Item: Volvo S90
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Volvo S90

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

As we mentioned in our introduction, because the Volvo S90 is a hybrid only, it's not the cheapest car among its immediate peers. You can buy a petrol or&nbsp;diesel version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a6/saloon/review/n61">Audi A6</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/5-series/saloon/review/n63">BMW 5 Series</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17174">Mercedes E-Class</a> for significantly less, but it's not even the cheapest PHEV. The 530e starts at a much lower price for cash buyers and is predicted to depreciate at a slower rate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

That won't bother company car buyers, who will find that&nbsp;the S90 T8 Recharge attracts&nbsp;very low <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/company-car-tax-bands/n1255">company car tax</a> thanks to its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/new-official-fuel-consumption-and-co2-tests-explained/n1213">official CO2 emissions</a> of just over 40g/km. If you manage to keep the battery topped up and run on electricity alone for the majority of your journeys, it'll cost you very little to fuel. However, if you run out of electricity and use the petrol engine, you'll struggle to get the average MPG to break into the low 30s. If you're a high-mileage user, that might mean that diesel is a better option.&nbsp;

You do get a good amount of standard equipment, though. R-Design trim comes with keyless entry and start,&nbsp;a powered boot lid, leather trim, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, privacy glass, 19in alloy wheels and sporty styling&nbsp;inside and out.

As we've already discussed, it comes with front&nbsp;and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, adaptive LED headlights and a well-equipped infotainment system.&nbsp;We'd choose Inscription trim, though, because as we said earlier, it&nbsp;rides better and also adds ventilated front seats and softer Nappa leather seat trim.&nbsp; ​

Volvo is synonymous with safety and as&nbsp;standard&nbsp;the S90 comes with lots of kit, such as&nbsp;traffic sign recognition, lane&nbsp;keep assist, blindspot monitoring&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">emergency city braking</a>, which&nbsp;recognises cars, large animals, pedestrians&nbsp;and cyclists.

According&nbsp;to <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/euro-ncap-safety-ratings-2019-%E2%80%93-how-safe-is-your-car/n17044">Euro NCAP</a> the S90 will protect adult occupants slightly better in a crash than an Audi A6, but it highlighted a weakness when it comes to child occupancy in the rear – a child sitting in a booster cushion was at a reasonable risk of chest injuries. It's still a very safe car overall, though.&nbsp;

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<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Volvo's&nbsp;T8 plug-in hybrid engine is branded 'Recharge' in the S90 brochure.&nbsp;It comes with&nbsp;a battery pack powering an 86bhp electric motor that drives&nbsp;the rear wheels&nbsp;and a 299bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine powering the front one. Combined, that means near-instant response the minute you put your foot down and plenty of poke&nbsp;thereafter, with 0-62mph cracked off in just 5.1sec.

To get that kind of performance from an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a6/saloon/review/n61">Audi A6</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/5-series/saloon/review/n63">BMW 5 Series</a>&nbsp;you'd need to choose one of the larger engine options, because even the 530e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/class/electric-cars">(PHEV)</a> can't match it. 

Assistance from&nbsp;the electric motor helps to reduces CO2 emissions when the petrol engine is running, and the V90 can run for up to 37&nbsp;miles (official WLTP range) on electric power alone. You'll struggle to achieve&nbsp;that distance in the real world, but you should manage at least 20 miles or so on a full charge.

The T8 shuffles between power sources without disturbing you too much. You don’t really notice the car switching from electric to petrol power and back again, and the&nbsp;only real issue is its brakes. They&nbsp;stop you effectively enough but are a bit grabby, especially in traffic. That's because they're set up&nbsp;to recover waste energy as you brake, and the process affects the pedal's feel. The same is true of the BMW 530e, though.&nbsp;

The S90 is lovely and quiet around town in electric-only mode, and a quiet cruiser on the motorway.&nbsp;There's little in the way of&nbsp;wind noise, even on the motorway, and road noise is okay&nbsp;–&nbsp;the standard fit 19in wheels drum up a bit of a roar over coarse surfaces. The A6 and&nbsp;5 Series are slightly quieter in that respect.&nbsp;

Ride comfort in large saloons is crucial to many buyers, so it’s disappointing to find that the S90 doesn’t deal with bumps that well. Around town, there’s&nbsp;more fidget than you’d feel in an Audi A6, and large ruts send a thump through the car. R-Design trim comes with a lower suspension set-up that makes the ride a bit harder still.

At the same time, the large S90 isn't as sharp as its rivals when it&nbsp;comes to handling – it's less&nbsp;precise than the&nbsp;5 Series and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/xf/saloon/review/n85">Jaguar XF</a>. It remains fairly upright through tight bends&nbsp;but never feels particularly eager to change direction and the steering doesn't provide much feedback.

