2017 Volvo S90 T6 AWD Review
Sleek Swede Saloon is the futuristic executive saloon you’ve been waiting for
By Shahzad Sheikh
Watch our video of the 2017 Volvo S90 T6 AWD review by clicking below.
Meet the freshest, most modern and sophisticated executive saloon to arrive in our market – the 2017 Volvo S90. This one is the range-topping Inscription trim in T6 guise with AWD.
The T6 means it gets the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder ‘Twin Charge’ engine – both supercharged and turbocharged – that impressed us so much in the new XC90 SUV. It puts out 320bhp and 300lb ft of torque and delivers a very impressive 0-100kph time of just 5.7 seconds – that’ll blow away most hot hatches!
More impressive than that is the way it looks. It’s a sleek and suave thing that I have to say reminds me of my favourite BMW 7-Series, the E38 from the late 90s – the one Pierce Brosnan’s Bond used in Tomorrow Never Dies.
But this Volvo is not a rival for the 7. It’s more 5-series, and perhaps more pertinently, a Mercedes E-class rival – seeing as that’s also just been relaunched as technical tour-de-force packed with drivers aids. I’ll get to those in the minute.
The S90 looks bigger because it slightly is – 4cm longer and wider but 3cm lower to give it that elongated style. At the front you’ll find the Thor’s hammer headlights seen in the XC90 and a grille that harks back to the classic P1800 coupe used by, not Bond, but Roger Moore as The Saint!
Inside of course it’s super-spacious, super-comfortable, and being a Volvo, super-safe. It’s also super-high-tech. So let’s get inside and I’ll show you some of the features, but first the boot.
What’s it like to drive?
It’s exactly how you’d expect it to be. Smooth, refined, very easy to control, quiet, great ride, reassuring grip and good poise whilst cornering – particularly if you select ‘Dynamic’ mode, although really ‘Comfort’ is the best setting in this car.
Whilst it’s certainly not a sports saloon, what you probably won’t be expecting, given the size of the engine, is the astonishingly eager and keen performance, right from the get-go. Throttle response is, if anything, a little too enthusiastic, and the Twin Charge engine certainly works its magic. The engine even makes a nice sound, though it’s mostly unobtrusive.
So around town or on the move trekking between cities, be in no doubt this car has more than adequate pulling power.
It’s also got acres of space inside front and rear, with very comfortable seats, and as you’d expect from Volvo, lots of well thought-out and clever user-friendly features.
That tablet takes a little getting used to, but once you do, it’s intuitive and you wonder why other car makers persist with old fashioned buttons.
The S90, of course features a raft of modern safety and driver’s aids including cross-traffic alert, autobraking, lane-keeping (and it’ll really fight you on that) all of which can be configured through the touch-screen. There’s also a speed camera alert in the fully digital instrument panel and the colour heads up display.
And there’s the new ‘Pilot Assist’ feature, an evolution of Adaptive Cruise Control (which this also has) but closer in concept to semi-autonomous driving. Indeed on a highway you can set it up and it will stay in lane and adjust its speed according to the conditions. In traffic it can even come to a complete halt and move off.
It does demand you stay alert and keep your hands on the wheel though – it’ll flash up a warning every 15 seconds. So you can’t check your Facebook or take a nap. It’s not infallible either, so you do need to be alert.
Despite all these systems and aids, the gratifying thing about the new S90 is that it’s still not a bad steer. The technology complements the drive, but doesn’t over shadow it completely. It actually remains a very pleasant thing to pilot yourself and keep the ‘assist’ locked away.
Verdict
It looks extremely handsome, has an exquisitely inviting cabin (there’s even an awesome Bowers & Wilkins sound system), an amazing catalogue of technology and features, is surprisingly quick, and a satisfying car to drive and own.
This range-topping Inscription model with AWD and the more powerful engine, plus all the kit, weighs in at AED260,000 ($70,000). But prices go as low as AED170,000 ($46k) for the FWD T5 in Momentum spec with 254bhp.
That’s still more powerful and about AED23,000 cheaper than the equally new 2017 Mercedes E200 with its 2.0 engine putting out 184bhp.
2017 Volvo S90 T6 AWD – The Specs
Price: AED260,000 ($70k)
Engine: 2.0-litre Four Cylinder, 320bhp @ 5700rpm, 300lb ft @ 2200rpm
Performance: 0-100kph 5.7secs, 209kph, 9.0L/100km
Transmission: 8-speed auto, All-wheel drive
Weight: 1915kg
Let us know what you think of the new 2017 Volvo S90 T6 AWD review below
Does the seats comes with massage function? and what about the after sales services? customers still worried about Volvo reliability in our market
No massage seats. Check with local dealer if they are available as an option.
I liked the review, liked the car, was hoping more info on airbags and safety features tests which Volvo is know for..