1 week ownership observations

[mrlossyman]

So I now have owned the car for a week and I want to share both the good and not so good so far:

1) Tyre Noise - I'm not experience anything out of the ordinary and is certainly not an issue with my car to date.
2) Sensus - I've had a few issues with the Sensus, my phone will suddenly disconnect in calls, play music from the usb and the reconnect the call. I get this all the time.
3) Pilot Assist - Seems to work well, not really had any issues and makes traffic jams less stressful
4) Senus - Music is a pain, it's so hard to select stuff whilst driving and I much prefer the old interface and scroll wheel on the XC60
5) Seats - Starting to get more comfortable but still can't find that sweet spot.
6) Sat Nav - Works well and have had no issues at all, I did the upgrade of the maps and this took an age!
7) Engine - very surprised how punchy the 2.0l is with power pulse, no lag at all when accelerating and it is quiet and refined
8) Suspension - I'm on standard spring and whilst the ride is quite firm, it's nowhere near as hard as our Q5 S line.
9) Bowers Sound - Yes this is good, however it's probably not as great as I was expecting. I have all Lossless music in the car and some 24bit stuff. I've not heard the standard stereo to compare, but I'm still glad I went for it.
10) Niggles - Media play on Sensus a pain, some of the menu options are just in the wrong place, too many presses for essential items.
11) Niggles - Back seats jammed whilst opening for seats 6 & 7, Tailgate kept only part opening, can't access folders on media, difficult to tag and organise media.
12) Oh I jumped out my car to swipe a barrier entry, jumped back in and the brake wouldn't release. Did I need to put my seatbelt on or something? I was using the auto brake...

Overall though I'm happy, it's a fab drive and stunning to look at. Bonus is the kids love it too :-).

[neon]

Thanks for an update, nice to hear the detail.
I think I heard mentioned that brake will not release if seatbelt not on.

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by neon

Thanks for an update, nice to hear the detail.
I think I heard mentioned that brake will not release if seatbelt not on.

That's correct. If you have the auto hold enabled you must put your seatbelt on for the parking break to release. If will release without you belting up if auto hold isn't enabled. Also, if you have your belt on, the break will auto release when you touch the accelerator.

:wq

[Simdru]

Originally Posted by mrlossyman

So I now have owned the car for a week and I want to share both the good and not so good so far:

1) Tyre Noise - I'm not experience anything out of the ordinary and is certainly not an issue with my car to date.
2) Sensus - I've had a few issues with the Sensus, my phone will suddenly disconnect in calls, play music from the usb and the reconnect the call. I get this all the time.
3) Pilot Assist - Seems to work well, not really had any issues and makes traffic jams less stressful
4) Senus - Music is a pain, it's so hard to select stuff whilst driving and I much prefer the old interface and scroll wheel on the XC60
5) Seats - Starting to get more comfortable but still can't find that sweet spot.
6) Sat Nav - Works well and have had no issues at all, I did the upgrade of the maps and this took an age!
7) Engine - very surprised how punchy the 2.0l is with power pulse, no lag at all when accelerating and it is quiet and refined
8) Suspension - I'm on standard spring and whilst the ride is quite firm, it's nowhere near as hard as our Q5 S line.
9) Bowers Sound - Yes this is good, however it's probably not as great as I was expecting. I have all Lossless music in the car and some 24bit stuff. I've not heard the standard stereo to compare, but I'm still glad I went for it.
10) Niggles - Media play on Sensus a pain, some of the menu options are just in the wrong place, too many presses for essential items.
11) Niggles - Back seats jammed whilst opening for seats 6 & 7, Tailgate kept only part opening, can't access folders on media, difficult to tag and organise media.
12) Oh I jumped out my car to swipe a barrier entry, jumped back in and the brake wouldn't release. Did I need to put my seatbelt on or something? I was using the auto brake...

Overall though I'm happy, it's a fab drive and stunning to look at. Bonus is the kids love it too :-).

