Volvo announces updates for model year 2017 – New safety, connectivity for 90 Series, wheels for 60 Series

Volvo XC90 T5 Inscription AWD – model year 2017

Volvo has revealed a list of updates for its model year 2017 vehicles. The Swedish car maker, fresh off launching the new V90 estate, has detailed new safety, powertrain and styling upgrades for its models.

Having introduced its Pilot Assist II on the S90 and then on the V90, Volvo now confirms that the second-gen XC90 will also be updated with its latest semi-autonomous driving tech. The update increases the system’s maximum operational speed to 128 km/h on well-marked highways.

The new PowerPulse D5 turbodiesel engine which was also introduced on the S90 has now been made available for the XC90 SUV. The 2.0 litre four-pot engine delivers 235 hp and 480 Nm of torque, and is said to deliver instantaneous power. PowerPulse uses compressed air stored in a tank to be fed into the exhaust manifold, improving combustion and thus improving acceleration.

For its 90 Series of cars, Volvo also confirmed that there will be safety and connectivity technology updates. The XC90, S90 and V90 will now all feature Run-off Road Mitigation and the latest version of City Safety that adds Large Animal Detection.

We understand that these new additions to Volvo’s Intellisafe suite of safety features will be more than just a matter of software updates, so existing models won’t be able to get them. For the local market, Volvo Car Malaysia confirmed to paultan.org that relevant model year 2017 vehicles in Malaysia will carry them.

To highlight its continuing push towards providing cleaner cabin air quality, future Volvo models will feature a CleanZone logo. In the 60 Series, the logo is positioned on the instrument panel air vents, while it is placed on the centre display in the 90 Series models.

The Volvo Sensus infotainment system is also due to receive new applications and features. Spotify was the first new native app to be announced, and now several more have been added. These include a new Park and Pay in-car parking payment system, Connected Service Booking (schedule and set reminders for workshop bookings) and a new Record & Send voice note function. Improved maps, TuneIn online radio, Local Search and Yelp are also listed.

The Volvo On Call smartphone app which allows remote access and control over a range of in-car features has also been updated. Along with Calendar Integration that connects your personal calendar to the app, Volvo will also introduced a new Flic button.

Flic allows you to program a single physical ‘smart button’ to perform several tasks, such as lock your car or to start/stop pre-heating (where available), and can be used as a shortcut to Volvo On Call services. Volvo On Call can now also support Windows 10 on PCs and tablets.

Updates for the 60 Series of cars surround additional styling options. The S60, V60 and XC60 will all gain a new 18-inch wheel option, while the XC60 will have a new set of 20-inch rollers to opt for. The next-generation of 18-, 19-, and 20-inch wheels have also been introduced for the R-Design trim level.

New colours are also on the list of updates here, starting with Luminous Sand for all 60 Series models. Mussel Blue is now available for the XC60, V60 and V60 Cross Country, while Bursting Blue (pictured above) is added for the S60, XC60 R-Design. The V60 Cross Country is now also available in Passion Red.

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