The Volvo XC90 T8 Plug in hybrid has been awarded the green car of the year award.

• XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid crowned Green Car of the Year at the Professional Driver Car of the Year Awards
• Honoured for its luxuriousness, affordable running costs and low CO₂ emissions
• Volvo’s comprehensive chauffeur programme also praised

The Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription has been voted Green Car of the Year at the 2016 Professional Driver Car of the Year Awards.

The awards celebrate the best in the private hire, chauffeur and taxi industry, and the Green Car of the Year category was open to any vehicle with CO₂ emissions of 70 g/km or below. 

The XC90 T8 sits comfortably below that figure, with CO₂ emissions of just 49 g/km, helped by its innovative petrol-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

That’s not the T8’s only impressive figure. It can be driven for up to 27 miles in zero-emission, virtually silent electric-only mode, and its official combined fuel economy figure is 134.5 mpg. 

The XC90 T8 has space for seven adults in its luxurious interior, while its boot provides an impressive 967 litres of luggage space when the two rearmost seats are folded down.

Drivers and passengers will certainly appreciate the XC90 T8 Inscription’s beautiful cabin. Nappa soft leather upholstery, natural wood inlays and leather door tops are all standard, as are rear footwell and side step illumination, and integrated sun curtains in the rear doors. Every XC90 T8 also comes with a panoramic glass sunroof and four-zone climate control.

Class-leading connectivity comes as standard, too. The ground-breaking Volvo On Call app allows you to control numerous functions of the car from your mobile device, including the ability to heat or cool the cabin so it’s at the perfect temperature when you and your passengers get in the car. The innovative touch screen control system offers pinch and zoom functionality, and you can even use it while wearing gloves. You can also turn the car into a WiFi hotspot using the increased signal strength of the car’s antenna, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration are available.

As you’d expect from a Volvo, safety is paramount. Every XC90 comes with automatic emergency braking, which works day or night, along with pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection. There are also advanced safety aids to prevent the car from inadvertently leaving the road, while the standard Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive system takes the strain out of long motorway journeys by helping to regulate the car’s speed, distance from any vehicle in front, and position in its lane.

Volvo’s bespoke chauffeur programme also won praise from the judges. This includes a three-year, 100,000-mile warranty, a like-for-like replacement vehicle, direct aftersales support and service plan options. Contract hire offers of up to 50,000 miles a year are available, too.

Commenting on the award, Mark Bursa, the editor of Professional Driver, said: “The Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine offers a great combination of luxury, low running costs and great manufacturer support through a benchmark chauffeur programme.”

Selwyn Cooper, Head of Business Sales for Volvo Car UK, said: “The XC90 T8 is already proving a huge hit with Volvo buyers, and for it to win this award is an honour, especially because it is chosen by leading chauffeur and private hire professionals. The XC90 T8’s blend of space, luxury, tax-efficiency, refinement and safety makes it the perfect car to drive or be driven in.”

TMW - The Volvo XC90 T8, the range topping hybrid that wipes the floor with everything else in it's class.

Under Ford Volvo had a strange and trying time, with models coming infrequently and based on other Ford branded products, then we had the downturn and Ford panicked, they cleared out all but Lincoln, and Volvo was sold to Geely of China.

It was then that people started to worry, what would become of the Swedish giant, would it be watered down, and if so, by what margin, but those fears were unfounded, Geely seems to have left the bosses in Sweden alone with the know how to build world beating cars, and the first of those cars that came from that confidence was the XC90 SUV.

The existing XC90 was getting rather long in the tooth, and was at one stage the companies best selling model, but no longer, the new car was needed and swiftly, it was then the concepts appeared and then the All-New XC90 was launched, and what a car that is.

The model tested here is the T8, the Twin Engined model which is a plug in hybrid, unusual in such a large SUV, but works really well, the T8 has followed the D5 and T6 models, both of which are superior to the car it replaces, the T8 comes with a 2.0 litre engine, and comes with a Supercharger for low-rev response and a turbocharger for higher revs, this powers the front wheels of the car via a seamless and super smooth 8 speed automatic gearbox.

