Volvo's Split Personality

Jan. 25, 2006 — -- When you hear the word "Volvo," what do you think of? A quick and unscientific e-mail poll of several of my mom peers revealed a gradient of thoughts, such as safe, sturdy, solid, reliable, family-friendly, first-class, long-lasting, expensive, tree-hugging, boxy, square, boring and gutless.

That's exactly what Volvo's going for; maybe not the boring and gutless part but safety for sure. Whether it's the challenge of making an SUV with three rows the safest one on the road or launching the newest member of its family (a hard-top-anything-but-boring-convertible -- review coming soon), you may think that Volvo has a dual personality disorder.

The common thread that binds these very different Volvos, however, is safety. "Explore the beauty of safety" is the phrase that greets visitors to Volvo's consumer Web site (www.VolvoCars.com).

Every safety feature available is standard equipment on each Volvo, and the XC90 is no exception. I may not be disciplined enough to choose curtain side air bags over the extra cash that would stay in my pocket otherwise (or be used to indulge in that fabulous new pair of shoes I've been eyeballing), so I'm grateful that Volvo makes the right choice for me.

The 2006 XC90 is loaded with all the obvious safety stuff such as air bags all around, but it also stands out as a pioneer of the pack with other innovative features. Volvo's rollover protection system (developed jointly by Volvo and Ford Motor Company) uses gyroscopic sensors to detect when a rollover may happen. "DSTC [Dynamic Stability and Traction Control] responds by reducing the engine's power and also by braking one or more wheels as necessary until the car understeers and stability is regained" is how Volvo describes it.

If this system doesn't do the trick, and a rollover happens in spite of it all, boron steel (five times stronger than regular steel) reinforces the roof structure. Curtain side air bags help protect the outboard passengers' heads and also help prevent ejection from the vehicle. Ejection is the most preventable cause of death in SUV rollovers.

Although the third row in the XC90 has been designed to safely seat full-size adults, it's the kids who always migrate to the "way back." As a matter of fact, when my father brought home our family's first car with three rows when I was young, the "way back" was where we sat to spread nasty preteen girly gossip without getting reprimanded. Today there's concern over how safe the third row really is for child passengers. What happens if the car is rear-ended? A combination of boron and high-strength steel in the XC90 keeps other vehicles from intruding too far into this space during an impact.

If I'm starting to sound like Charlie Brown's teacher with all this safety talk -- "wah wah wah wah" -- don't worry! I'm moving right on to something more fun. Can we talk about cool features and options? The XC90 is loaded with great ones, such as an integrated sliding booster seat in the second row for children who weigh between 33 and 80 pounds, four years of Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance, grocery bag holders, 12 cup holders, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, a separate rear audio system with headphone outlets and a dual-screen DVD system mounted in the back of the head restraints, which doesn't obstruct the driver's rear line of vision like the ones mounted from the ceiling).

I do have a few gripes about the 2006 XC90. I would prefer a slightly lower step-in height to make entry and exit of the vehicle easier for my fiercely independent little ones. I'm also bothered that the vehicle's blind spot is exacerbated by the size and position of the restraint on the driver's side. And in all the pride Volvo takes in its innovative safety features, the latch connectors are still a pain to get to. Hey, Volvo, why don't you have a little talk with BMW, Mercedes or even Toyota and ask to borrow their latch-connector designs. Then you'll be on to something!

I know safety isn't the most entertaining thing to tell you about. But Volvo's got it down pat. And after all, isn't that the main thing we're looking for when we're considering which car to drive our families around in? Because of all the niceties of the XC90, we no longer have to settle for boxy and square (translation: boring). We can have safety, style and luxury too.

* The full archive of "Car Mom" Kristin Varela's Mother-Proof reviews can be found at www.MotherProof.com.