2005 Volvo Xc70 Wagon 4-door 2.5l Turbo on 2040-cars

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2023 Volvo XC90 Review: Design that stands the test of time

Pros: Classy, clean, minimalist design; powerful PHEV powertrain available; robust standard safety and driver assistance suite Cons: While we like the design, it’s due for an update; upgrading to PHEV is costly The 2023 Volvo XC90 is a three-row, full-size SUV that we like for its tasteful design, comfortable interior space and excellent safety. For 2023, the standard powertrains become mild-hybrid designs based on a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The plug-in-hybrid XC90 Recharge version raises the price considerably, but provides a generous amount of all-electric range while being the most powerful and fun XC90 by far. It wonÂ’t provide the sporty driving dynamics like some of the performance models from BMW and Mercedes, but thereÂ’s plenty to like about VolvoÂ’s flagship crossover. What Volvo does offer is oodles of safety, with excellent crash test results year after year, and a robust suite of safety and driver assistance technology that doesnÂ’t feel like itÂ’s working against you while youÂ’re driving. The XC90 is also comfortable and roomy, seating six to seven passengers in an interior thatÂ’s comfortable and interesting to look at without feeling overwrought or ostentatious. The XC90 is getting a little long in the tooth as itÂ’s now in its eighth year since a complete redesign, but its unique, crisp design and modern technology hide its age well. If you want something all-electric, though, youÂ’ll have to wait just a little longer. Volvo will release its full-size EX90 as a battery-electric successor to the XC90, expected to go on sale in 2023 with an all-new design and more safety tech than ever before. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2023? The 2023 XC90 switches to mild-hybrid powertrains as standard, complete with integrated 48-volt battery and an integrated starter/generator added to the existing 2.0-liter engines. The new B5 and B6 mild hybrids therefore replace the outgoing T5 and T6 engines. The XC90 Recharge remains a plug-in hybrid option. The XC90 switches to Google-based infotainment software for 2023, incorporating Google Maps, Google Play and Google Assistant voice control. The XC90 also gains over-the-air update capability, which means Volvo can send remote software updates to the vehicle, improving features over time.

Junkyard Gem: 1994 Volvo 850 Turbo Wagon

Volvo began selling brick-shaped rear-wheel-drive station wagons in the United States with the 145 in the 1968 model year, continuing the tradition with the 200, 700 and 900 series wagons and all the way through the very last 1998 V90s. The benefits of front-wheel-drive proved impossible for those Goteborgers to resist, though, and so the 850 was developed. The 850 sedan first appeared in the United States as a 1993 model, with the wagon version following in 1994. Today's Junkyard Gem is one of those first-year 850 wagons, found in a Colorado Springs self-service yard recently. The 850 wasn't the first production Volvo with front-wheel-drive (the 1986 Volvo 480 beat it to European showrooms), but it was the first one available on our continent. The base 1994 Volvo 850 wagon for the U.S. market had a 2.4-liter DOHC straight-five rated at 168 horsepower and 162 pound-feet, but this car has the turbocharged version with its 222 horses and 221 pound-feet. American buyers of the 1994 Volvo 850 had the choice of a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Most took the automatic. This car is a loaded model with power sunroof and other goodies in addition to the slushbox, so its MSRP was $30,985 (about $66,194 in 2024 dollars). This was a bit less than a similarly equipped 960 wagon (which listed at $34,950, or $74,665 after inflation). The antiquated but reliable 240 wagon had been discontinued the year before, with the 740 wagon getting the axe the year before that). This car just made it past the 200,000-mile mark during its career on the road. That's respectable, though I've found discarded Volvos that made it beyond 400,000 miles (and one that got to 631,999). The interior looked pretty good before someone smashed all the windows. Perhaps vandalism sent a running car to this place. Someone was kind enough to write down the security code on the factory radio. Drive safely. For those of you who hate to commute but adore driving.

Best luxury SUVs of 2022 and 2023

Once upon a time, the idea of a luxury SUV meant a Range Rover, and even that was pretty agricultural by modern standards. Then Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ford Explorers started offering fancy, range-topping versions followed soon by Lexus, BMW and Mercedes dipping their toes in the water. And then the floodgates opened. Today, there is a staggering number of luxury SUVs available in every shape, size and price point. There are electric luxury SUVs like the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace, as well as gas-swilling, high-performance SUVs like the BMW X5 M and Cadillac Escalade V. Sports car makers Porsche, Aston Martin and Lamborghini have even dived in.  But of this great many, which are the best luxury SUVs? We sat down, scoured our reviews, took some votes, had some discussions and came up with the luxury SUVs we view as the best. They are listed alphabetically within the six segments listed below.  Best Subcompact Luxury SUV   |   Best Compact Luxury SUV   |   Best Midsize Luxury SUV (Two-Row) Best Midsize Luxury SUV (Three-Row)   |   Best Flagship Luxury SUV (Two-Row)   |   Best Flagship Luxury SUV (Three-Row)  Best subcompact luxury SUVs Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class Why it stands out: Outstanding space and versatility; legit luxury interior; amusing GLB 35 versionCould be better: Overwhelming and confusing tech interface Most subcompact luxury SUVs are a dubious value, with cramped interiors of marginal quality and unrefined driving dynamics. You'd be much better off paying less money for a loaded, non-luxury compact SUV. The Mercedes GLB is different, though. Its boxy design provides space few other subcompact SUV can match (luxury or otherwise), while its cabin design and feature content are in keeping with pricier Mercedes models. The quality's not exactly up to GLC standards, nor is driving refinement, but the difference is appropriate for how much you're saving and still perfectly acceptable. There's nothing dubious about buying a GLB.     Volvo XC40 Why it stands out: More features for the money; spacious and versatile interior; distinctive design; electric versionCould be better: Fuel-efficient base engine only available with FWD Most subcompact luxury models feel a bit like cheap knockoffs of their bigger, pricier brand mates. The XC40, by contrast, is a break from the Volvo norm in a good way.