The second engine is situated at the rear of the car, sitting nicely between the sub frames, this electric motor generates around 80bhp and obviously drives the rear wheels, this motor is powered by a battery which is stored within the transmission tunnel, this is an ideal area, as there is no prop shaft so space is available for these batteries, the weight also gives a lower centre of gravity, again helping to create a near perfect off-roader.

The way in which this car is propelled is via different methods and is very flexible in the way it does this, you can have full on electric mode, where you can get upwards of 25 miles of range, half and half or full power, or even a specific 4WD mode which is best for driving, well, off road, or just allow the car to chose, which is most probably where the majority of owners will put it.

Now you would think that, that's it, but no, there is a third engine which generates 25bhp and is specifically designed to iron out the changes between different drive methods and to top up and gaps in the torque range. 

The car is big, there is no getting away from that, but once you are sat behind the wheel it really does not feel that large, in fact you can push it and whip it about like a medium sports car, the grip is great, and cornering is one of the best for this size of SUV, you get the added benefit of not really being beaten about the ears with engine noise, road noise is a little wearing on really rough roads, and on pot holes and sleeping policemen, you do hear the thud, but it is not intrusive enough to make the driver regret buying it, far from it.

Breaking is OK, not the best at stopping, but you would not expect it to stop on a penny for a car of this weight and size, it does everything right, stops when you need it too, and without any issues, no rear end wobble at high speed braking, but you do occasionally feel the difference between normal braking and regenerative braking, but again not noticeable enough to be intrusive.

The car shines when you look at the numbers and they are very impressive, 49g/km is really impressive, combine that to 134.5mpg and you have a car that not only does everything you could ever ask of it, but it is friendly to the environment too, and in these times of diesel scandals and smog infested cities, this car can help eliminate some of this.

Top speed is 140mph, so no slouch, and with the eight speed auto, overtaking is child's play, but you are never far from being aware that this is a large beast, and one that does everything right.

Spending time inside the car and you will soon feel at home, it takes little time to get comfortable, and once you have  everything in the right place, driving the car is a pleasure, the very light and airy cabin is a really nice place to be in, it has a zen like feel to the interior. you sit low down, or that's how it seems, with a built up central area, you feel like you are in a jet fighter.

There are very few buttons to play with, and that's a nice change from some of the competition, that has upwards of 30+ button and switches to play with, the vast majority of the car is run entirely through the touchscreen system, and believe me, it really is simple to use, with one of the simplest, perfectly designed touchscreen systems there is, you can even pinch the screen of stretch it out with your fingers, just like an iPad.

Whether you use the third row of seats is up to you, but they are quite opulent for a third row, and can take people, albeit, smaller than your average adult, with sublime comfort and room to spare, the entire interior is luxurious, even in the lower spec models, you feel like you are in something far more expensive, a Bentayga comes to mind.

The T8 is not cheap, at around £65k plus options but for that you get probably the best SUV out there, even ranking above the Daddy, the Range Rover, and for Volvo, this model is just the start, we already have the new S90 and V90 ready for the public, the V40 has been face lifted and concepts for the S40, V40 and XC40 have been launched, and from what i have been told (on the quiet) these cars will appear not to dissimilar to the concepts, if true, then Volvo will have even more massive hits on their hands.

There is only one question, would I own one.

To damned right I would, this is as near to perfect as they come.

TMW - Jon Mower

Volvo Cars, has announced that it aims to sell a total of up to one million electrified cars by 2025.

Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, has announced that it aims to sell a total of up to one million electrified cars by 2025. The Swedish company plans to achieve this aim by offering at least two hybrid versions of every model in its range and releasing its first all-electric car in 2019.

“It is a deliberately ambitious target,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. “It is going to be a challenge, but Volvo wants to be at the forefront of this shift to electrification.”

Volvo Cars has been readying itself for the emergence of electrified vehicles for the past five years. It has developed two all-new vehicle architectures for larger and smaller cars – Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) and Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) – that can incorporate either hybrid or fully electric car technology.

