Volvo XC90 D5 AWD

Volvo has made a big gamble with the 2016 XC90, a model that is considerably more upmarket and luxurious than the first generation of the three-row crossover. When the Swedish automaker announced pricing for the 2016 model, some people took to Facebook to loudly declare that they were done with the brand because it had become too expensive. That signaled to the haters that it was time to declare Volvo was dead.

The thing is that people make loud, sweeping accusations on Facebook all the time. It turns out there are plenty who are willing to pay the increased price. According to Volvo, almost 24,000 XC90s have been pre-ordered. That number’s impressive considering it constitutes about half of the anticipated full year’s sales volume.

Any bets on if Volvo runs out of stock?

Stop to think for a moment that about 24,000 customers are also taking a gamble on a vehicle they haven’t driven, and maybe haven’t even seen in person. It’s a huge statement about the appeal of Volvo, the last standing mainstream automaker from Sweden.

Of the many revolutionary things about the 2016 Volvo XC90, one of the most important is that it introduces the company’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). It also incorporates new safety features, namely a system that protects the occupants if the crossover runs off the road.

Just a year ago, some people were ready to declare Volvo a goner in the modern car market. With the 2016 XC90 about to come out, the brand’s already seeing a sales upswing that’s defying the recent slump. According to the company, it sold 107,721 cars to consumers in Europe and the United States during the first quarter of 2015

People can expect to start seeing the new XC90 in the latter part of the spring, which is when Volvo says the first deliveries will arrive at dealerships. Volvo believes that once the crossover is in consumers’ hands, sales will only heat up more.