R-Design trim provides a slightly tauter driving experience, but&nbsp;ultimately it's not worth the compromise in ride comfort&nbsp;and there is still quite a lot of float on undulating country roads. The fact that all four wheels are driven by either electricity or petrol does give the S90 good traction in trickier driving conditions, but in terms of handling balance, it still feels predominantly front-wheel drive.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

2.0 T8 Recharge PHEV [455]

20-t8-recharge-phev-455

The Volvo S90 could be the breath of fresh, crisp&nbsp;Scandinavian air you’ve been looking for if you’re bored of all those big&nbsp;German cars.

The S90 is a luxury&nbsp;saloon that shares its underpinnings&nbsp;and much of its interior&nbsp;with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/v90/estate/review/n17192">Volvo V90</a> estate and <a href="http://https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc90/4x4/review/">XC90</a> SUV. If you're interested in cutting your emissions, reducing the amount you pay in company car tax –&nbsp;or both –&nbsp;this might be the car for you.

Why? Well, Volvo has dropped diesel and petrol-only engines from the S90 range, and it's now&nbsp;available exclusively with a 2.0-litre&nbsp;petrol-electric <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hybrid">plug-in hybrid system</a>. It has also dropped some of the trims, rationalising&nbsp;them down to just two.&nbsp;

We suspect there will be plenty of buyers frustrated – and perhaps somewhat confused – by Volvo’s decision to keep the cheaper engines on in the equivalent V90 while removing&nbsp;them from the S90. But the Swedish manufacturer is on a mission to become something of a market leader in electrification and this move in effect turns the S90 into a halo model for the brand.

That does, however, mean that its starting price is now significantly higher than the entry-level versions of the <a href="blank">Audi A6</a>, <a href="blank">BMW 5 Series</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17174">Mercedes E-Class</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/xf/saloon/review/n85">Jaguar XF</a>.

Buyers of large <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/luxury">luxury&nbsp;saloons</a> are a demanding bunch who expect a comfortable ride, superb refinement and generous levels of luxury equipment. So, is this electrified car good enough in those areas to tempt them away from its impressive rivals? Read on over the next few pages of this Volvo S90 review to find out.

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The driver of a Volvo S90 is treated to a brilliant seating position, no matter what their size or shape. The Swedish manufacturer's seats are famous for their supportiveness and these are no different, while standard electric adjustments, including lumbar support,&nbsp;make&nbsp;getting comfortable no problem at all.

The S90’s steering column has a generous amount of extension, and the wheel, seat and pedals all line up perfectly. That's not the case with its rivals – the pedals in an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a6/saloon/review/n61">Audi A6</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/5-series/saloon/review/n63">BMW 5 Series</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17174">Mercedes E-Class</a> are skewed over to the right, and the A6 and E-Class have more intrusion in to&nbsp;their&nbsp;footwells.

Forward visibility is very good and you get front parking sensors included. The rearward view is slightly obscured by the S90's thick back pillars&nbsp;but, again, rear parking sensors come as standard, as does a rear-view camera&nbsp;(a 360-degree camera is a pricey option). At night, bright LED headlights light the way clearly&nbsp;and feature adaptive main beams that can remain on without dazzling the&nbsp;cars in front.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The S90's Sensus infotainment system is the same as the one you'll find in the V90 and XC90, featuring a 9.0in tablet-style touchscreen through which you control most of the car's functions. It's reasonably responsive when you press the icons, but the small size of some of those&nbsp;and the large number of functions the screen operates&nbsp;make&nbsp;this a fiddly system to use on the move.

We prefer the dial controller you get in the 5 Series and E-Class, and a few more physical buttons in the S90, for frequently-used features such as the climate control,&nbsp;would improve it.&nbsp;At least wireless <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>/<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> come as standard. 

There’s a great ambience to the Volvo S90’s cabin. It’s a clean-looking design finished to a high standard – on a par with that of the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series. Everything feels well built and there are plenty of soft, dense materials and solid switches throughout, which mark it above the Mercedes E-Class's slightly flimsier feel.

All models get leather seat trim and ambient interior lighting, but only the higher-grade Inscription trim gets softer Nappa leather and&nbsp;plusher wood veneers.

Saloon

Volvo is now a true rival to the likes of Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, offering an alternative take on premium executive cars to a rapidly growing fanbase.

After a string of strong launches – notably with the Mk2 XC90 and XC60 SUVs – it struck gold in early 2018 when it launched its smallest SUV, the XC40. When our testers compared the car with its rivals, they concluded that it was the best launch of the previous 12 months, earning it our coveted overall Car of the Year Award.

The good news is that, like many car makers, Volvo now uses the same structure underneath most of its cars – so if they get it right on one model, it usually bodes well for the rest. That’s the case here, with Volvo’s subsequent saloon and estate launches complementing the SUVs and making for a generally extremely appealing line-up.