Its larger 90 series and 60 series cars are to be built on SPA, and it will soon launch a global range of smaller 40 series cars on CMA. All of these cars will have electrified versions. The one million electrified car target is a cumulative total.

Full details of Volvo Cars’ new electrified car pledge can be found in the Volvo Cars Sustainability Report 2015 (PDF).

The new electrified car pledge forms part of a wide-ranging review of Volvo’s strategic sustainability programme announced today, which contains several new commitments that place sustainability at the centre of its future business operations.

The new commitment has been christened ‘omtanke’, which is a Swedish word that means ‘consideration’ or ‘caring’.

Among the commitments being made by Volvo Cars are that it will impose climate-neutral operations by 2025, have 35 per cent of its leading positions held by women by 2020, move further towards its vision that by 2020 no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo, and work with international partners to promote sustainability.

“Sustainability is nothing new or something that sits outside our operations, it is something that forms an integral part of everything we do. It is simply our way of operating,” said Mr Samuelsson. “This new sustainability commitment reflects Volvo Cars’ fundamental belief that we must also grow responsibly.”

Full details of Volvo’s new wide-ranging sustainability commitment can be found in the Volvo Cars Sustainability Report 2015.

The All-New V90, joins the stunning new S90 in a refreshed range of cars from Volvo, the turnaround is now in full force.

The eagerly awaited Volvo V90 was revealed today in Stockholm, Sweden. The stylish and versatile V90 is the latest in the premium car maker’s top-of-the-line 90 series, sitting alongside the award-winning XC90 SUV and the recently launched S90 premium saloon.

Building on Volvo Cars’ indisputable heritage in the estate segment, which began more than 60 years ago with the Volvo Duett, the new V90 takes the premium estate a clear step forward in terms of aesthetics, materials and finish, while living up to the ultimately practical nature of any true estate.

“We have a very strong position in the estate segment,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive of Volvo Cars. “In many people’s minds we are known as the definitive estate brand. While the Volvo brand today stands for more than estates, we are proud to carry forward this rich heritage with the V90.”

The new V90 is the third car unveiled in Volvo’s top-of-the-line 90 series, all of which are built on the company’s specially designed and fully modular Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), which has opened up a range of new opportunities in terms of how Volvos can be designed, built and equipped.

“The modern premium estate is all about the intriguing combination of a luxurious experience with the functional origins of the estate silhouette. The sophisticated ambience of our new Volvo interiors is combined with a great cargo space, providing the right kind of functionality – whether through connectivity or cargo and storage solutions,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President for Design at Volvo Cars.

The new V90 delivers cutting-edge Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive technology, the most advanced standard safety package on the market, including Large Animal Detection and Run-off Road Mitigation, and class-leading connectivity, including smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay.

Volvo Cars has also worked tirelessly on driving dynamics in the new model, to deliver a totally new and refined driving experience characterised by a sense of engaging control and predictability.

“We have a very strong offer in the V90. Our PowerPulse technology is designed to deliver a distinct performance boost to our diesel engine, while the T8 Twin Engine petrol plug-in hybrid will deliver around 410 hp and a pure electric range of around 31 miles,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President of Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

The Amazing XC90 T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric hybrid voted Car of the Year in the Stuff Gadget Awards.

• XC90 T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric hybrid voted Car of the Year
• Praised for its technology and range of sophisticated driver aids
• Tablet-style infotainment system and a range of web apps are standard with every XC90

The Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine has been voted the Car of the Year in the Stuff Gadget Awards 2015.

Stuff is the UK’s best-selling gadget magazine, and its awards celebrate the pick of the year’s technology. The XC90 T8 defeated such illustrious competition as the Ariel Nomad, Audi RS3, Range Rover Sport SVR, Tesla Model S P85D, Toyota Mirai and the Volkswagen Golf R to claim the title.

Commenting on the award-winning car, the Stuff.tv website deputy editor Tom Parsons said: “Safe, stylish and a dream to drive, the new XC90 is a tech-toting titan that’s both swift and economical, with smarts to make a genius jealous and genuinely useful on-the-road driver aids.”