I notice you went for the Family Pack, just wondering whether you thought this offers value for money? It seems expensive for what it is, admittedly an integrated booster seat is handy, but you can get a perfectly adequate removable seat for around £50. What are the sun visors like, are they good quality and rattle-free? The family pack is an option i feel like I should have as a parent but i need convincing that it's worth the money.

[AB-UK]

It's annoying to see that an integrated booster seat has to be paid extra for.
It was included as standard in the mk.1 Exec.

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by Simdru

I notice you went for the Family Pack, just wondering whether you thought this offers value for money? It seems expensive for what it is, admittedly an integrated booster seat is handy, but you can get a perfectly adequate removable seat for around £50. What are the sun visors like, are they good quality and rattle-free? The family pack is an option i feel like I should have as a parent but i need convincing that it's worth the money.

We have family pack and I would certainly option it again. We have the Inscription so the £275 pack brings us:

Integrated Booster Cushion for Centre Seat: brilliant option. I know you can get a cheap booster from Halfords for little more than £10 which ultimately will do the same job, but its not as convenient. You'll always need to make sure it in the car, and when it not being used will just float around the boot. The integrated one is always there, so if we're on the school run and suddenly picking up someone else, we just pop it up and away we go. Also probably a bit conifer than a loose one, not that that ever seems to bother the kids.

Second Row Power Child Locks - Rear Doors: again brilliant, can be switched off at the touch of a button when you've got adults in the back. Also, and more importantly, my kids are more than capable now of getting out of the car themselves, but still can't be trusted not to open the door into another car, wall etc., so we have the locks on, but can pop them off when its safe for the kids to get out themselves. They were standard fit on an A6 Avant we had (and actually better, as there was a button for each door, rather than a single button for both doors), and we grew to appreciate them then.

Load Protection Net: waste of time, haven't used it yet. Probably will do if we're loaded up for a long holiday journey, but its a right Heath Robinson affair and I haven't yet ventures into the boot to attached the tension the straps etc! Again, in other cars including the A6, is was simply integrated into the roller cover in the boot and just pulled up and clipped into the roof, way better (although it obviously made the roller cover a bit heavier and bulkier.

As for the sun blinds, we get these as standard in the Inscription. I'm sure we'd use them more if we had younger children travelling in the car, and they are certainly more effective that the shades you put on with a suction pad, but early use them for older kids. We have tinted windows, but the kids sill use them occasionally to lower glare on their tablet screen! Did have an adult mate use them a few weeks ago when he was having a snooze in the back on a particularly sunny day! I do also believe that the sun blinds let a little extra noise into the cabin from the rear doors, as there is obviously a slit all the way along with doesn't insulate the door like a stand door trim top would.

So £275 maybe a bit pricey for electric child locks and a booster cushion, but they are very convenient. Compare it to £300 for Apple CarPlay, a software feature to be enabled and an extra USB port! Or £800 for Polestar, which is purely a software update and a badge!

:wq

[mrlossyman]

Originally Posted by familymangreg

We have family pack and I would certainly option it again. We have the Inscription so the £275 pack brings us:

Integrated Booster Cushion for Centre Seat: brilliant option. I know you can get a cheap booster from Halfords for little more than £10 which ultimately will do the same job, but its not as convenient. You'll always need to make sure it in the car, and when it not being used will just float around the boot. The integrated one is always there, so if we're on the school run and suddenly picking up someone else, we just pop it up and away we go. Also probably a bit conifer than a loose one, not that that ever seems to bother the kids.

Second Row Power Child Locks - Rear Doors: again brilliant, can be switched off at the touch of a button when you've got adults in the back. Also, and more importantly, my kids are more than capable now of getting out of the car themselves, but still can't be trusted not to open the door into another car, wall etc., so we have the locks on, but can pop them off when its safe for the kids to get out themselves. They were standard fit on an A6 Avant we had (and actually better, as there was a button for each door, rather than a single button for both doors), and we grew to appreciate them then.

Load Protection Net: waste of time, haven't used it yet. Probably will do if we're loaded up for a long holiday journey, but its a right Heath Robinson affair and I haven't yet ventures into the boot to attached the tension the straps etc! Again, in other cars including the A6, is was simply integrated into the roller cover in the boot and just pulled up and clipped into the roof, way better (although it obviously made the roller cover a bit heavier and bulkier.

