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How many shoes can you fit into a Volvo XC90? It’s a question Kathryn Wilson has pondered – and tested – many times.
Preparing for New Zealand Fashion Week or flying stock to her Arrowtown store often means her plug-in hybrid carries product as often as it does people. The magic number? Seven large suitcases’ worth.
Kathryn fell in love with Volvos 20 years ago when she bought her first company car, drawn to the Swedish carmaker’s understated elegance and sense of sturdiness and safety.
A stint with a mid-sized Volvo XC60 followed, but at this life stage, with a successful fashion retail business and two daughters who frequently need ferrying between school and sports practice, the seven-seater XC90 SUV makes all the difference.
Being a plug-in hybrid has been a game-changer. Kathryn charges the car at home a couple of times a week, the 67km of electric range it gives her meaning she seldom has to worry about filling up the petrol tank. She estimates she’d visit a gas station once every three months or so.
“From home to school and to the office, it's under 10km – but I’d probably do about 30-40km a day,” says Kathryn.
“The Volvo gives me full electric for two days. We just plug [it] in in our garage at home – it's literally a normal plug in the wall. It's so easy, it's something I barely have to think about.”
Kathryn’s daughters Lola, 11 and Stella, 7, also love travelling in the spacious XC90, with Stella relishing directing them from their city-fringe home to school by speaking directly to Google Play from the third-row rear seats, gathering ETA and traffic intel in the process.
Meanwhile, there’s plenty of space for Lola, 11, to store her hockey gear – and to offer friends plus all their gear a ride to and from practice.
Weekends are often spent with the whole family in the car, including husband Liam, the girls, spaniel Toby, and even Lady Emerald the cat, who has been known to join them for getaways at the family bach in Pauanui.
Even on those longer drives, Kathryn says they’ve never needed to stop to charge en route or fill up the car thanks to the XC90’s electrified powertrain.
“When I come over the Hikuai hills, it charges as I brake. So when I’m on a windy road it gives me more electric because I’ve done so much charging coming down the hill... then I’ll get to Mangatāwhiri and it’ll kick into petrol,” she explains.
“So it’s definitely given me that freedom and confidence of knowing it’s costing so much less to run, and that you don’t have to charge on the road because it’ll automatically kick in to petrol.
“The kids love watching how much electric we’ve got throughout the journey,” she adds. “But you never stress you’re going to run out.”
In fact, she never feels stressed when driving her XC90, thanks to the calm and intuitive interior. As a designer, it’s important to Kathryn that she drives a vehicle that makes a style statement yet isn’t ostentatious – and it’s been no surprise to learn a female-led design team is behind the interiors in the cabin.
Swedish designer Maria Uggla is responsible for the second-generation XC90’s serene Scandi aesthetic, with its minimalist, luxury-focused cabin in natural materials and its signature crystal gear shifter.
The rear seats even feature a built-in booster seat, meaning Stella can comfortably and safely ride without the need for additional padding – plus there’s room for Toby to have his own special space.
“Obviously, you want something really smart when you're pulling up to a meeting, and that you feel good about what you're stepping out of,” says Kathryn.
“With Volvo, everything feels considered, it’s not screaming for attention. And when my car is clean and tidy, it's like I've got my life sorted.”
The 19-speaker system by Bowers & Wilkins – which uses the same technology as Abbey Road Studios – is also a favourite. When the DJ working on Kathryn’s Fashion Week shows sends her a new playlist, she always trials it in the Volvo.
It’s not easy finding the perfect alignment between lifestyle and brand, but with the XC90 Kathryn says she’s found the ideal.
“The Volvo fits really well with my brand and my product because we’re always wanting our shoes to feel timeless and sophisticated, something you'll confidently invest in because they make you feel good.
“It’s genuinely how I feel about Volvo and why I’ve been driving one for so long: that sense of quiet luxury that makes the time in the car feel like a haven from my busy daily life.”
Check out the Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid or book a test drive at volvocars.com/nz/cars/xc60-hybrid/