The XC90 T8 is at the forefront of Volvo’s technological revolution, featuring a powerful petrol engine with an electric motor to provide dynamic performance with outstanding efficiency and environmental credentials.

Of course, it is packed with technology, too, including a nine-inch touchscreen information and entertainment system. This is no ordinary touchscreen set-up, though, because it includes pinch and zoom and swipe functionality, so truly offers the usability and convenience of a tablet-style interface.

Every XC90 also comes with Sensus Connect, which includes internet connectivity and access to a range of web apps such as Rdio, Stitcher, TuneIn, LocalSearch and Yelp.*

Another ground-breaking feature is the Volvo On Call app. Standard on every XC90, this allows you to remotely lock and unlock the car, check whether the doors and windows are closed, and access the car’s trip computer information. It also provides the location of your XC90 on a map, and allows you to sound the car’s horn and flash its headlights – perfect if you’ve forgotten where you left it in a busy car park. It even uses the car’s GPS to track your XC90 if it is stolen and will automatically alert the emergency services if you’re involved in an accident.

Being a Volvo, the XC90 is designed to keep you as safe as possible. It includes two world-first safety technologies: automatic emergency braking at an intersection, and run-off road protection, which is designed to reduce the likelihood of spinal injuries if the car leaves the road. These are on top of the XC90’s comprehensive suite of safety aids, including pedestrian and cyclist detection, and front collision warning with fully automatic emergency braking.

Then there’s the technology that simply makes living with the car that bit easier. The tailgate is electronically operated, but you don’t need to get the key out to use it – all you have to do is have the key with you and wave your foot beneath the rear bumper to open or close the tailgate. You don’t even have to use the key to unlock the doors or start the engine, while many of the car’s other entertainment and convenience functions can be controlled via the sophisticated voice control system.

Nick Connor, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: “To have the XC90 T8 Twin Engine’s technology honoured by such an influential gadgetry title is a tremendous result. With its high-tech petrol-electric powertrain and ground-breaking connectivity features, the XC90 T8 is the most technologically advanced car Volvo has ever built. It is also full of electronic equipment designed to make your life easier, so while cars are getting more sophisticated, the XC90 T8 is proof that they don’t have to be more complicated.”

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine is on sale now, with prices starting from £60,455.

The New Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine is the world’s most powerful and cleanest SUV.

• XC90 T8 Twin Engine is the world’s most powerful and cleanest SUV
• Delivers 49 g/km CO₂, combined 407 hp*, 640 Nm, 134.5mpg and up to 26 miles pure electric range

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine has exceeded all expectations when it comes to the no compromise equation of power and low fuel consumption, coupled with world class low emissions – and all in a 7-seat luxury SUV.

The improvement over the earlier announced figures were achieved thanks to the continuous innovation cycle at the Swedish company. The result of further tuning is a drop of 10 g/km from the initial prognosis, for up to 134.5mpg fuel economy, while also adding horsepower.

This makes the XC90 T8 Twin Engine the clear leader in its segment, with an exceptional combination of low fuel consumption, emissions and pure power.

“We have been working hard to earn our competitive edge and to give our customers the ultimate combination of performance and low fuel consumption. 

Our Twin Engine technology has enabled us to build on our heritage of efficient powertrain development in a completely new way. Thanks to our new scalable product architecture, and our world class four-cylinder engines, we have a clear and leading position,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.

No other SUV in this class can deliver 26 miles of pure electric range, 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds and provide combined power of 407 hp – all in a 7 seat configuration.

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine will be available later this spring in Volvo showrooms.

All figures are based on the NEDC driving cycle for hybrids.

* 320hp + 87 hp power and 400 + 240 Nm torque - combined 407hp and 640 Nm.

A driving mode for every need

The XC90 T8 Twin Engine can go from 0 to 62mph in 5.6 seconds, delivering all the driving pleasure customers have come to expect from a Volvo SUV. But driving pleasure is only a fraction of what the XC90 T8 offers: the car has five different driving modes that deliver a range of performance and efficiency-enhancing characteristics. Using either a scroll wheel on the centre console or a touchscreen on the dashboard, drivers can choose from:

Hybrid: 

This is the default mode, suitable for everyday use. Here, the vehicle will automatically alternate between drawing power from the 2-litre, 4-cylinder Drive-E engine and the electric motor to deliver the best overall fuel consumption.

