Volvo XC90's Alloy Wheel Breaks: Angry Owner Puts It On Flatbed And Questions Volvo's Safety
Volvo cars are known for their high safety standards and solid build quality. Most of their models come packed to the brim with safety features. Recently, people spotted a flatbed in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, carrying a White Volvo XC90. A tyre, slippers and alloy wheel were seen tied to its hood. People noticed it, filmed it and the video went viral in no time. This luxury SUV’s alloy wheels reportedly developed a crack, causing its owner to get furious and resort to the ‘unusual’ protest.
The video shows a flatbed carrying the luxury SUV moving along Ahmedabad roads. The owner is displaying the damaged vehicle to the public, and has banners placed around the truck saying ‘ Fake safety claims’. In this case, one of the XC90’s wheels developed a ‘vertical split’, posing a serious safety concern. The SUV in this case, is claimed to be new.
The damaged wheel is displayed on the SUV. To show his anger, the owner has even tied slippers to the car. It remains unclear as to how the wheel got damaged. According to some reports, it was caused by a pothole.
Luxury cars getting their wheels damaged by potholes on Indian roads isn’t new. However, it is relatively rare to find alloy wheels of high-end SUVs getting damaged by potholes. SUVs have high ground clearance. More importantly, they have tyres with taller and stronger sidewalls.
The banners blame the company (dealer) for not taking responsibility after the sale. One of them even says that buying an Alto instead of a Volvo is better, and the incident has put lives at risk.
After the wheel developed the crack, Upendrasingh, the owner, had to tow the vehicle. Later he put it on a flatbed and started touring the city. In the coming days, the truck is known to travel to Vadodara, Rajkot and other major cities including Delhi, making the message reach more people.
It is indeed sad to see a product from a brand like Volvo having to have this plight. However, we lack clarity on what measures the owner undertook before taking to the streets with the protest and what response he got from the concerned dealer. What we know for sure is that this owner is very disappointed with his experience and is trying his best to get justice.
The XC90 is, in fact, Volvo’s flagship SUV, with an ex-showroom price of Rs 1.03 crore. It received a facelift in 2025, which made it Rs 2 lakh more expensive than its predecessor. It is now a petrol-only model and competes with models like the Mercedes GLE, BMW X5 and Audi Q7. The new XC90 gets subtle design updates and is now available in a new Mulberry Red colour. Other five colour options include Onyx Black, Crystal White, Denim Blue, Bright Dusk and Vapour Grey. The facelift rides on new alloy wheels.
Inside, the XC90 gets a larger 11.2-inch touchscreen running on Google-based software, support for Over the air (OTA) updates, wireless phone charging, panoramic sunroof,, a 360-degree camera system, a head-up display, memory seats and more.
The facelifted XC 90 is powered by a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid turbo-petrol engine that makes 250hp and 360Nm. The diesel engine that was previously on sale, is no longer offered. The petrol engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all wheel drive (AWD) system. It is claimed to do the 0-100 kph sprint in just 7.7 seconds.