The self-driving Uber Volvo XC90 was our Car of the Year for 2015 - here's what we thought

Business Insider

When Geely took control of Volvo in 2010, critics of the $1.5 billion deal were curious whether it would end in tears. After all, Chinese companies have had a relatively poor track record integrating their foreign acquisitions. Many were concerned Geely would meddle with the special Swedish sauce that made Volvo such a special brand for its fans.

Instead, Geely took a hands-off management approach, retained Volvo's existing engineering and manufacturing setup, and even sought to accentuate the brand's Swedishness. At the same time, the Chinese firm gave Volvo the $11 billion it needed to develop its next generation of cars, engines, and technology.

So many things could have gone wrong. None did. And last year, Volvo refuted any notions that it was undergoing some kind of identity crisis under Chinese ownership - with one car. It was the XC90 crossover SUV, and it was Business Insider's Car of the Year in 2015.

Now Uber has announced that it will use the XC90 as a platform for a rollout of self-driving technology in Pittsburgh.

Several weeks were spent sampling the car - in top-level "Inscription" trim, tipping the cost scales at almost $67,000 - in its natural environment, suburban New Jersey, and in the San Francisco area.

The XC90 is the first all-new car to emerge from a cash injection provided by Geely, which bought the brand from Ford after the financial crisis. The crossover features both Volvo's new Scalable Product Architecture platform that will underpin all of the company's next generation of cars as well as the Drive-E engines that will power its complete lineup.

The XC90 had so much going for it that it was ultimately a challenge to not choose it. While the Volvo might not be as luxurious as a Mercedes G Class or as robust under the hood as a BMW X Series - and we're unsure of whether its reliability can challenge Acura or Lexus - there's no doubt that it's feature- and technology-packed, a joy to drive, comfortable, and exceptionally versatile.

We certainly enjoyed driving it. Now we're wondering what it will be like for Uber customers to ride in it - with nobody driving it.