Pure electric: 

In this mode, when the high-voltage battery is fully charged, it serves as the car’s sole energy source, powering the electric motor over the rear axle. The XC90 T8 has a range of up to 26 miles using just electricity, which covers the total distance many people drive in one day. And thanks to the regenerative braking system, this mode is super-efficient in the stop-and-go traffic of city environments. If more power is needed, the Drive-E combustion engine starts up automatically.

Power mode: 

Here, drivers get the combined performance of the combustion engine and the electric motor. On start-up, the SUV takes advantage of the electric motor’s superior response and instant torque curve, while the combustion engine gets up to speed. This combination offers better torque at lower revs, equivalent to that of a large displacement engine like the V8.

AWD: 

This mode offers constant all-wheel drive on demand. The advantage of being able to select AWD manually is that the driver can use it when needed, or choose to save energy for later.

Save: 

If the battery is charged, this mode allows the driver to “freeze” the battery level and save it for later use with Pure Electric drive. On the other hand, if the battery is low, the driver can use the combustion engine to charge the battery to a certain level for later use with Pure Electric drive.

Ultra luxurious Volvo XC90 Excellence to push the boundaries of Luxury and affordability.

The four-seat luxury XC90 sport utility vehicle (SUV), dubbed the XC90 Excellence, has been crafted by Volvo’s designers and engineers to offer customers a distinct and individual automotive experience that incorporates the latest Scandinavian innovations in design, refinement, comfort and style.

Based on Volvo’s all new seven-seat XC90, this model features exceptional space and luxury. By taking the design of Volvo’s new generation front seats and adding them in the rear cabin, the four-seat XC90 offers front seat luxury and comfort for all four passengers.  

Now rear seat passengers can enjoy the safety, comfort and support of Volvo’s new front seat design while also benefiting from an enormous amount of additional space.

The cabin offers a true Scandinavian sanctuary that begins with broad, spacious individual reclining rear seats complete with massage, ventilation and increased leg room with footrests. 

These features are accompanied by ambient lighting, illuminated storage, a retractable control touchscreen, folding tables, a refrigerator with bottle and glass holders, a heated/chilled cup holder and handmade crystal glasses from leading Swedish company, Orrefors.

Passengers will enjoy a specially-augmented Bowers & Wilkins audio system that adds an extra speaker, creating a 20 speaker high fidelity sound system with an unparalleled surround sound experience for rear seat passengers. 

The cabin also benefits from additional sound insulation thanks to the Pirelli Noise Cancelling System tires (PNCS) and privacy from the luggage compartment dividing screen.

 “This is our new flagship car,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President, Design. 

“We have created the ultimate experience of Scandinavian luxury. What we have designed is amongst the best rear seat experience available in a luxury car,” said Mr. Ingenlath “The result is a superlative environment for relaxed comfort or doing business.”

Reinforcing the Swedish love of fresh air, the XC90 also comes with an integrated ionic air cleaner in the CleanZone climate system. The ionic air cleaner works by positively charging electrons in airborne particles (dust or smoke for example) so they are removed from the cabin environment.

The four-seat XC90 offers a leather instrument panel with contrasting stitching and distinctive leather detailing in blond or charcoal with a color coordinated headliner made of pure Nubuck textile. Exterior styling differentiators include chrome B- and C-pillar cappings and lower door moldings.

This model incorporates the features that underpin all XC90’s, such as world leading safety features, new powertrain technologies and an unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency.

Volvo’s all new seven-seat XC90, revealed in August 2014, is proving to be extremely popular with customers. Over 24,000 have been ordered globally before ever reaching a Volvo retailer. This accounts for approximately half of Volvo’s expected volume for the car in 2015.

The new ultra luxury four-seat XC90 will be available globally later this year and via digital commerce in selected markets.