2016 Detroit Auto Show: Volvo XC90 takes North American Truck of the Year honours

Amongst fierce competition, Volvo and its exceptional 2016 XC90 SUV came back with the spoils of being named 2016’s North American Truck of the Year.

It’s fitting; the last time Volvo took home the laurels, it was back in 2003, with the first generation of the very truck you see here. As good as this year’s XC90 is, the competition was no slouch with the likes of the Honda Pilot and Nissan Titan XD entering the fray.

The XC90 won based on its innovative design, quality of fabrication, and its luxury but above all, for the new tech it introduced. There are conventional gas engines, but also an all-new T8 hybrid model. The latter features a plug-in hybrid powertrain, one of a select few vehicles in the category that can lay claim to such tech. With the new e-Drive feature, we see some electric aid, too, thanks to a 2.0-litre motor with electric assistance. It provides 403 horsepower and a generous 472 lb.-ft. of torque.

It’s the first Volvo model developed entirely while under Chinese ownership, introducing the modular SPA platform. The very same platform used to underpin the new S90 sedan, also introduced at this year’s show.