Here is my view of XC90 T5 2019 Momemtum:
I collected it ten days and have done one round trip of 360 miles apart from that rest is city driving. When I collected the product specialist took me through all the main features and setup Volvo on call etc . I have coated it with three layers of polish this weekend and sealed with extra gloss protector.
What I like so far – list will probably grow as I get used to more of the features
1- 360 degree camera , Top feature I absolutely love it and its very well integrated within the system. I would say this is a must have add on and worth the extra money. Although I think Volvo should make this standard in all models.
2- The memory function and profile set by drivers is really a cool feature. We have two profile and every time I open the car door it cool to see the seat and mirrors adjusting. Profile also saves your radio stations, climate control settings and overall colour theme.
3- The adaptive cruise control, very easy to setup and use on the motorways. My previous car was a Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 diesel and it did not have ACC . My first car with this feature and its very good.
4- Pilot feature, I have used this for about 50-60 miles its good and works well even with no road lights on the motorway. I used it predominantly cruising in the middle lane , I think it comes down to trust . I am slightly cynical of new tech and so I prefer ACC where I have control of the steering.
5- The blind spot monitoring system works very well, every time there is a car in your overtaking area you see an orange light in your wing mirror.
6- Overall the build quality is excellent, closing the doors you feel the satisfying thud !
7- Interior led lights are very bright and look really cool and the auto aircon is amazing, I don’t know how but it always manages to keep temperature just right without me having to fiddle with it.
8- The boot has a button to close and lock the car, who ever thought of this needs a medal! It makes life so much easier to press the button and not have to look back to make sure its closed before it will let you lock it.
9- VOC app is really cool, every bit of it has worked well and without fail. I cannot fault it.
10-T5 engine, is very very quite. Some time you have to try hard to check that its actually running. The acceleration is very good . Coming from driving diesels for over 12 years , its quite a change driving something so refined.
The Cons :
1-According to my dealer I have the first person who had ever ordered a T5 petrol engine on a XC90, but that does not mean much as it was only available from April/May onwards this year. The MPG on it is a concern for me, on motorway journey of 360 miles I got 36-38 mpg which I think is very decent for a patrol car however most of my driving is in the city and I think a full tank costing £90 will give me about 290-310 miles. As I mentioned above I have driven diesels for a long time and I guess I got used to slightly better MPG . For me the fact that it’s a 15 gallon tank which means it costs £90 till fill and town MPG of low 20s is a slight downer. I know in return I am getting a much quieter ride but in my head I am trying to balance out the two! I guess the jury is still out on this for me…. I think things will probably get better as the engine settles in over the next few k miles but I have to budget for more higher fuel costs than I have anticipated. My advice to anyone looking to buy XC90 with a T5 is to drive both versions and make an weigh up your options carefully.
2- TPMS, maybe it’s how I have its setup ( or not setup) . But I cannot see the PSI on my tyres, I have calibrated the tyres 2-3 times but all I see are green dots . It does not show the figures . Does anyone else have the same issue ?
3- The start stop feature cannot be permanently switched off , (I guess it helps my MPG). I thought that the 2019 models had a way of switching it off but not for me at the moment. I have found a way around it, the engine only switches off when the brake is hard pressed. There is a point when the brake is pressed that the car will stop but not switch off. You just have to find that biting point and learn to hold it. It helps in non traffic light stop situations where I don’t really want to inching forward and every time switching the engine on/off. Again if anyone has found a permanent way around it please share?
Overall I am loving the car and cannot swipe the grin off my face when I sit in it
