LDV D90 2020 review: Executive

It's a hefty size, this LDV D90, so it's never going to look elegant, but it's on par with the others in the category. It has a sizeable front end and a bulky rear and there is car everywhere you look. A slight sense of refinement is visible around the grille and with the lights, so there's that, and they've pulled off the big car look quite well.

The interior looks good, considering the price and the amount of man-made materials used. It still feels stylish and pleasant to sit in on the road, especially when compared to the competition. In this top spec there are leather-trim seats, which are also comfortable and a leather steering wheel with a flat-ish bottom. I'm not a fan of the faux wood trim but the centre console is well designed and functional. The D90 is not a standout-looking car, but it's a bit more stylish than what you'd expect in this category.

This is where the LDV D90 shines, because space on every level is great. In the front there was plenty of leg and head room, even for the taller members of my family, plus it's a nice wide cabin, so it feels big, too.

The second row easily fit my two children, aged six and eight, and they had enough room to play back there. I was comfortable at 161cm and there is lots of space for longer legs to fit in the second row, too. You can also fit in three child seats across this row, which I proved with two boosters and a baby capsule.

Second-row passengers get their own climate control and airvents, two cupholders in the centre armrest and pockets on the back of the front seats. (image: Dean McCartney)

Even the third row, which is usually a squish in most seven-seat SUVs, had ample room for me, and you can also move the second row forward if you need more space. Kids and taller teenagers should be fine back there.

The LDV's boot is also huge - with the back row down it's a whopping 1350L, and the Cars Guide pram only took up half the space. I haven't seen that happen before! With the third row up and in use, the boot size is still 343L, and you'll be able to fit groceries, school bags and even a small suitcase on the side.

Rear passengers get airvents and two cupholders as well. The rear air-conditioning is loud, though. (image: Dean McCartney)

There are a few features that are a bonus to find at this price, including a power-operated tailgate and the fact that the parking brake turns off automatically as you drive off.

You'll find two cupholders in the front row, a large centre storage bin, a spot for keys and a phone and bottle holders in each door.

Second-row passengers get their own climate control and airvents, two cupholders in the centre armrest and pockets on the back of the front seats, while rear passengers get airvents and two cupholders as well. The rear air-conditioning is loud, though. Quite loud.

The D90 is also a very high car and I had to use the side step to get in and out, which is never really great if you're wearing heels.

The interior looks good, considering the price and the amount of man-made materials used. (image: Dean McCartney)

You can plug in for phone connectivity on the very large 12.0-inch multimedia screen, which syncs immediately with your phone so you can use maps for navigation and Spotify/streaming apps to listen to music and podcasts.

Be warned, however, that there is no volume button on the centre console, it's just on the screen and it's not easy to use. There's another one on the steering wheel, which clicks with every touch. Also, when you switch from, say, Spotify to the radio, for some reason the volume goes up to full level, so it's a huge rush to turn it down. Which isn't easy, because there is no knob.

You can plug in for Apple Carplay and Android Auto on the very large 12-inch multimedia screen. (image: Dean McCartney)

The LDV D90 4WD Executive costs $43,990 driveaway. Fuel consumption is a claimed 10.9L/100 km and I averaged 11.6L/100km with a lot of highway driving, which uses less fuel.

The D90 is covered by LDV's five-year/130,000km warranty, service intervals are every 12 months/10,000km.

The D90 is quite a heavy car, and with only a 2.0-litre turbo engine to power it you’ll need to press firmly and often on the accelerator. (image: Dean McCartney)