Yesterday I drove a 2016 XC-90 200 miles on mostly twisty, hilly roads to the Washington coast. It had the 2.0L Turbo w/316 HP and 295 Ft/lbs. of torque with about 5,000 miles on it. It was fully loaded minus the hybrid drive. I didn't study it or read the Owner's manual, just got in and drove.
Without going into great detail, my overall impression was highly positive in terms of elegance, technology and premium materials. However, the driving experience was disappointing. It took all the fun out of the twisty roads. Even in "performance" mode the body felt ponderous, especially on bad pavement, and keeping it between the lines on the narrow lanes was a chore, not a pleasure, without more direct steering feel. Descending a steep grade at about 40 mph, one of the front brakes started sending a wobbling, pulsating feeling through the chassis/steering wheel. I guess not even $60,000 European SUV's are immune from defect/problems.
While the 8-speed automatic seemed better than most, it was no match for the Skyactiv 6-AT in the CX-5. I think I also prefer six gears to eight because, over time, I can learn what gear I am in when there are only six, eight gears is too many and they all blur into one another. This is something that makes me feel more connected to the driving experience. Maybe that's simply because I'm accustomed to a bit more drop in rpm's after each shift from driving mostly 4 and 5 speeds most of my life.
In any case, there was no smile on my face as I exited the vehicle in direct contrast to the CX-5.
Without going into great detail, my overall impression was highly positive in terms of elegance, technology and premium materials. However, the driving experience was disappointing. It took all the fun out of the twisty roads. Even in "performance" mode the body felt ponderous, especially on bad pavement, and keeping it between the lines on the narrow lanes was a chore, not a pleasure, without more direct steering feel. Descending a steep grade at about 40 mph, one of the front brakes started sending a wobbling, pulsating feeling through the chassis/steering wheel. I guess not even $60,000 European SUV's are immune from defect/problems.
While the 8-speed automatic seemed better than most, it was no match for the Skyactiv 6-AT in the CX-5. I think I also prefer six gears to eight because, over time, I can learn what gear I am in when there are only six, eight gears is too many and they all blur into one another. This is something that makes me feel more connected to the driving experience. Maybe that's simply because I'm accustomed to a bit more drop in rpm's after each shift from driving mostly 4 and 5 speeds most of my life.
In any case, there was no smile on my face as I exited the vehicle in direct contrast to the CX-5.
