When the original Volvo XC90 first made its debut for the 2002 model year, its focus was very clear, skip all the fancy aesthetics and exotic materials in favor of innovative safety technology and a wide array of available trim levels. Now, more than 18 years later, the recipe remains largely the same, although the Swedish SUV is undoubtedly making a push for the upper end of the market.

Our specific tester, the 2020 Volvo XC90 T8 eAWD Inscription takes the very competent base of the second generation XC90 and adds an electric powertrain to its already turbocharged and supercharged engine. Aside from the performance engineering, the Inscription trim level means this is as plush as this Volvo gets. All this comes at a cost however, which in this case is around $86,000.

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A Stylish Swede

Let's face it, most three row crossovers aren't all that interesting to look at, especially when you consider all of the safety regulations they have to abide by, making them all look relatively similar. The XC90 takes advantage of this and takes direct inspiration from its predecessor to make an aesthetic that is neither sporty or too modern, but more elegant than anything else. The design of the original XC90 was dictated largely by its innovative front end which pushed pedestrians over the hood instead of under the car in case of a collision.

While the second generation retains those safety benefits, it's not tied down to strange proportions. Let's not forget, this version of the XC90 has already been on sale for five years. While its a far-cry from the originals 12 year production run, the decision to show restraint in the design department has paid mayor dividends seeing as the XC90 does not look dated one bit.

While the large front grille is a major departure from the blacked out accents of the original, its push towards the upscale market inevitably comes with the addition of some chrome accents. It works well in this application however, hiding some sensors as well as a front facing camera directly behind the large Volvo emblem.

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Comfort for Six

What may be the very best part of the XC90 is its comfort. This is an SUV that is not trying to be sporty in the slightest. Its adjustable air suspension is designed specifically around creating the smoothest driving experience possible. The seats are plush but supportive and offer a variety of added benefits such as a massage function as well as heating and cooling. All of this in combination with the above average sound deadening quality results in a drive that is effortless, comfortable and very enjoyable.

via Gabriel Vega / HotCars

This particular XC90 came with the optional six seat, three row configuration, providing an ample amount of space. This means the seats in the second row are not connected by a third, creating a more than spacious environment for adults. The very last row also has a decent amount of headroom, making it decently comfortable even for taking long journeys with a big group. If transporting bicycles or other active equipment is more your speed, the XC90's seats are fully collapsible, creating an almost flat and enormous cargo area.

Turbocharged, Supercharged & Electric

Under the hood of the XC90 you'll find one of the most over engineered powertrains available for sale today. The base is a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine which is then turbocharged and supercharged for added output. That's not all, Volvo has also gone ahead and added an electric engine to the mix meaning this XC90 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

The result is 402 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. The power figures are strong but their delivery is the most impressive. The way in which the two engines work with one another is basically seamless. Unless you are really looking or it, it is almost impossible to tell when they switch between one another.

The transmission also seems to be tuned for smoothness, there are no weird movements or sounds when kicking down the gears to accelerate. Unlike some PHEV's which utilize the extra electric powertrain with the goal of added performance, driving this particular setup clearly showed us that its solely focused on good fuel economy.

Technology by Google

When you first start up the XC90, a list appears with all of the available safety features, which in the case of this loaded tester, was a very long list. From sensors to radars, this super SUV had it all. Most of the included tech such as the Pilot Assist, was accessed via the fully digital dashboard. Unlike some industry systems which cloud the driver with useless information, the Volvo's design is very clean and easy to read at a glance. The Pilot Assist system itself worked very well, managing to follow the lines of the road truthfully although it did get confused once on a very old and poorly maintained road.

In the center of the dash you'll find a massive vertically oriented tablet which houses the XC90's infotainment system. This particular system was co-developed with Google and uses the Android operating system as its base. The benefit here is that it is able to receive over the air updates and access to other apps and features. The system is easy to navigate, although utilizing it to make adjustments when driving proved to be a bit too distracting.

Comes in Many Flavors

If the electrified powertrain and relatively expensive price put you off, don't worry, the XC90 comes in a variety of trim levels and various available powertrains. In the lower end, you can opt for the Momentum trim level which starts at $48,350 with a 250 hp four cylinder engine and front wheel drive. The sweet-spot however seems to be the Inscription T6 AWD which gets you almost all of the things which make our tester great, minus the electric motor and the $85,000+ price tag.

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