As for the sun blinds, we get these as standard in the Inscription. I'm sure we'd use them more if we had younger children travelling in the car, and they are certainly more effective that the shades you put on with a suction pad, but early use them for older kids. We have tinted windows, but the kids sill use them occasionally to lower glare on their tablet screen! Did have an adult mate use them a few weeks ago when he was having a snooze in the back on a particularly sunny day! I do also believe that the sun blinds let a little extra noise into the cabin from the rear doors, as there is obviously a slit all the way along with doesn't insulate the door like a stand door trim top would.

So £275 maybe a bit pricey for electric child locks and a booster cushion, but they are very convenient. Compare it to £300 for Apple CarPlay, a software feature to be enabled and an extra USB port! Or £800 for Polestar, which is purely a software update and a badge!

:wq

I agree entirely, The booster is useful and nice to have it there. The sun blinds are great integrated into the windows and high quality and the locks give piece of mind.

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by familymangreg

Load Protection Net: waste of time, haven't used it yet. Probably will do if we're loaded up for a long holiday journey, but its a right Heath Robinson affair and I haven't yet ventures into the boot to attached the tension the straps etc! Again, in other cars including the A6, is was simply integrated into the roller cover in the boot and just pulled up and clipped into the roof, way better (although it obviously made the roller cover a bit heavier and bulkier.

Unfortunately you can't have the roller blind type net on the XC90 as it would create a hazard for the occupants of row 3 in the event of an accident as it would be a hard metal casing on the back of row 2.

It isn't as convenient I grant you, but mine is in most of the time and isn't too much of a faff when you get used to it. I have also used it behind the front seats to restrain items when I have had rows 2 and 3 folded flat.

[BTXC90]

Originally Posted by mrlossyman

So I now have owned the car for a week and I want to share both the good and not so good so far:

1) Tyre Noise - I'm not experience anything out of the ordinary and is certainly not an issue with my car to date.
2) Sensus - I've had a few issues with the Sensus, my phone will suddenly disconnect in calls, play music from the usb and the reconnect the call. I get this all the time.
3) Pilot Assist - Seems to work well, not really had any issues and makes traffic jams less stressful
4) Senus - Music is a pain, it's so hard to select stuff whilst driving and I much prefer the old interface and scroll wheel on the XC60
5) Seats - Starting to get more comfortable but still can't find that sweet spot.
6) Sat Nav - Works well and have had no issues at all, I did the upgrade of the maps and this took an age!
7) Engine - very surprised how punchy the 2.0l is with power pulse, no lag at all when accelerating and it is quiet and refined
8) Suspension - I'm on standard spring and whilst the ride is quite firm, it's nowhere near as hard as our Q5 S line.
9) Bowers Sound - Yes this is good, however it's probably not as great as I was expecting. I have all Lossless music in the car and some 24bit stuff. I've not heard the standard stereo to compare, but I'm still glad I went for it.
10) Niggles - Media play on Sensus a pain, some of the menu options are just in the wrong place, too many presses for essential items.
11) Niggles - Back seats jammed whilst opening for seats 6 & 7, Tailgate kept only part opening, can't access folders on media, difficult to tag and organise media.
12) Oh I jumped out my car to swipe a barrier entry, jumped back in and the brake wouldn't release. Did I need to put my seatbelt on or something? I was using the auto brake...

Overall though I'm happy, it's a fab drive and stunning to look at. Bonus is the kids love it too :-).

#12 - like many other cars, it wont disengage the parking brake if seat belt is not ON

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by Philip Fisher

Unfortunately you can't have the roller blind type net on the XC90 as it would create a hazard for the occupants of row 3 in the event of an accident as it would be a hard metal casing on the back of row 2.

Yeah I could see that, but if row 3 was in use, the boot roller cover would be removed anyway otherwise row 3 couldn't get in or out?

All hypothetical anyway!

:wq