol models will prove more appealing. The 3.2-litre model covers 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds with a top speed of 130mph. The top of the range 4.5-litre model introduces Volvo’s first V8 engine and slashes the 0-62mph time to 7.3 seconds.
9/10
The diesel model is the most frugal, with the manual option the most economical at 34mpg. That compares with 31.4mpg if you choose the automatic. This drops to 23.9mpg for the 3.2-litre petrol version, and 20.9mpg for the 4.5-litre petrol model. The diesel model also offers the lowest CO2 emissions of 219g/km which place it within car tax band F (attracting an annual bill of £205), compared to the 3.2-litre petrol with 281g/km and the 4.5-litre petrol model with 322g/km. The two petrol-engined models fall into car tax band G, meaning a £300 annual bill until April 2008 when it increases to £400. From October cars in tax band G will also be face a £25 charge to enter the congestion zone in London. Insurance will not be cheap with models ranging between Group 15 and 19.
6/10
The original Volvo XC90 was launched in 2003 before being updated in 2007. The model is still a little new to evaluate its reliability. However, Volvo has built a deserved reputation for building reliable cars and there is no indication that its flagship SUV is any exception.
7/10
The Volvo XC90 boasts plenty of kit to keep you out of trouble. The All Wheel Drive system reduces the chances of the driver losing control – as do driver aids dynamic stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist. There is technology to reduce the chances of rolling and Volvo has also increased the strength of the roof by using boron steel – which is up to five times stronger than regular steel. All this helped the Volvo XC90 receive a full five star EuroNCAP crash test rating.
10/10
Volvo has armed its SUV with a high degree of specification to help its shift upmarket. The entry-level S trim is only available with the diesel model. Beyond that there are the SE, SE Lux and Executive trims. Go for the diesel model and choose the S trim and you will get 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, rear park assist, 8-speaker CD system, steering wheel audio controls and leather gear knob. SE adds 18-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured wheel arches, mirrors and door handles, rear skid plates, electric driver’s seats, leather-faced upholstery, 6CD multi-changer and automatic windscreen wipers. SE Lux adds brushed aluminium roof rails, bi-xenon headlamps and cleaning system, Sovereign hide soft leather upholstery, wood trim and heated electric front seats. Executive adds 19-inch alloy wheels, extended body-coloured wheel arches, chromed wide tailpipe cover, 12 speaker-CD, sat-nav and a refrigerator within the front centre armrest.
8/10
The Volvo XC90 performs very well on most fronts. It’s a very competent car, whether you intend to go off-road, simply ferry the family about or pitch your use somewhere between the two. However, while drivers will still enjoy an engaging drive, passenger comments regarding the comfort of this car were overwhelming. The seats are great and the ride is superb. A great car for taking the slog out of long journeys.
9/10
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4MOTION March 4, 2008
Posted by carcritic in Uncategorized.Tags: 4x4, car reviews, new cars, uk, used cars, vw
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Models tested: Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4MOTION manual and automatic, Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI 4MOTION manual
Price as tested: £20,670, £22,050, £23,050
Range price: £19, 370 – £24,215
Insurance group as tested: 9
Insurance group range: 9
Tested: January 2008, Luton, UK
Road tester: Vijay Pattni
On sale: NowFirst – some maths.
The compact SUV market is a £2.5 billion a year industry, accounting for approximately one in 20 cars sold in the UK.
And with so many small four-wheel-drive models on British roads, Volkswagen felt the time was right to throw its hat into the ring with this, the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan.
Vijay Pattni went to the launch to investigate.
First seen in concept form at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November 2006, the production-ready Tiguan was showcased at Frankfurt in September 2007, and is a completely new model from the “people’s-car” manufacturer.
Taking its design from its Touareg big brother, the new Tiguan is a handsome model, with sharp, muscular lines and good on-road presence.
And this feeling is echoed inside, with funky aluminium touches and a well-engineered finish to the dashboard and components – which it shares with the Golf Plus.
The driving position is near-perfect and all the controls are well-laid out and easy to find. The optional £795 panoramic sunroof gives the Tiguan’s cabin a genuine sense of space, while passengers in the rear will have little to complain about, thanks to acres of legroom and a raised seating bench, combined with fold-away tables mounted on the backs of the front seats on most models.
