Having spent much of my childhood playing rally racing games on the Playstation, the thought of driving on loose surfaces has always intrigued me. Naturally, I was extremely excited when Volvo invited us to its home country to experience a few of its latest cars in a winter setting.
I embarked on the journey to Sweden looking forward to my first ice driving experience, but ended up learning so much more while having the time of my life.
The beauty of Scandinavian design
From the moment I stepped out of the plane in Stockholm, I was hit by the icy -5 degree Celsius air, followed by the sheer beauty of the airport. The simplistic design of the airport that incorporated an abundance of light timbre created an incredible aesthetic that was completed by the snow outside the windows - even our world-renowned airport back home can't compare to the beauty of this sight.
With half a day and a night to spare before we caught our connecting flight to Lulea, which was further up north, we decided to take the Arlanda Express to visit Stockholm City centre. Scenic views of quaint little houses in the beautiful sunset made up the backdrop as we travelled towards the city at speeds nearing 200km/h. Because of how vast and scarcely populated Sweden is, the countryside areas look idyllic and calm, in line with the minimalistic and refreshing design elements that we see in Volvo cars and other Swedish products.
The first car that we got behind the wheel of when we reached Lulea was the updated XC90, which will be launched in Singapore in the near future. True to Scandinavian design, the interior of the XC90 is simple and charming. You do get a digital instrument cluster and an adequately sized infotainment display, but there aren't excessive ambient lighting or flashy and convoluted design elements. The inclusion of a light-wood veneer panel on the dashboard ascertains the car's Swedish background. Over here, simplicity trumps over-the-top designs.
The demands of winter driving in a Nordic country
While Volvo's designs are known for being minimalistic, its safety systems are far from that. It is commonly understood that Volvo makes some of the safest cars in the world, and driving on the Swedish countryside roads in winter demonstrated this.
Singapore's scorching climate equates to high-grip road surfaces most of the time, save for the odd thunderstorm. In our context, it is hard to get a grasp on the importance of traction. However, driving on the snow-paved roads in Lulea, it is immediately apparent. The cars that we drove are all equipped with all-wheel drive, along with Volvo's comprehensive suite of safety and driver assistance systems.
With the XC90 and EX90 (yet another model slated to reach our shores), stability and traction control are mandatory - there's no option to turn them off. And unless you are trying to slide the cars intentionally, you will thank these systems (along with the dedicated snow tyres) for keeping you in control on the slippery and at times unpredictable surfaces.
While the XC90 and EX90 that we drove are rather large and heavy machines, the steering was relatively light and great for quick manoeuvres. The cars are not only surprisingly agile, but also easy to handle and keep in control - an especially important trait as there could be wild animals such as reindeer crossing the roads that would require evasive manoeuvres.
Made for the frigid climate
When we arrived at the ice track, we got to experience the EX90 and the freshly-launched EX30 Cross Country on the extremely slippery track that was carved out on the surface of a frozen lake.
With temperatures reaching -8 degree Celsius, we were all wrapped up in layers upon layers of clothing, wearing thick socks, boots, gloves, thick winter jackets and headgear to keep ourselves warm. Naturally, hopping into the warm cabin of the cars meant we would have to remove a few articles of clothing to stay comfortable, and that's where the purposeful design of these cars shone again.
Even a small crossover such as the EX30 Cross Country had plenty of compartments to stash your winter gear - you could stuff your gloves and beanie within the door's compartment, and bundle up your jacket to fit it in the centre console area (there's no gear lever taking up that space).
While the extreme cold isn't typically the best condition for batteries, both the EX90 and EX30 Cross Country seemed to handle it quite well - throughout the drive, the cars felt powerful and battery life did not seem to be excessively affected. The cars being electric also means there's no worries of engine cold-start issues, and the electric heat pumps are also very effective at keeping the battery and cabin temperatures nice and cozy.
Bread on a stick, Reindeer broth and Scandinavian flicking with full opposite-lock!
I love the cold, so just being in the middle of a frozen lake is quite the experience, but it gets even better. If you ask me, Volvo sure managed to give us the complete Scandinavian experience with this trip.
We were gathered in a large tent in the middle of the frozen lake where the ice tracks were situated, and there was a campfire burning just outside of the tent keeping those sitting outdoors warm. Just a stone throw away, another fire was raging - this was where the reindeer broth and Pinnebrød (we were told that it literally translates to bread on a stick) were being prepared. Munching on the fragrant bread dipped in the savoury reindeer broth while huddled around the campfire in sub-zero temperatures is an experience that you won't find anywhere else, and surely one to remember.
But what's etched into my memory would be my first-ever ice driving experience. We were free to let loose on the ice track with just one advice - take it slow and try not to plough into the snow banks. After a cautious first lap, it became clear that there's only one correct way to take the turns on such a frictionless surface - using the technique known as the Scandinavian flick.
The idea is to approach the turn from the inside line, brake and shift the weight to the front of the car while turning against the direction of the turn, you then 'flick' the car into the turn while adding throttle at the same time. When done right, you would be able to put the car into a slide and clear the turn sideways. This technique has to be used as attempting to complete the turn with the textbook circuit driving way will only result in massive understeer - there's simply not enough traction to turn!
This has got to be the most fun I've ever had behind the wheel, where the relative low speeds and loose surface amplified the excitement while keeping risks low - even if you do end up in the snow banks, you would still be safe.
This trip to Sweden has been an amazing experience for me. I've finally driven on snow-clad roads, and even managed to pull off a rally racing technique that I have only ever tried in games. But more than that, it helped me to gain an improved understanding of Volvo cars, and a newfound appreciation for these cars. While many features are taken for granted or under-appreciated when driving on Singapore roads, they greatly improve the winter driving experience in Sweden. Considering the precarious winter road conditions, there's no wonder the brand has such an affinity with improving safety.
