Volvo News Roundup

Volvo has one of the freshest and most attractive lineups of cars and SUVs on the market, but continuous improvement is the name of the game in the auto industry. Volvo has just announced new features and design elements for the 2020 XC90. Here are details, and other news from Gothenburg:

2020 XC90 gets optional second-row captain’s chairs. This six-seat configuration will likely appeal to anyone who regularly uses the third-row. It will make it possible to access the third row—especially if you’re a limber youngster—without sliding the second-row seats forward. Personally, I’d like this setup a lot for adults, too, if it gave second-row passengers a little more elbow room between seat and door. However, that would require positioning the seats a little closer to the center of the vehicle, and from early photos I’ve seen, it doesn’t look like that’s the case. You can read about this and other refreshments to the 2020 XC90 in the company’s February 22 press release. Among the other updates and additions are new wheels and exterior colors and a new grill. There’s also a new regenerative braking system announced for the T8 hybrid model, although it will not be available immediately in the U.S.

Reverse delivery. For decades, Volvo has been shipping vehicles made in Europe to the U.S. On February 20, the company announced  it will begin exporting S60 sedans made at its Ridgeville, South Carolina plant, to Europe—and to Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific (excluding China).

Five Volvos win Car and Driver “Editors’ Choice” awards for 2019. The models include the XC90, XC60 and XC40 SUVs and the V90 and V90 Cross Country wagons. In its press release, Volvo noted that “Car and Driver” created the Editors’ Choice awards to honor the many excellent vehicles—beyond those in the 10 Best pantheon—they would recommend to family and friends. For Editors’ Choice a vehicle’s inherent value, how well it fulfills its intended mission relative to its segment competitors, and how engaging it is from behind the wheel are taken into consideration.”