1. Home
  2. Autos
  3. Trucks

2006 Volvo XC90 V-8 AWD Test Drive

From Colin Hefferon, for About.com

3 of 5

In the Driver’s Seat of the XC90

2006 Volvo XC90 V-8

Photo copyright Colin Hefferon
The highly polished mahogany-color wooden steering wheel with leather inserts at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions as well as the leather shifter knob and leather boot add a very welcome touch of luxury to what is otherwise a well thought out but determinedly no-nonsense interior. Standard issue heated seats and automatic climate control mean that when the temperature outside spikes, your comfort is ensured.

The interior is quite elegant - more BMW than Lexus. The instrument panel follows Volvo’s recent trend to Scandinavian modern, with an emphasis on simple lines and functionality.

The basic vehicle architecture has been very intelligently thought out. The transverse, in-line engine placement has given the engineers a lot of space to work with. Not only were they able to fit the Yamaha V-8 in with no modifications to the frame or crumple zones, but they managed to fit three rows of seats into what is actually a very compact body - the XC90 is only about 3” longer than the V70 wagon.

The XC90 V-8 bases out about 10 grand more than models equipped with the 2.5T engine. For those extra 10Gs you’ll get a bunch of high cost stuff that’s optional on the 2.5T equipped models including the very sophisticated Haldex electronic AWD system.

Explore Trucks
About.com Special Features

Stay safe and save time by following these tips before driving a used car. More >

Discover the hottest cars for the 2010 calendar year. More >

  1. Home
  2. Autos
  3. Trucks
  4. Truck Buying Advice
  5. Pickup Truck Reviews
  6. 2006 Truck & SUV Reviews
  7. 2006 Volvo XC90 V-8 AWD Test Drive

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.