A high-tech alternative to premium sedans
Even if its lineup isn’t as diverse as the competition, or even as well known, Volvo is continuing to push the envelope, as the new 2018 Volvo S90 T8 demonstrates.
This is a large luxury sedan that uses an unconventional powertrain, yet still manages impressive performance and economy.
For 2018, Volvo has added114.3 millimetres to the wheelbase of the S90, giving it limo-like proportions. It’s noticeably longer than the usual suspects of competitors, such as the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series, and that leads to a few improvements that luxury car buyers will really appreciate.
For example, there’s an incredible amount of rear-seat legroom. Passengers in the rear can easily cross their legs, and the area is pretty much an airport lounge.
The cabin is extremely well trimmed, especially in this Inscription model that features a diverse set of materials and accents. The soft black Nappa leather is paired with walnut decor on the dash, along with sleek metal and piano black accents throughout the cabin. Interior hits and misses However nice the interior looks, its usefulness could be improved. I’ve griped about the Sensus infotainment system before and will continue to do so until it gets easier to use while driving. Other pages of the infotainment system linger on the screen for a bit too long. Since the screen is the only way to change media and climate settings, you have to wait for these displays to fade away.
The gear selector is also quirky. The geologically shaped shifter is unique but nudging it up or down first selects neutral, and then either drive or reverse (depending on which way you push it). It takes time to get used to, and there seems to be no real reason for this process.
Other elements of the interior are brilliant. There’s a big digital dashboard to show you the map or your media information, as well as an available head-up display that is clear and easy to see. It also offers the amazing Bowers and Wilkins sound system, which provides a lot of depth to the audio setup. The front seats are supportive, cooled, heated and can even massage you. So many motors This slight complaint probably has something to do with all the propulsion technology lurking within the Volvo’s bones. A plug-in hybrid has a lot of baggage of its own, and the Volvo packs an electric motor for each axle, as well as a 10.4 kWh battery to power them. Indeed, the car is an all-wheel-drive EV, and those motors work in combination with the 2.0-litre twincharged four-cylinder engine to deliver a combined 400 hp and 470 lb.-ft. of torque.
Put your foot down and you’re rewarded with sports-car-like speed. Highway figures come up in 41⁄ seconds, which is de2 cidedly unlike most hybrids or large luxury sedans. The eightspeed gearbox is pretty good and feels well sorted out. The on-road experience Having a large footprint may help in sports such as swimming, but it doesn’t help the S90 feel particularly sporty or engaging to drive. The long wheelbase leads the car to feel more stately and mellow, and it isn’t an agile ride by any stretch of the imagination. The optional rear air suspension seems to keep things even-keeled on imperfect roads, but can still feel quite firm in other situations. It wasn’t a serene city cruiser, where roads can be riddled with potholes, manhole covers, cracked streets and other issues. The experience on the highway was a complete contrast and shows where the S90 shines.
Another bright spot in the S90’s package is the driver assistance and safety offerings. The forward-collision-warning system features automatic braking and can detect pedestrians, cyclists, even large animals. The lane-keeping assistance feature is quite good, although the adaptive cruise control does make fairly abrupt and uncomfortable stops. The blind spot monitoring system is good and the parking assistance features are robust and fully loaded to help you deal with parking this large vehicle. The verdict The S90 T8 Inscription starts at $76,965 and our tester was generously equipped. All in, it would cost $93,865 to get the same car we tested, which is a lot of money and not far from the starting price of such flagship sedans as the MercedesBenz S-class or BMW 7 Series. However, at that price point, those cars would be missing a few key features, while the Volvo would be extremely wellequipped.
The S90 isn’t really up to the tier of those cars in terms of ride quality and luxury, but the technology and design are very nice, as well as the powertrain.
It’s definitely worth looking at if you want an alternative to the usual choices of premium vehicle.