Weather Ready With New Volvo XC90

Highlights
You feel it before you even step outside — that dense, dry heat of peak Delhi summer. The kind of heat that bakes the tarmac, blurs your patience and makes even a short drive feel like a punishment. And in such moments, your car either becomes your worst enemy… or your greatest ally. That’s where the New Volvo XC90 steps in.

This isn’t just any other luxury SUV; it’s your safe haven built for real-world India — the dust, the traffic, the temperature extremes. And when you live with it, you begin to appreciate how deeply thought-out it really is.

Start with the basics. Even before you fire up the engine, you’re already thinking smart. Park it in the shade. Drop the windshield visor. Check the coolant levels, tyre pressure, and engine oil. These might seem like mundane tasks, but in 45-degree heat, they’re your first line of defence. You could either do these checks yourself or just drive the XC90 to the nearest Volvo service centre — because a quick health check goes a long way, especially before a road trip.

With everything topped up and tyres aired right, it’s time to leave behind the city chaos and head towards Ajabgarh — a few hours away from Delhi, nestled in the quiet foothills of the Aravalli range. The destination: Ananta Resort. But before the calm comes the drive. Slide into the cabin and the first thing you notice is the temperature — or the lack of it. The car’s pre-cooling feature makes a real difference. Step in, and the interior is already cool, clean, and inviting — thanks to a four-zone air conditioning system and Volvo’s clever built-in air purifier that filters out all the nasties in Delhi’s air. You’re breathing easier, quite literally.

The seats? Large, supportive, and ventilated — a detail that becomes your best friend when the sun is at its peak. Whether you're behind the wheel or lounging in the second row, the cooling effect is instant and consistent. Navigation is simple too. No fumbling for phone mounts or draining your battery using mobile data. Google Maps is built into the system — sharp, responsive, and voice-enabled.

On the road, the Volvo’s strength isn’t just in the luxury bits. It’s in how effortlessly it handles different conditions. Smooth highways, slow city crawls, erratic traffic, sudden potholes, unexpected speed breakers — everything is absorbed without drama. The XC90’s ride quality is plush but composed.

You never feel floaty, but you're always comfortable. As you leave the NCR behind and start approaching Rajasthan’s semi-rural terrain, the roads begin to change — less tarmac, and more gravel. But the XC90 doesn’t flinch. You’re cocooned inside a Scandinavian sanctuary, unaffected by the outside world. The suspension smoothens everything. There’s a sense of calm in the way it drives — no harshness, no complaints.

The last stretch towards Ananta Resort takes you through some broken paths and narrow turns, where most sedans would hesitate. But this SUV? Confident as ever. All-wheel drive, ample ground clearance, and commanding seating position ensure you keep going — even when the surface starts to disappear.

Spotting a serene lake not too far off, and there’s a rough trail leading up to it. In most cars, that would be a hard no. But in the XC90, it feels like an invitation. You can explore a little further, take in more of the natural beauty, and get those wheels a bit dirty — because this car is built for moments like these. Once you reach the resort, you start to unwind — and it’s not just the destination working its magic. The drive itself was part of the experience. No backaches, no exhaustion, no complaints. You stepped into a luxury SUV in the middle of a blistering day, and it carried you to the hills like you were gliding rather than driving.

As you refresh with this little breather, the Volvo, too, is equally reinvigorated. The checkups, the early prep, the smart tech — everything contributed to a flawless drive. That’s the thing about a well-designed luxury SUV. It doesn’t just show off. It silently makes your life better. The XC90 teaches you that road trips don’t need to be stressful. Not when your car is actively working with you. Every detail — from ventilated seats to integrated Google Maps, from clean air inside the cabin to a ride that flattens chaos — is there to make your journey smoother. Even a short break, a few hours outside the city, can do wonders. But only if the journey there is as relaxing as the stay. And with the New Volvo XC90, it always is.