New XC90 Post Reply

[NorthcoteLuvvie]

I know its enviromentally unfriendly, I know it's a whole heap of bad things but I do want one!

http://www.volvocars.com/intl/all-cars/ ... .aspx#/car

[NYE31]

Me too, we have an XC60 & we love it, some of our friends liked it so much that they have just bought an XC90!

[juliantenniscoach]

get an LPG conversion for £1.5k safe a heap of money, better for the engine and environment. Battersea autogas will sort it.

[sw17mamma]

Good suggestion by Julian.

But just in case you needed to be reminded on how we should be limited the damage to the environment, here is the latest IPCC report

http://www.ipcc.ch/

And a more reader friendly version:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... ces-energy

[ally30_1998]

We're currently wavering between and xc60 and a bmw x3.
Criteria is we need 'sit up and beg' style seats because of intermittent dodgy backs and enough room in the back to fit all the camping gear.
Volvo wins on seats but bmw is a much smoother ride.
If it wasn't for the camping and the backs we'd get something like a Prius or a smart car, but we don't use the car very often and when we do it tends to be minimum 2 hour journey's to rellies or to office.
The LPG conversion is a good idea. Will have to look in to that one.

[NYE31]

LGP is a great idea - thanks

[Caferacer]

It's the old cliche really - what do you want to use it for?

I had what was possibly the biggest 4x4 possible in this country - a Mercedes Benz R Class ... and the long wheelbase model to boot,

I found the frustrations of finding parking spaces, squeezing into Sainsbury's car park spaces, squeezing along the narrow roads (with someone coming the other way ) and having to park a long way from where I wanted to be because it was too long and wide ,,, just not worth the effort.

After a while I also question lugging all this machinery around with me to make the car a 4x4, heavy front axles , transaxles and gearboxes , differentials etc... the price of all this weight obvious when I filled it up.

And of course do we need a four wheel drive system that can handle the Kalahari or the Brazilian rain forest when all we do is drive from school gates to supermarket to shopping center and the odd motorway trip?

Thirty years ago middle class families with kids put their faith in Volvo, Mercedes and BMW estates,,, these load luggers carried more 'stuff' than the 4x4s , were supremely safe for the kiddiwinkies and yet were slim enough to get through London like a normal car ( and were actually fun to drive - not lumbering tanks) .

The MB E Class for instance has a bigger boot (seats up ) than an X3 or XC90) and the MB C class and BMW 3 and 5 series estates as well as the Volvo V70 are not far behind... going a bit cheaper the Skoda Superb estate is cavernous!

So go on! Leave those 4x4 lorries behind and actually enjoy driving again

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

Now I'd rather drive this:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/tesla/s

[Caferacer]

It is nice

A tad expensive but a great design!

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

No petrol/ diesel ever again, 0% benefit in kind tax as a company saloon and it is very, very beautiful.

This is my favourite review of it: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s

[Alasdair_Volvo]

Sorry - I couldn't help myself when I saw this post! I work at Volvo Cars London and we're as excited about the new XC90 as you are - visit our website http://www.volvocarslondon.co.uk if you want to be kept in the loop with all the latest images and news about its arrival - it's also rumoured to have some pretty impressive environmental credentials too!

@ ally30_1998 - great to see the Volvo seats have impressed you, a tip if you want a smoother ride is not to go for the R-Design sports version (which is calibrated to created a firm and more involved ride), go for the SE or SE Lux with slightly smaller wheels and larger tyres and you'll be amazed at the difference it makes to the ride comfort!

[ally30_1998]

Replying to Ross....
My dad has a Volvo V70 and they are great cars. We have a BMW 3 estate at the moment, nothing wrong with it at all apart from ridiculously small load space and very close to the ground.
The only reason we are looking at things like the XC60 and so on is the deeper footwell. If you are unlucky enough to suffer pain from back injury, this type of seating arrangement wins hands down over standard estate/saloon car seating.
I agree they seem much more aggro to drive and we tested a Volvo S60 which was an extremely smooth ride and a lovely car, but it comes back to the footwells again ....to shallow and too close to the ground...difficult to get out of (especially on a camber).
My other half keeps joking he wants to get a Porsche.... Can't see us managing very well with one of those and all the camping gear

[ally30_1998]

Replying to Alasdair...

It's the R seats that we liked actually! If we get a Volvo we will go for those seats and just live with the other stuff. It really is down to the seating position for us and not much else.

[Caferacer]

Note your point Ally - higher cars are much better if you have some mobility problems, or, like you have back problems.

Have you considered a Ford Transit Van? High up . commanding view , huge footwells AND you have LOADS of space in the back - you can put a wole hose contents in there!

ONLY KIDDING !

[ally30_1998]

He he...don't think the MIL would enjoy sitting in the back of that very much