VOLVO

A&nbsp;fine executive saloon, majoring on space and an upmarket interior rather than driving dynamics

Interior space is one of the Volvo S90’s strengths. It’s one of the roomiest cars of its size, although the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/luxury">luxury&nbsp;saloon</a>&nbsp;class includes some really big limos such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a8/saloon/review/n17302">Audi A8</a>&nbsp;and the long wheelbase <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/s-class/saloon/review/n17355">Mercedes S-Class</a>.

In the front, even the tallest folk should find there’s plenty of head and leg room, while someone equally tall sitting behind them should still have space to spare. The only issue is the wide central floor tunnel, which steals&nbsp;foot space from a passenger sat in the middle. Still, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a6/saloon/review/n61">Audi A6</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/5-series/saloon/review/n63">BMW 5 Series</a> are just as compromised and not as roomy overall.

The S90's 461-litre boot doesn’t get anywhere near the size of the one in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17174">Mercedes E-Class</a>&nbsp;or the regular&nbsp;petrol or diesel&nbsp;BMW 5 Series. Compared with the 530e PHEV, though, the S90&nbsp;boot is a bit bigger (they both lose space because the hybrid batteries live under their boot floors). The S90’s is a reasonable size for everyday chores, but you might struggle for luggage space during the annual family holiday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

You can fold down the standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats at the touch of a button, located just behind the rear headrests – most of its rivals come with more flexible 40/20/40 seat splits, though. When the seats are down, there's a&nbsp;completely flat extended load bay. The aperture that's left between the boot and passenger compartment is quite shallow&nbsp;which&nbsp;limits the size of longer items you can&nbsp;carry.

R-Design trim comes with keyless start, a powered boot lid, leather trim, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, privacy glass, 19in alloy wheels and sporty styling, inside and out. You also get front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, adaptive LED headlights and a well-equipped infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring. We'd choose Inscription trim, though, because it adds a few nice extras and has softer suspension for a smoother ride.

R DESIGN

r-design

OUR PICK

We'd choose Inscription trim. It rides better than R-Design and comes with all the same kit (see R-Design trim tab for details) plus ventilated front seats and softer nappa leather seat trim.  ​

Inscription

inscription

The Volvo S90 is a spacious, beautifully finished luxury saloon with loads of space for passengers. It's also cheap to run if you can keep the battery fuelling most of your trips rather then the petrol engine, and a cheap company car thanks also to its hybrid (PHEV) power. That said, it's pricey to buy outright, doesn't ride that well and the boot is relatively small. The BMW 530e is a better hybrid option overall.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plush ride and the ability to cruise in near-silence </li> <li>Powerful and efficient engine</li> <li>Space for passengers to stretch out in the rear seats</li> <li>Exquisite materials and build quality</li> <li>Endless luxuries on the options list</li> <li>Sensible fuel and tax bills</li></ul>

If you’re in the market for a luxury car, you’ll be after a sumptuous interior, a ride that can soak up the worst of the UK’s pockmarked roads and supreme refinement that allows you to travel at speed in near-silence.

Your cheapest (and smallest) options are the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class and brilliant BMW 5 Series, the latter of which is so good we voted it our 2017 Car of the Year. Larger options that are definitely worth considering if you plan to travel in the back include the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and the Mercedes S-Class, which is beautifully finished inside and not as expensive to run as you might think.

Or if money really is no object at all, the Rolls-Royce Ghost is hard to overlook – especially in extended-wheelbase form. It’s as opulent as cars get.

Luxury

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Effortless long-distance capability</li> <li>Strong standard specification</li> <li>Low running costs</li> <li>Comfortable driving position</li> <li>Comprehensive yet easy-to-use infotainment system</li></ul>

Executive cars are often the choice of company car drivers, so factors such as CO2 emissions (which govern your monthly tax bill) are just as important as cruising refinement for those long motorway journeys, a plush cabin and (whisper it) the image of the badge on the bonnet.

The good news is that there are options for all budgets and tastes. If rear space is crucial and you’re willing to put up with a less-than-premium badge, the Skoda Superb is tough to beat, while if you want a premium badge on the bonnet then the BMW 3 Series is consistently one of our favourites in this class.

And don't think you're limited to just petrol or diesel-powered choices in this class,&nbsp;because at the top end the Tesla Model 3 is well worth considering for its long range and engaging driving style.

RRP price range	£57,775 - £58,550
Number of trims (see all)	2
Number of engines (see all)	1
Available fuel types (which is best for you?)	hybrid
MPG range across all versions	313.4 - 313.4
Available doors options	4
Warranty	3
Company car tax at 20% (min/max)	£808 / £819
Company car tax at 40% (min/max)	£1,616 / £1,638
Available colours

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