CedarMtn

So I said goodbye to the R-class last Weds. I've already put over 1000 kms on the new car so thought I would post my impressions/comparison/benefits/regrets.

First impressions:

Coming off the R-class, the Volvo feels small and nimble, which is funny, since I've never seen a review where the V90 CC is described as even mildly "sporty". For me, it feels like I'm in a much smaller, faster car, and I really like driving this in the city and on my favourite roads. I got the "Polestar Optimization" done on my new car - so the ECU has been flashed, so it's more responsive than standard (with some mild HP gains (about 14) and about +30 lb/ft of torque. It's more than fast enough for me (Car and Driver clocked a 5.9 sec 0-60 run with a standard T6 engine - I would guess mine is at least as fast). So far, I'm enjoying it and finding it really fun to drive (I always like driving the R-class too, but it was hardly "nimble"). Also - parking the Volvo is a no-brainer - you feel like it will fit into any space.

Comfort: There is absolutely no question that the R-class is the more comfy car - both for driver and passengers. Volvo always had a great reputation for seats - but I'm still trying to find the sweet spot and fiddling constantly - so far, this has been the biggest disappointment. Rear passenger room is good - but again, the seats are not as comfortable as the R-class which had deeper seats (and obviously more room). Ride: The Volvo has a much firmer ride, might be due to the 20 inch wheels (I have 19 inch winters so I'll see if that makes a difference). Over bumpy roads, I feel a lot more on the Volvo. Highway cruising is about even. The Volvo is a great highway cruising car, just like the R-class. The R-class has a bigger tank - so range is much better (Volvo is only a 60L tank).

Space/Cargo: This is the biggest giveup, and something I'm really noticing. Eg: The R-class had tons of nooks and spaces to store "stuff". Eg: Behind the second row in the folded third row footwell. Or under the rear floor. The Volvo has minimal underfloor storage - in fact, it was a challenge to store a set of battery cables. Cargo space behind the second row is about 2/3 the R-class. Fortunately, the Volvo is lower - so I can easily put on the roof box and still drive into my garage, as well as most underground garages. I can also access the box without having to stand on the door sills. The roof has rails so I can place the racks further apart and further back on the car. I've driven with the racks on and I've found a place where there is virtually no wind noise from the racks (Volvo OEM, very inexpensive - made by Thule). So with the box, I can make do - but have to actually plan a little more when I'm packing (as opposed to the R-class which had enough room, you could just throw stuff in). Note: In Spring, I might switch to 19 inch summer tires (and trade in the 20's). With an extra inch of sidewall, I might do away with the space saver spare and buy a european Volvo underfloor storage compartment (the spare is an option in Europe). This will give a very handy, and spacious underfloor cubby hole for "stuff". I made do with no spare on the Mercedes - so it's not a huge risk (imo) to turf the spare in the Volvo. Note: Volvo second row folds 60/40 which is a lot more annoying than I would have guessed. It does have a "ski passthrough", but there is no easy way to put a long item down the middle and still have two rear passengers.

Light off-road: My cottage has a lot of hills and bumpy grass roads. The R-class never had a problem (except when I scraped a stump that was hidden by grass, but that's another story...) The Volvo is great so far and with an additional 2 inches of ground clearance vs the R-Class, I don't expect any problems. The Volvo has an "off-road" transmission mode which might come in handy in Spring when the roads are all muddy - we'll see. I expect the Volvo to be at least as good as the R-class in snow (I always put on dedicated snows - the R-class was great in winter).

Fuel/Gas mileage: A tradeoff. The Volvo gets much better City mileage (in Eco mode with stop/start, I have been getting sub 10 l/100 kms). The R-class typically got in the 13 - 14 L/100 kms in the city (or worse). On the highway, the R-class got better mileage - I would typically get 7 - low 8 L/100 kms traveling at 120 kmh. In the Volvo, I've been getting low 9 L/100 kms at best (but I've been using "Dynamic" mode a lot). Also - Volvo requires premium so cost per litre is much higher. Note: Where I live, Diesel has been creeping up all summer - it's now higher than regular gas, but still cheaper than Premium.

New features: I've already found that I'm using the "Pilot Assist" function a lot more than I would have anticipated. It's fantastic in heavy traffic and takes the edge off the stress/frustration of dealing with stop and go traffic jams. Great for highway cruising too. Other than that - the Volvo "Sensus" system is not the best, IMO. Too much reliance on the touch screen - when a simple knob would be easier (thus safer). And the Volvo navigation is in a word: AWFUL. Thankfully it has Apple Carplay/Android Auto, so I can use Google Maps. And while I'm still trying to find a comfortable seat adjustment, the seat massage function is fantastic in the Volvo - combined with heat - it's just what my sore back (due to the uncomfortable seats) needs!

All in all - I think the Volvo is a good downsize for me given the circumstances with my R-class (which had a very checkered reliability history). But in all honesty, I've had a couple days of really missing the R-class. I'm sure this will change as I get used to the new car. If I had the magic choice of a new R-class vs downsizing to the Volvo, I would take the R-class - but maybe as I adjust, this will change. For anybody whose R-class is nearing its end of reliable/confident service - I would not hesitate to recommend at least test-driving the Volvo. As I said at the beginning, there is not a lot of non-SUV choice out there in North America.



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