Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) has officially launched the locally-assembled (CKD) version of the Volvo XC90. In terms of specifications, the flagship Volvo SUV doesn’t defer tremendously from its imported version. However, the more attractive aspect is the reduced pricing due to localisation.
Where the imported version retailed at RM453,888, the CKD XC90 is priced at RM403,888 on-the-road without insurance, which is RM50,000 less. Each purchase is inclusive of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and five years’ free Volvo On Call roadside assist. Deliveries are scheduled to take place at the end of June this year.
The seven-seater XC90 continues to come in the form of the range-topping T8 Twin Engine variant, wearing the Inscription design line. At the front, Volvo’s signature “Thor’s Hammer” LED DRLs form part of the headlamps, which themselves come with LED Active Bending Lights and Active High Beam Control.
Moving down the sides, there is a set of 20-inch, 10-spoke silver diamond-cut alloys wrapped in 275/45 tyres. Highlights include LED Adaptive Brake Lights, dual exhaust tips and a power-operated tailgate with handsfree operation.
Unlike the CBU offering that came with a colour palette totalling eleven, the CKD XC90 will only be offered in five exterior colours – Ice White, Onyx Black, Saville Grey, Twilight Bronze and Bright Silver.
Moving inside, you still get Nappa leather upholstery, although instead of the CBU car’s colour scheme comprising three options, it is now just Charcoal black. This applies to the three-spoke multi-function steering wheel as well, which is accompanied by a crystal gear knob by Swedish crystal makers Orrefors, and diamond-cut engine start/stop button and volume control knob.
Dominating the dashboard is a portrait-format nine-inch touchscreen display that is linked to Volvo’s latest Sensus Connect High Performance audio system interface. The system controls almost every feature of the car, including the four-zone climate control system, navigation, WiFi hotspot and surround-view camera.
For audio playback, the XC90 gets a 10-speaker 330-watt sound system as standard. Media input can come from Bluetooth, USB or Aux connectivity, as well as Android and Apple screen mirroring. Drivers aren’t left out either, as they will have access to a 12.3-inch Adaptive Digital Display instrument panel.
The seats are slim but are claimed to offer good spinal protection during a crash, and those fitted on the middle row can be slid forwards and backwards to offer more legroom or cargo capacity behind it. They also feature Volvo’s signature child booster cushion in the middle.
The third row seats are claimed to accommodate adults as tall as 170 cm in relative comfort. With the rear-most seats in their default positions, the XC90 has 436 litres of boot space. With the third row folded flat, this increases to 1,183 litres. Fold both the second and third row seats down, and there’s 2,426 litres of usable cargo space.
For those unfamiliar with Volvo’s T8 Twin Engine, the plug-in hybrid powertrain employs a 2.0 litre four-cylinder super- and turbocharged Drive-E petrol engine and an electric motor. There is also a 150 Nm crankshaft-mounted starter generator (CISG) positioned between the engine and eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission to help with low-speed or from stationary acceleration.
The combustion engine delivers 320 hp and 400 Nm of torque, all sent to the front wheels, while the electric motor (87 hp/240 Nm) drives the rear wheels. Total system output is rated at 407 hp and 640 Nm, and together, both drive units form an electric all-wheel drive system.
In terms of performance, the plug-in hybrid powertrain will propel the 2,343 kg SUV to 100 km/h from a rest in 5.6 seconds, and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 230 km/h. Combined fuel consumption here is 2.1 litres per 100 km (47.6 km per litre), and if you choose to run on just electricity, you could get as far as 43 km (both figures based on European NEDC test cycle).
Going full electric is as simple as selecting the ‘pure electric’ drive mode via the car’s Sensus control system. Other modes – hybrid, power mode, AWD and save are also available as well.
Power for the electric motor comes from a 9.2 kWh rectangular lithium-ion traction battery. The battery can be recharged via a household socket with the included portable charger, taking 3.5 hours on our regular Malaysian power supply (240 V, 13 amps). Energy recuperation from braking and coasting as you drive is also another method of charging the the battery.
