“What SUV should I buy?” It’s a question consumers ask themselves every day, but what would executive editor Mark Rechtin drive? Keep reading for the answer, and see other editors’ picks here.
Face it: You don’t need the elephantine girth of a SUV. It’s unnecessary weight and heft. You can fit everyone and everything into a wagon. The 2019 Volvo V90 Cross Country T6 delivers that plus 8.3 inches of ground clearance, which is the industry standard for what people consider necessary for an SUV. And with gas prices in L.A. blowing well past the $4/gallon mark, fuel economy is back on the radar.
The V90 Cross Country is opulent and elegant, yet in starting at $53,195 for the base T5 version, it costs less than smaller SUVs from other luxury automakers. Of course, the version I’d like as equipped comes in at $57,700, which I know is pretty rarified air.
More about Mark: Mid-career, married, homeowner, no kids, one part-time dog
Under the hood, a 316-hp turbo-four makes it a rocket on the road, with a 6.5-second 0-60 and a sub-15-second quarter mile. Yet it gets 22/29/25 mpg fuel economy. Braking from 60 to a standstill is a good-enough 128 feet. And while SUVs often have to deal with longer suspension travel, the V90 CC absorbs freeway undulations with aplomb—even when there should be a thrum of Buddy Rich riffs juddering through the cabin.
Let’s get inside, shall we? Check out that snazzy Scandinavian style that continues the sleek exterior lines. The infotainment interface feels like an iPad, complete with CarPlay. For those unfamiliar, Volvo makes some of the finest seats in the business, and that’s where you spend all your time. The optional Bowers & Wilkins stereo is a sonic force, though it’s steep as a $4,000 add-on. Add all this up, and you feel special.