Volvo announces a raft of updates across all ranges for the 2017 Model Year releases.

Volvo Cars today announces a wide range of updates for model year 2017, including the introduction of its latest semi-autonomous drive technology, Pilot Assist II, as standard on the XC90 in the UK.

The introduction of Pilot Assist II on the XC90 is made possible thanks to the modular approach to car building enabled by Volvo's new SPA architecture. Introduced first in the new S90 premium saloon, Pilot Assist II supports drivers up to speeds of 80 mph in well-marked highway conditions. 

PowerPulse

The XC90 will also be available with PowerPulse on the D5 powertrain. PowerPulse technology delivers significant improvements in take-off performance thanks to Volvo’s ingenious use of compressed air to deliver an instantaneous response by spooling up the turbo.

City Safety updated on 90 Series cars

Volvo has also expanded its safety technology to cover one of the most common causes of single-vehicle accidents by adding Run-off Road Mitigation, which uses auto-steer to help keep you on the road. Volvo’s standard collision-avoidance system, City Safety, also receives an update with Large Animal Detection added on 90 Series cars.

90 Series connectivity updates

Volvo’s in-car connectivity and driver interface system, Sensus, will receive several new native apps across the range for 2016, including Spotify and Park and Pay. 

Spotify, the highly popular music streaming service, provides constant access to an immense online library of your favourite music and utilises the familiar interface of Spotify’s smartphone applications in the car. 

Park and Pay provides Volvo owners with the ultimate convenience of finding and paying for parking when desired (the payment function is not yet offered in the UK).

Connected Service Booking, which allows workshop booking and reminders from the Sensus interface, will be added, along with improved Internet Maps, TuneIn, Local Search and Yelp applications. Record & Send, a new voice-recording app, will also be added, enabling drivers to make a voice note that they can send to themselves as reminders. 

60 Series cars

The 60 Series cars will receive significant updates for 2016. Volvo’s award-winning four-cylinder T5 petrol engine delivering 245 hp and 350 Nm of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission will become available in the XC60.

Two new wheels will be offered – a new 18” wheel for the S60/V60 and XC60, and a brand-new 20” wheel for the XC60. These will be complemented by a new generation of 18”, 19” and 20” wheels for R-Design trim levels.

The 60 Series cars will also be offered with three new exterior colours. Luminous Sand will be available on all 60 Series cars, while Mussel Blue will come on the XC60, S60, V60 and V60 Cross Country. Bursting Blue will be available for S60, V60 and XC60 R-Design variants. Passion Red is also being added for the V60 Cross Country model.

Updates across the range

Volvo On Call 

The Volvo On Call smartphone app, which allows remote access and control over a wide range of in-car features, receives a substantial update. Volvo On Call already delivers wearable connectivity (Apple Watch/Android Wear), and the new Microsoft Band 2 connectivity now enables voice control for certain features when using Windows 10-based smartphones.

Other updates to Volvo On Call include a calendar integration function that connects your personal calendar to the mobile app, allowing it to send calendar appointment destinations directly to your navigation on request. For 2016, Volvo On Call will broaden its scope and provide support for up to 10 Volvo vehicles, giving access to all the usual functions across a fleet of cars.

Volvo will also introduce Flic button compatibility with Volvo On Call. Flic allows you to program a single physical ‘smart button’ to perform several tasks, such as lock your car or to start/stop pre-heating (where available), and can be used as a shortcut to Volvo On Call services.

Volvo now also offers support for Windows 10 with a new version of the Volvo On Call application that can be used on regular PCs and tablets to interact with your car. 

CleanZone technology 

Volvo’s continuing leadership in interior air quality is highlighted from 2016 with the inclusion of the CleanZone logo on the instrument panel air vents in the 60 Series cars and a logo in the centre display of the 90 Series cars.

Volvo’s award-winning CleanZone technology ensures that outside air is effectively filtered before entering the cabin, removing harmful pollutants that are increasingly common in large urban areas. CleanZone technology reflects Volvo’s ongoing work to improve the in-car experience, covering incoming air, interior emissions and odours, interior surfaces and contact allergies.