New XC90 owners will also get a free Electrical Health Check for their homes, whereby by trained staff will test and identify any issues with your home’s power outlet’s ability to charge the XC90. Volvo Malaysia also offers two third-party-certified home charging stations from Hager. The weatherproof Hager Witty system is priced at RM9,540, while the indoor Hager Zero is priced at RM8,480. The benefits of these chargers – a quicker recharging time of just 2.5 hours.
The XC90 is the first model to be based on Volvo’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), whereby the batteries are fitted within the platform’s central tunnel to minimise the possibility of it being damaged during a crash. Other chassis related features include the Four-C Active Chassis system (four-corner air suspension, which comes as standard.
Safety is a given in a Volvo and the XC90 is no exception. As standard, the PHEV gets seven airbags, Adaptive Cruise Control, City Safety with Front Collision Warning and Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with Full Auto Brake, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Aid, Roll Stability Control and Hill Descent Control.
World-first safety tech that is featured here include the run-off road protection package and the auto brake at intersection capability. Also fitted is the Park Assist Pilot system, for both parallel and perpendicular parking, which comes as standard. A new addition here is an inclination sensor that ties in with car’s alarm system, detecting if your car is being towed or jacked up.
Saving the best for last, Malaysia is the only other country in the world to produce the flagship XC90 outside of Sweden, specifically at Volvo’s plant in Shah Alam. That’s right, this technologically-advanced plug-in hybrid SUV is made right here in Malaysia. Curious on how it drives? Well, do check out our review of the XC90 in its native Sweden, here.
Volvo XC90 official images
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Kenapa tak puji PM??? Dah terbukti harga jatuh RM50k
BN is the best!!!!!!
Audi Q7 is the Special One.
How is RM50K a 30% reduction ona car selling at RM400,000. This kind of stupidity is from studying Math and Science in Malay.
The RM50K reduction is not a discount. Cannot differentiate between a discount and a price reduction.
POOR FELLA WHO CAN'T AFFORD GOOD CAR HAS TO PAY HIGH TAXES TO GET THEIR PRECIOUS CAR, AND THEN THE SUPER RICH DON'T NEED TO PAY ANY TAX TO OWN THIS EXPENSIVE SUV ? THE EEV SCHEME IS THERE TO HELP THE RICH OR UMNO CLONIES, NOT YOU AND ME !
PLEASE EVERYONE, ELECT THE OPPOSITION IN THE NEXT GE !
**duhhhh**
Malaysians are suffering with high cost of living. Now eve every house in KL is paying RM500 TNB bils. That is how bad the cost of living is now.
So, how many people really can afford cars without sacrifising much of their pay to buy one?
So lets all gip them 0 sales every month and put them out of their misery.
Even the 5 series and E class as well as Audi also having plug ins. you buy your BM and Merc now, you sure cry when the plug ins come into market. The new X5 plug in and this Volvo model are good examples.
2 years ago Proton showcased their EEV Iriz....apa jadi? Or was that show to get the RM1.5 billion free money????
Oh wait ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Well-loved.
CKD Volvo has already here about more than 50 years.
And now u saying now Volvo only be assemble in Malaysia? It's since the day 240 exist.
The interior blows me away. Soooo premium, the woods, the crystal gear knob, the buttons, etc.
Most important of all, THE SEATS. THE GODDAMN SEATS ARE SO FREAKING GOOD. Never have i came across seats this good, be it car, or office seats. Sooooo unbelievably good.
Gerard, you'd be foolish to presume the slim seats makes it compromised. There's a reason nearly every foreign reviewers claim Volvo makes the best seats. Because they do. They know what they're doing.
Meanwhile, obligatory puji kerajaan kerana turun harga kereta, cukuuuuur. I <3 PM, or dearest supreme leader is righteous, hell lead us to greatness, PM is love, PM is life.
Considering this is the most flagship T8 twin engine powertrain and highest spec, Inscription, it's not bad. Also, previous gen's T5 was about 210hp, this behemoth has 400+hp. SAVAGE.
