Test drive Volvo XC90 in the Far North
Endless tundra, complete lack of communication and Scandinavia on the neighboring shore - we experienced the updated Volvo XC90 beyond the Arctic Circle
Five years ago, Volvo seems to have forever linked its name to Scandinavian mythology with the launch of the second-generation XC90 crossover. Swedish designers have awarded their flagship "Mjolnir", naming the characteristic LED element in the front optics of the car after the hammer of the god Thor.
According to legends, the deity's unusual tool helped him out on adventures more than once, helping to cope with all kinds of obstacles and always showing the right path. Those who set off on a dangerous journey across the Arctic Circle in XC90 crossovers did not go astray.
The Kola Peninsula meets with a gloomy heavy sky, which, as it approaches the pass, gradually falls on the windshield with fine cold frost. The Norwegian Kirkenes, located 220 kilometers from Murmansk and only eight kilometers from the Russian border, has a surprisingly good road with smooth surfaces and clear markings.
The polar day in these parts lasts more than 60 days, but the sun actually seems to be not there - the number of clear days in the last month can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The fact that the luminary is somewhere above the horizon is indicated only by the constantly changing color clouds, which either scatter in a whitish haze, then again press with a leaden grayness.
However, there is no complaint about the lack of visibility. Twilight cut through a dozen "Thor's hammers" on the Volvo XC90, which has recently undergone an update. Restyling, by the way, turned out to be quite formal: the Swedes did not rethink the appearance of their flagship model, which should change a generation in two years.
Nevertheless, a very attentive eye will still be able to notice differences from the initial version of the crossover, which appeared on the assembly line five years ago. First of all, it is a slightly different radiator grille with vertical rods concave towards the hood and slightly modified bumpers. The finishing touches of light restyling are completed by the new design wheels.
Thor was known as one of the main defenders of people, so Volvo engineers could not help but add to the list of electronic systems in the car. Thus, the Oncoming Lane Mitigation system, borrowed from the new XC60, has been added to the list of active “assistants”. It operates at speeds from 60 to 140 km / h, monitoring the markings and oncoming traffic, and, if necessary, adjusts the steering to prevent going into the oncoming lane.
But all these electronic delights of civilization very soon become completely useless. We reach the first border checkpoint, after which our path turns north towards the Sredny and Rybachy peninsulas. Formal control follows: the military is much more interested in cars coming from the Arctic Ocean, where Kamchatka crab is being hunted this time of year. The valuable arthropod from the other end of the continent was successfully acclimatized in the southern part of the Barents Sea in the 1960s and has now become an important target for fishing, including illegal fishing. Unauthorized catch is monitored even from the air with the help of quadcopters, and most of the cars entering the "mainland" are subject to inspection.
But since while we are driving towards the sea, and not away from it, they simply check our documents, without even looking into the trunk. And now the Volvo column drives onto a broken dirt road, where, along with the asphalt, mobile communications immediately disappear, and signs along the highway are replaced by natural alleys of dwarf birches.
On this road, almost 80 years ago, fascist troops, led by the Norway Mountain Rifle Corps, tried to break through to Murmansk, which were stopped by Soviet forces by October 1941 during the most difficult battles. The trail, by the way, still looks like after an artillery shelling - deep potholes with water alternate with embankments of boulders the size of shells from the Gustav cannon.
Thor was known to be very fond of traveling, which is why the XC90 is endowed with ample potential for long-distance off-road travel. We transfer the crystal selector on the central tunnel to Off Road mode, after which the reactions on the accelerator relax, and the air suspension raises the body, increasing the ground clearance to a maximum of 267 millimeters. This is quite enough to force shallow rivers and slowly climb the treacherous stone steps.
Man began to populate these places 7-8 millennia ago, when ancient hunters and fishermen from Scandinavia migrated to the peninsula. The ancestors of those who later gave the world legends about the gods-aces, gnomes and giants. It was they who left behind unusual pyramids, rock paintings, stone walls and other mysterious artifacts, the nature of the purpose of which scientists are still arguing about.