Computer blue
The Tiguan comes with permanent four-wheel-drive, dubbed 4MOTION in VW-speak, and can transfer a maximum of 50 per cent power to the rear wheels. In normal driving conditions however, the Tiguan sends 90 per cent of its power to the front – said to aid economy.
And it offers up a host of electronic driver aids as well, including hill descent assist (which applies the brake automatically when driving down steep hills) traction control and an electronic differential lock for tricky off-road conditions.
But the most impressive option in the new Tiguan – and a sure sign of its intended habitat – is the Park Assist function.
Press a button, and when the Tiguan recognises a parking space on the street large enough, it signals the driver to engage reverse. Then, the driver simply has to apply the throttle – the Tiguan steers itself perfectly into the gap. Costing just £450 extra, Park Assist ought to be a must for Tiguan buyers.
Diesel power
With petrol prices on the rise and emissions the hot agenda on every car manufacturer’s list, Volkswagen expects 85 per cent of Tiguan models will be sold with the 2-litre diesel engine.
The 2-litre TDI produces 140bhp and a healthy 236lb/ft of pulling power, which means the 0-62mph sprint is covered in 10.5 seconds, consuming 39.2mpg on the combined cycle and emitting 189g/km of carbon dioxide.
But translate those figures into real-world driving and the Tiguan offers up genuine oomph. The turbocharged 2-litre diesel spins up quickly and offers real overtaking power throughout the entire rev range.
The engine note gets a little thrashy at higher speeds, but overall we were impressed with the power, refinement and lack of ‘diesel-clatter’ of the 2-litre unit.
More surprising however, was the petrol variant.
Small is the new big
Global warming is heating up the car industry – manufacturers are bending over backwards to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and up performance, and one way of tackling the problem is to fit a smaller capacity engine.
But adding a small capacity ‘city-car’ engine to a four-wheel-drive off-roader sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
So we approached the 1.4-litre TSI-engined Volkswagen Tiguan with hesitation. Surely a 1.4 wouldn’t work?
In reality, it shouldn’t – but it does.
Volkswagen has supercharged and turbocharged the baby petrol engine to produce a very respectable 150bhp and 177lb/ft of pulling power – with the ability to return 33.6mpg on the combined cycle.
Add it all up and you get a 0-62mph time of 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 119mph.
The petrol engine was quick, refined and zingy – it lacked a little low-down pulling power but once you dial up the revs, the 1.4-litre TSI unit really starts to sing and hustles the 1.5 tonne Tiguan with real zest.
On the move
The Volkswagen Tiguan is a ‘soft-roader’ – a small 4×4 with off-road ability and on-road composure.
We took the Tiguan off the beaten track and found it a remarkable off-road performer. In S, SE, and Sport spec the Tiguan is capable of tackling most minor 4×4 terrains and comes with an 18-degree angle of approach.
This means if the Tiguan is driving down a steep hill, it can rejoin the flat road if the road is at an 18-degree angle or less.
The Escape model – which Volkswagen reckons will account for just five per cent of Tiguan sales – comes with a revised front bumper allowing a much larger 28 degree angle of approach – which makes for a greater wading depth – along with hill descent assist and a protective front radiator grille.
We took it over a range of rough terrain and found the Volkswagen Tiguan performed well under difficult conditions – it tracked through slippery muddy fields with confidence and tackled high-angled bumps and deep ruts without any drama.
But more surprising is the Tiguan’s ability on normal British roads.
The suspension absorbs imperfections in the road without translating them through the car, while body-roll through the twisty stuff is hardly noticeable for such a high-seated model. The car turns in keenly and holds on to your chosen line.
And although the steering felt overly-assisted and light when tracking straight ahead, it weights up nicely in the bends, giving enough feedback on what the wheels are doing underneath. Overall, there is a good level of grip and nimbleness to the handling, while for longer journeys the Tiguan is a capable mile-munching cruiser.
The all-new Volkswagen Tiguan is the company’s first attempt at a baby off-roader and, with handsome looks, a range of decent engines, good on and off-road ability and VW’s peerless build quality, should prove a decent alternative to the Land Rover Freelander.
CAR Critic 