And seriously, I don't see you lose any crucial specs in this CKD, only color choice for exterior and interior. Way better than Honda last time cilaka throw away ESC in CKD Jazz Hybrid.
I think XC90 probably not, but possible they'll bring in S90 T6. That, or you could get current XC60 T6, also have that Drive-E powertrain.
Brand perception, lol I don't understand why people wanna buy car to impress others. These type of insecure people usually are MLM, insurance, unit trust, real estate agents or cronies that want to jilat to get contract.
If u buy BMW cuz u like the brand, the driving experience, etc fine la, can throw logic out of window a bit, but the type of people above usually buy to impress others, I feel pity. Usually, they're the kinda people that can just barely afford it, sekali kaput, gg no savings, borrow from friends, family, and slow to repay.
These type of people usually the only ones shun Volvo, giving stupid lame excuse like no RV, unker car, maintenance expensive (got Conti car dirt cheap to maintain like Myvi meh?) which is good. Don't like my Swedish metal infested with these kinda jerks, giving bad reputation. Shooh shooh
I'm amazed that SMA has managed to assemble the new XC90 before Volvo China... that is a respectable feat. The future of SMA rests on the success of the V40, XC90 and upcoming S90. It would be a shame to let five decades of Malaysian-assembled Volvos end right when sales of luxury cars are the highest they've ever been in our automotive industry's history.
We simply cannot afford to lose Volvo/ SMA, they (and Tan Chong Subaru) are the only CKD assemblers we have that export more cars than they sell locally. I hope more Malaysians can realise the significance of this, and for those who have bought Volvos or plan to, you have my utmost gratitude.
SMA is truly amazing. When they CKD V40, it was said to be the first in Malaysia to incorporate laser welding, giving it more consistent assembly quality with Gothenburg's plant.
I hope Malaysian being more safety conscious, will realise the Volvo is a steal vs Germans, pretty good RV vs Germans, way better quality than Germans (VW DSG, RM53k wiring harness lol), and most of all, it's the world's safest car. Heja Sverige!
Maybe can even haggle to RM3k, cuz Sam Loo say this car really no RV, he desperate wanna get rid of it. After all, now his stockyard full of unsold Godcar tin milo no one wanna buy, he'll have to move stock quickly muahahahhahahaha
1 Range Rover = 2.5 XC90. You total loss this Volvo also, still can buy another one and have RM200k spare cash vs had only u bought RR.
Memang nak bela XC90 lagi mahal dari bela kancil, saga, wira, tapi jika banding dengan conti2 lain, lebih kurang je. Actually kalau consider Volvo parts durable, kurang breakdown, lagi murah in overall sense. Tapi ye la, kalau beli kereta lama, first thing kene refurbish, inspection ngan mekanik, dan memang kos tinggi sikit camtu nak kasi betul2 tip top dulu, baru ada kata peace of mind nak bawa.
Tapi Volvo pun tahan lama, nak bukti, tengok atas jalan masih bersepah Volvo lama2 sebenarnya, dari sejak 240 pun banyak. Sempoi je daily macam biasa. Asalkan jaga servis, Volvo memang puas hati.
Will we ever get lower spec XC90? hoping the price would be even lower
Bring on the pure electrics. Simpler to run, simpler to repair.
Good for those who can buy the car under company account instead of a E class.
Once bought,
you have to live with it for life cos there is zero RV !!!
Look at the numbers this more than 2 tonne suv nought to 100 in 5.6 secs. That is GTI territory.
Now look inside the luxury finish inside is better than x5. With all bell and whistles it close to Tesla, with 2.0 engine that can make 320HP. There only quite few numbers of manufacturer can make this.
Excluded the portable charger which came the RM454K CBU price tag?
Without Head-up display?
Without chiller in the glove box?
Even the RM454K CBU are without:
19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system replaced by 10-speaker 330-watt sound system
Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) optional at RM1,380