Volvo has revealed the interior of the all-new 2015 XC90 crossover that is scheduled to debut at next October’s Paris Motor Show.
The pictures confirm the next XC90 moves up a notch on the market with a luxurious cockpit that features acres of leather upholstery, real wood trim on the dashboard and on the center console as well as a large tablet-like touch screen that controls the crossover’s infotainment system. The steering is commanded through a three-spoke multi-function wheel, and the next XC90 packs a fully digital instrument cluster.
Volvo is keeping pictures of the exterior under wraps until the XC90 is formally unveiled next August but earlier spy shots give us an idea of just how big the crossover will be. Although the plastic cladding adds a few inches to the test mule’s dimensions, it’s clear that it was designed with carpool duties in mind.
Under that thick padding resides Volvo’s new design language previewed by the Concept Coupé that was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, and, more recently, by the XC Coupe concept shown at the Detroit auto show as well as the Concept Estate introduced in Geneva. Generally more angular than the current model, the crossover’s front end will feature T-shaped LED daytime running lights, a floating grille with horizontal slats and rippled hood. Out back, the upright tail lamps will remain but they will adopt LED technology.
From launch, the XC90 will be available with a fuel-saving plug-in hybrid drivetrain called Twin Engine in Volvo-speak. The setup will consist of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at about 300 horsepower and a small electric motor linked to a compact battery pack. Together, the two power sources will put out around 442 lb-ft. of torque, enough to rival V8 powerplants, while returning what Volvo promises will be “class-leading” fuel mileage.
Conventional versions of the next XC90 will be powered by Volvo’s new Drive-E engine family which includes a turbocharged four-cylinder mill as well as a four-cylinder unit equipped with both turbocharging and supercharging technology.
The upcoming XC90 will be the first vehicle to ride on Volvo’s all-new Scalable Platform Architecture, or SPA in short. Similar in concept to Volkswagen’s MQB platform, SPA was designed to underpin many of Volvo’s upcoming models regardless of size or vehicle type. The S60, the S80 and the XC60 will all ride on the platform when they are renewed.
Additional details about the new Volvo XC90 will emerge in the coming months. Following its debut in Paris, the crossover is scheduled to go on sale across the United States next spring as a 2015 model.
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