The XC90 has a muscular look about it helped by the optional, extra wide 18” wheels on my test car. The muscular stance is the synthesis of several traditional Volvo features including the upright egg-crate grille; the V-shaped hood, which is accentuated on the XC90; and, especially, the broad, pronounced shoulders.
If you’re buying the V-8 option for the performance, you’re getting your money’s worth. If you’re buying it for the bling, forget it. It takes a very keen eye indeed to tell the difference between the XC90 with the relatively thrifty (yet peppy) 2.5T engine and the one with the expensive V-8. Two and only two very discrete V-8 badges – one on the rear hatch and one the grill – identify this one as something out of the ordinary.
The XC90’s wide and long wheelbase, coupled with a near 50/50 weight distribution, delivers a stable car-like ride.
