The 2008 Volvo XC90 is available with a six-cylinder or V8 engine. Both come with a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard with the V8 and optional ($1,850) with the six.
The base XC90 3.2 ($36,210) comes with fabric upholstery, but standard features are otherwise premium grade, including an eight-way power driver's seat with memory; a 160-watt, eight-speaker stereo with CD/ MP3 and auxiliary jack; dual-zone automatic climate control; cruise control; trip computer; power windows, locks and mirrors; auto-dimming interior mirror; and 235/65R17 tires on 17-inch alloy wheels.
Option packages bring the XC90 3.2's features up to par with the V8 model, minus the V8 engine. The Premium Package ($2,995) includes leather seating; a power front passenger seat; power moonroof; and a 6-CD changer. The Versatility Package ($2,250) can be added to the premium package and includes the third-row seat, rear air conditioning, a built-in second-row child booster seat and self-leveling rear suspension.
The seven-passenger XC90 V8 ($48,505) is powered by a 4.4-liter V8 developed to Volvo specifications by Yamaha, the Japanese motorcycle builder and auto engine specialist. The V8 generates 311 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, with standard all-wheel drive. In addition to a two-place third seat with rear air conditioning, the V8 adds leather upholstery, an eight-way power front passenger seat, a six-CD changer, a power moonroof, and speed-sensitive power steering. Additionally, many items from the discontinued Touring Package have been made standard on the V8 for 2008, including 235/60R18 tires on 18-inch alloy wheels; Sapeli wood inlays on the dash, gearshift knob and steering wheel; and additional bright exterior trim.
Options for the V8 include a 12-speaker, 650-watt Dynaudio surround-sound system with Dolby Pro-Logic II and Sirius satellite radio ($1,400); and the new Executive Package ($1,995), which upgrades to premium soft leather, premium floor mats, and 255/50R19 tires on 19-inch alloy wheels.
The XC90 V8 Sport ($49,870) promises more athletic handling, with firmer springs, shocks, and stabilizer bars; faster-ratio steering; and low-profile 255/50R19 tires on 19-inch alloy wheels. The Sport also upgrades to unique Calcite leather upholstery and aluminum rather than wood interior trim, while deleting some of the standard V8's exterior jewelry. A Technology Package ($2,295) adds bi-xenon headlamps with automatic level adjustment, plus the high-zoot Dynaudio stereo.
All three models can be equipped with a Climate Package ($675), with heated seats, headlight washers and rain-sensing wipers; and/or a Convenience Package ($1,295) that adds rear park assist, power retractable side mirrors, a compass in the inside rearview mirror, power rear door child safety locks, and Volvo's Interior Air Quality System (IAQS). Stand-alone options include a navigation system ($2,120); a rear-seat DVD system with two headrest-mounted seven-inch color screens ($1,800); 18-inch alloy wheels, with chrome ($1,550) or without ($750); Active Bi-Xenon headlights ($800); a wood-rimmed steering wheel ($325); and metallic paint ($475-625).
Also available is Volvo's blind-spot monitoring system, or BLIS ($695). BLIS uses cameras to monitor an area measuring 10 feet by 31 feet on either side of the car, which is often not covered by the side mirrors, and reports the presence of another vehicle in the blind spots with a prominent warning light in the appropriate mirror.
Standard safety features make the XC90 is one of the best equipped sport-utilities on the market. Standard safety features include dual-stage front impact and side-impact airbags for front passengers, and curtain type head protection airbags for all outboard seats. The XC90 was one the first SUVs equipped with a rollover protection system, which senses an impending vehicle rollover, tightens the seatbelts and deploys the curtain airbags. The seats feature Volvo's Whiplash Protection System, which moves them back and downward if the vehicle is hit from behind, reducing neck snap.
Safety features intended to help drivers avoid collisions to begin with include advanced four-channel antilock brakes, an electronic stability program to help manage skids, and Roll Stability Control, which uses a gyroscopic sensor to reduce the possibility of a rollover by applying brakes and modulating engine power.