But there are other unexplained things in the tundra, the origin of which has already had a hand in modern man. For example, on the huge boulders, from which the Viking patrols once peered into the surroundings, now the inscription flaunts: “Yulek, Petya and Mamai. Tver 98 ", 20 years ago, immortalized the invasion of tourists from central Russia. At the top of the highest and most beautiful mountain, falling into the Arctic Ocean, abandoned by the "Khrushchev", the barracks of an abandoned military unit of the air defense complex whitens. Here, at the edge of the road, there are rusty remains of a tent with the inscription "Shawarma", which may be of interest only to the reindeer because of the abundantly growing reindeer moss around it.
The tents of our camp, whitewashed on the shores of the Barents Sea, look much more organic. Glamping is a type of camping where outdoor recreation is combined with the comfort of a hotel room. The spacious fabric dwellings, set on a wooden platform, have everything you need - from a wardrobe and a table to full beds. However, I still had to get into the sleeping bag.
The thing is that in myths Thor very often appears along with the insidious sly Loki. Whatever one may say, the failed main generator, which broke down exactly before our arrival, turned out to be the trick of the main Scandinavian joker. The loss of the main source of energy led to a strict ban on the use of heaters, so some moved to the warm interior of the car.
Externally, the interior of the updated XC90 remains the same, however, here, if you wish, you can find some changes. For example, a version with six seats was added to the list of modifications, where the second-row sofa was replaced with two "captain's" chairs. However, such a version was not brought to Russia, leaving a six-seater option for the United States and China. The multimedia system has learned to "be friends" not only with gadgets on iOS, but now also supports the Android Auto interface.
Of course, it is impossible to listen to music from Apple or Yandex services - the mobile Internet has remained somewhere far in the south. Much easier for big money to connect to one of the operators in Norway, whose shores are clearly visible in the haze on the other side of the bay. However, we were lucky, as we settled down at the very foot of the "office". Locals call this a high hill, climbing which you can try to catch a Beeline or Megafon to make an important call.
Legends say that Thor possessed not only powerful strength, but also an incredible appetite - at a feast he could eat a whole bull in one sitting. But the Volvo XC90 has become even more economical after the update. More precisely, we are talking about a diesel modification of the crossover, which instead of the previous designation "D5" received the index "B5".
The former two-liter "four" on "heavy fuel", developing the same 235 hp. and 480 Nm of torque, now works in conjunction with a starter-generator, producing an additional 14 hp. and 40 Nm. The traction battery is recharged using the kinetic energy recovery system during braking, and the electric unit itself comes into action in the first seconds after the start for additional traction and fuel economy. Subsequently, such a scheme will be used in gasoline modifications.
Russia, however, has traditionally been left without new electrical technologies. The engine range of the updated XC90 is the same as before: the already mentioned 235-horsepower diesel engine, two two-liter gasoline units with a capacity of 249 and 320 hp, as well as a full-fledged hybrid version, the units of which produce 407 horses in total.
"Soft hybrids" should only get to us with the next generation of Volvo's flagship crossover, which will feature either purely gasoline-electric or all-electric powertrains in its engine range. Diesel engines will disappear into oblivion. But the "Thor's hammers" in Volvo cars, apparently, will remain for a long time.
| A type | Crossover | Crossover |
| dimensions (length / width / height), mm | 4950/2140/1776 | 4950/2140/1776 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2984 | 2984 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1969 | 1966 |
| Cargo space, l | 721-1886 | 721-1886 |
| engine's type | Turbocharged diesel | Turbocharged petrol |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1969 | 1969 |
| Power, hp with. at rpm | 235/4250 | 249/5500 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm at rpm | 470 at 2000 | 350 at 4500 |
| Transmission, drive | AKP8, full | AKP8, full |
| Max. speed km / h | 220 | 203 |
| Acceleration 0-100 km / h, s | 7,8 | 8,2 |
| Fuel consumption (mixed cycle), l | 5,8 | 7,6 |
| Price from, $. | 57 362 | 51 808 |
