2017 Volvo S90 Review

Fuel Type
Gas
Transmission
Automatic
Drives
AWD
MSRP
$46,950
City MPG
23
Highway MPG
34
OVERALL RATING 3.8 of 5.0
  • Performance
    4.3 of 5.0
  • Cost of Ownership
    3.8 of 5.0
  • Interior
    4.5 of 5.0
  • Reliability
    2.5 of 5.0
15 Sep 2016
0

Volvo is one of the most dynamic and adaptable automobile brands of the twenty-first century. Their intended audience consists of families and businesspeople. These organizations are known for having very specific and sophisticated automotive requirements. As a result, adaptability is a must-have quality for a car manufacturer targeting these demographics.

Volvo’s most recent triumph was the introduction of the 2017 Volvo S90, a completely new and updated version of the S80. That model, which has been on the market since 2006, was one of their best-selling sedans.

Exterior design

By smoothing out and redesigning the S90, Volvo has really upped the ante. This transition is best described as finally shedding the “Ford Mondeo look.” This is a problem that many luxury sedans face: resembling the more affordable and thus ubiquitous Ford Mondeo. The Volvo S80 suffered as a result of this, but the 2017 S90 has matured into an elegant and distinguished appearance. A look appropriate for a mid-size luxury sedan produced by Volvo, a classic car manufacturer.

The face of the 2017 Volvo S90 will be the car’s most distinguishing feature. The front of the S90 makes a strong visual impact thanks to a large but appropriate grille and T-shaped headlights. Volvo affectionately dubbed the headlights Thor’s Hammer, a nod to Scandinavian mythology.

For a more aerodynamic appearance, the rear windows have been elongated. Furthermore, the wheelbases are 4.1 inches (10.4 cm) longer than the S80‘s, giving the car a sleek appearance. More importantly, this allows for more space for rear-seat passengers.

Finally, the rear of the car differs significantly from that of the S80. The taillights are C-shaped and meet on the trunk lid, where the letters Volvo link them. Excessive embellishments have also been removed from the trunk lid. In addition, the car’s nameplate has been relocated to the back bumper, making the rear of the vehicle look clean and elegant. Last but not least, the 2017 Volvo S90 has matured and lost the chrome trims that distinguished the S80. Volvo has clearly understood the adage “less is more”!

Interior design

The interior of the car is very similar to that of the XC90, Volvo’s recently released luxury segment SUV. Volvo decided that a winning team should not be changed because the interior is so amazing. The sedan’s dashboard has been lightly modified by slimming it down and adding some wood features. All unnecessary buttons have been removed, leaving the interior of the car clean and unexpected.

Engine specs

Volvo has already revealed that the 2017 S90 will have three engine options: T5, T6, and T8. The S90 T5 will be powered by a 240-horsepower turbo four-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive. The S90 T6 has a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This improves fuel economy, is available with all-wheel drive, and can produce up to 316 horsepower.

The S90 T8 Twin Engine is unquestionably the best of the best. This is a plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive. The T8 has three engine settings to choose from, effectively giving the S90 T8-driver three cars in one!

Engine configuration Pure is only for driving with an electric motor. The electric motor has a top speed of 75 mph (120 kmh) and a range of up to 31 miles (50 km). Engine setting Hybrid can be used when switching between a fuel engine, electric power, or a combination. The engine power setting is specifically designed to combine the gasoline engine and the electric motor. This allows the car to produce a whopping 400 horsepower.

European drivers have an even wider range of options for the S90, including the diesel-powered Volvo S90 D4 or D5. The D4 has 190 horsepower and the D5 has 225.

Tech specs

The 2017 Volvo S90 comes with a plethora of technological options designed to enhance the driver’s personal comfort and, more importantly, traffic safety. Volvo has adopted an idealistic program known as Volvo’s Vision 2020, which aspires to ensure that no one is killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by the year 2020 by utilizing intelligent safety technologies and highly advanced semi-autonomous features.

Safety features

Pilot Assist is one of these standardized safety technologies available on the S90. When driving at speeds of up to 50 mph on roads and highways, this option ensures that the car does not drift out of its lane (130 kmh). S90 Pilot Assist even works when there is no car in front to lock on to because it relies solely on lane markings for guidance rather than following a vehicle.

The Volvo exclusive City Safety system, which warns the driver and automatically brakes when a forward collision with another vehicle, large animals, pedestrians, or cyclists is imminent, is also standard on the S90. This option is only available when driving at a low speed, and it is most useful when stopping and driving repeatedly, because drivers are more likely to make mistakes in these situations. This option not only improves traffic safety, but it also prevents minor damage to one’s own and other people’s vehicles, which can be very costly.

The S90 is outfitted with four airbags, two in the front and two in the back.

The standard 2017 Volvo S90 also has a large touch screen in the center of the dashboard, right between the air vents, and its software includes a navigation app, Apple Car Play, and Android Auto.

Price and sale date

The front-wheel-drive S90 Momentum trim starts at $46,950, while the S90 Inscription trim starts at $49,650. The S90 is now available for purchase.