Crossing the iconic Öresund Bridge with the Volvo XC90 - Nordic precision in practice, safety for everyone and a little peek behind the curtain
Volvo Premiere
While the Czech Republic was hit by (several days of) winter, Sweden welcomed us with almost April weather. After sunshine came rain and then snow. Heavy clouds over the iconic bridge connecting Denmark and Sweden only added to the Nordic atmosphere. And who wouldn't want to drive across this bridge in an equally iconic car?
So first I get behind the wheel of the mild hybrid B5. Considering that I'm just over sixty feet tall and even in my own car (which, if parked next to this Volvo, could fill the role of David alongside Goliath) I'm practically glued to the steering wheel to even reach the pedals, I have some "driving apprehension". But positioning the seat as well as the mirrors is a breeze, and it seems the same could be said of the steering itself. Although in many ways this is a big first for me, within minutes I feel at home behind the wheel (albeit in Sweden...). And I appreciate not only the driveability, but also all the features that are new to me in various aspects.
While for some owners of cars (not only) from Volvo's workshop, the so-called head-up display (also referred to as the "see-through display") is probably commonplace, for me, as the owner of a completely average mini car whose history began in 2012, this is a groundbreaking innovation. As this is my first time in Sweden, even as a driver, I really enjoy not only the speed information (the speed limit here is generally lower than here) but also the navigation instructions otherwise visible on the driver's display, which is projected directly in my field of vision on the windscreen. Being able to see everything I need to see without lowering my head also allows me to concentrate much more on the road and how the Volvo is actually driving. And it's a very pleasant and comfortable drive!
You can also make the journey more enjoyable by listening to music - which is certainly nothing groundbreaking. Unless, of course, the Bowers & Wilkins system with a total of 19 (!) speakers and a subwoofer comes into play. What would it be like if, on my way through the Swedish countryside, where most of the houses are still decorated with Christmas lights, something similarly picturesque was sung by... Hanka Zagorová? (Well, we are LUI, so who else... except Helena and Lucka). Like in a concert hall! Yes, the fantastic sound system in the Volvo can provide such an experience.
There are four different room modes, in addition to the aforementioned Concert Hall, Studio, Individual Stage and the truly perfect-sounding Jazz Club. Then, of course, I test the sound on music... well, more contemporary music. I'm also trying out some tracks that Volvo itself recommends for testing on Spotify. And given that the British brand Bowers & Wilkins has made a name for itself as a supplier to leading audio studios and a manufacturer of reference sound systems, one can really say that one is "going to a concert in the car". Moreover, the ride itself is completely smooth and surprisingly quiet, so nothing really disturbs the "cultural experience". Well, except for the speeding warning...
Safety for everyone
At the end of the first day, we also have the opportunity to visit Volvo's built-up facilities and have a chat with those involved in the development of our "test" cars. The professional story of interior designer Dan Fidgett, whose earlier career was linked to the fashion industry, is extremely interesting - as is his interpretation of how he sees achieving harmony as bringing together the seemingly incompatible. Hence, in his designs, which of course also mirror Swedish culture and nature, he works with blue and black and intermingles them in a way that evokes the waters of the local sea. In keeping with today's trends, however, sustainability is not forgotten, so the new cars also boast new, recyclable materials that lose none of their luxurious craftsmanship.
But given my small stature (and the fact that gender differences in society are my daily bread), I'm particularly interested in how Volvo takes different body proportions into account in terms of safety. Because it certainly makes a difference whether a six-foot-two, 100-pound man sits/drives the car or a petite woman (or vice versa, to be fair). Again, I can't help but wonder. For a whole host of information is provided by biomechanics expert Lotta Jakobsson, whose career as a safety expert at Volvo began 35 years ago.
At least car enthusiasts may know that it was Volvo safety engineer Nils Bohlin who invented the three-point seat belt more than 60 years ago, which is still a key safety feature in all makes of car today. However, as we subsequently learned from Lotta Jakobsson, he and his entire team of colleagues have been focusing for many years on the specifics of different types of crashes and also on what types of injuries most often occur in car accidents (by the way, even the test dummies in Volvo are diverse, including female, and at different heights). And they try to minimise their impact by using various safety features. By the way, did you know that the lower part of the seat belt should always be positioned under the abdomen, not only for pregnant women, but also for people who are "bigger" in the waist area or whose abdominal parts are sagging, so that it rests imaginatively on the pelvic bones? So it doesn't matter whether you are a woman, a man, a child, sitting in the front or in the rear seats. The safety experts at Volvo simply think about everything (and everyone) - and it's no coincidence that the brand's cars are generally regarded as the safest.
Like a cloud!
The other day I swapped my mild hybrid B5 for a plug-in hybrid T8. I'm not an expert in judging the pros/cons of different motorisations, but the fact is that if one has the option of charging one's own car and if one regularly covers rather shorter distances, the plug-in hybrid can be a welcome saving on conventional fuel. In contrast to a mild hybrid, where the electric motor is used additionally, a plug-in can be driven entirely on electric power. In fact, the driver can choose whether he or she prefers the combustion unit or the electric motor, or combine both types of drive at his or her own discretion and needs. Although in this context one can encounter a number of discussions about performance (and the fact is that the performance of the two cars I was able to drive differed significantly - while the mild hybrid boasts 250 horses, the plug-in hybrid has the upper hand - and 455 horses under the hood), in real practice and relatively (by Czech standards) slow driving, one practically does not notice the difference. What is noticeable, however, is the air chassis that our plug-in hybrid XC90 is equipped with. How to describe the ride? Literally like riding on a cloud...
Having been behind the wheel of the Volvo for the second day now, and gaining some "confidence", I'm also paying attention to other features. I'm trying out the adaptive cruise control and using the lane departure assist (I would really welcome these features in a few days on a night drive on D1...) and it occurs to me that the idea of autonomous cars is actually not a bad one at all. Although in terms of size, both versions of the XC90 are truly colossal by my standards (after all, these are cars that can fit up to seven seats - and the number of seats then determines the use of the boot. In the case of the classic five-seater version, the trunk can easily accommodate the gear for a winter family holiday in the mountains), and parking, which I was literally as scared as hell of, can be handled by everyone. The parking assistant is always on standby, so all you have to do is follow its "instructions".
Driving the Volvo XC90 is simply an A to Z experience. Certainly this is very much true for someone who has never had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a car like this before. On the other hand, while experienced car-nuts probably won't be thrown off by many of the things that excited me, the XC90 is truly a car with a capital V. And that, ultimately, is something that everyone will necessarily appreciate.
