Volvo’s flagship saloon has been upsized and is now primed to take on the German competition.
VOLVO S90
VOLVO having China’s Geely as its parent company may have initially set tongues wagging as one of the more unlikely automotive industry takeovers.
Six years on, this arm’s-length relationship has worked remarkably well, with Volvo returning from the brink of bankruptcy to profitability, and for the first time ever, exceeding 500,000 units sold worldwide, in 2015.
The brief to Volvo was simple: Keep within budget (Geely plonked US$11 billion to turn the Swedish automaker around) and stick to developing modular technology for Scandinavian-flavoured premium cars.
Even the company’s new R&D Centre has remained at Gothenburg to ensure no dilution of Swedish innovation.
Last year’s well-received XC90 SUV was the first Volvo production car to roll out from this union. If that was anything to go by, the follow-up S90 luxury flagship saloon looks equally promising.
Like the new-age XC90, the S90’s underpinnings are based on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), which is meant for the company’s medium- to large-sized range of cars. This platform will see service in the next-generation 60-series cars as well. As with most industries today, staying ahead (or afloat) in business is all about volume, parts commonality and economies of scale.
Our Singapore market will get the supercharged and turbocharged T6 S90, followed by the de-tuned T5 turbo version in due course. Both are in-house 2-litre petrol 4-cylinder engines mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.
Apart from repeating the current Volvo styling language first seen on the XC90, the S90 is also noticeably bigger than the outgoing S80. If size matters, it goes on record as the biggest (length x breadth) mid-size saloon in the luxury segment, and also the lowest at 1443mm.
Volvo’s trademark Thor hammer-shaped LED headlamps flank a redesigned concave signature grille, which makes for a striking first impression.
The rest of the S90’s sleek and swooshy lines culminate in a broad and chunky notchback rear, framed by C-shaped tail-lights.
It’s certainly a handsome car by any measure, and a pleasant surprise for a big Volvo saloon.
Strangely, its 500-litre trunk is just average in volumetric capacity. It isn’t obvious, though, because the compartment remains deep and regular in shape, with extra under-floor storage, plus split-folding rear seats to accommodate longer items.
Where the S90 really shines is within the cabin, where it shares the design DNA first seen in the XC90. The layout is functional yet uncluttered. All materials are premium-grade, and the aesthetics is pure Scandinavian minimalism.
Our test car came in Inscription trim, with generous application of chrome-trimmed matte walnut wood inlays and soft- touch Nappa leather for a class- act ambience. Top that with the best seats in the business, plus an audiophile 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) sound system, and you might be tempted to spend more time lounging in this plush vehicle.
A significantly stretched wheelbase of 2941mm (106mm more than the S80) translates to generous legroom for backseat passengers. Any doubts I had about the coupe-like roofline compromising rear headroom were put to rest when I had a lanky 1.9m Swedish spokesman oblige for a demonstration, with room to spare.
As in the XC90, a 9-inch iPadlike Sensus touchscreen system takes centre stage on the cleanslate dashboard, flanked by matching vertical-slit air vents. It’s literally the command centre of the S90, providing access to entertainment, connectivity, navigation, services and vehicle settings.
The Sensus system is loaded with functions and may require some familiarisation. But anyone who has a tablet device will find it intuitive, with everything just a press, swipe or pinch away.
You could say it is Volvo’s answer to BMW’s iDrive or Audi’s MMI, re-invented to appeal to an IT-connected generation.
For key driver information, there is a large 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, where the navigation map and other essential info can be transposed between analogue-style dials. This is similar to Audi’s Virtual Cockpit system.
Enhancing the driving experience are the head-up display (HUD), 360-degreeview camera, park assist pilot, rear collision warning and blind spot monitoring. The seats can be specified with massage and ventilation functions. But even without the extra kit, this Volvo still feels special.
All the safety tech in the XC90 is featured in the S90, including a couple of enhancements. For example, City Safety collision anticipation and auto-braking can now detect large animals (like horse, moose or elk), in addition to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. This extra detection feature is probably irrelevant in urban Singapore, where the rare wildlife encountered will more likely be a much smaller monkey, wild boar or otter.
“Singapore will get the t6 and t5 versions of the s90.”
“Volvo now has a serious contender in the mid-size premier league.”
Another safety enhancement is semi-autonomous Pilot Assist version II. This is essentially a combination of adaptive cruise control and auto lane-keeping.
It can now operate at speeds up to 130km/h, guided by visible line markings, and its operation no longer requires a “lead car” in front. You just need to rest a hand or two on the steering wheel, and let the car do the rest on long highway stretches.
The S90 cannot do its own lane-change or self-park, though, unlike the latest W213 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Volvo is quick to point out that their latest S90 isn’t an autonomous car, and that the person behind the wheel is still central to the Volvo driving experience – what CEO Hakan Samuelsson describes as “relaxed confidence.”
Whilst most of its competitors have gone on a weight-reduction regime, the S90 is a heavyweight in comparison, at 1.8 tonnes. This could be down to the SPA platform and boron steel safety cage. Volvo insists that its cars will never be compromised on safety.
Thankfully, the big and heavy S90 in 2-litre T6 turbo/ Upon approval Please sign: Name and Date: supercharged guise never feels wanting on the go.
On the Costa del Sol coastal stretches, it accelerates briskly up ramp-ways to merge with faster highway traffic. It even pulls ahead on uphill mountainous straights without hesitation – all this whilst providing a quiet and comfortable ride. The car feels reassuringly planted at all speeds, to the extent that 170km/h seems more like 120km/h.
Attesting to the well-sorted suspension, the ride is welldamped over all manner of speed bumps, humps, ruts, and even unpaved estate roads. It’s all the more amazing when you see the ultra-low-profile 255/35 R20 tyres the S90 is shod with. No doubt the optional rear-axle air suspension plays a part, too.
Just don’t expect the S90 to be the last word in agility. It is, after all, a big and heavy car. Its handling is predictable, just not the most nimble on quick, winding mountain stretches. It even skitters a little over mid-corner bumps taken at speed, but the car’s all-wheel-drive and wide tyres quickly counter to ensure that traction is promptly restored.
Both the S90’s heft and my heavy right foot conspire to take a toll at the pumps. I only managed 8.3 kilometres per litre, which is far from Volvo’s published consumption of 13.9km per litre (combined cycle).
And there are no plans to bring in the more efficient T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, nor the D4 and D5 diesel variants.
The saloon’s heavy-metal mass is double-edged, because it makes the S90 less fuel-efficient and blunts handling, but it also makes the car ultra-safe and gains a limolike ride quality.
Where the ageing S80 trailed the cream of the German midsize premier league, Volvo now has a serious contender in its biggish S90, which can hold its own against the continental competition. It certainly rolls to its own distinctive Scandinavian beat – different, yet accomplished.
Is it a better beat? Well, that depends on whether you like Swedish meatballs in creamy sauce, or German pork knuckles with sauerkraut. Both dishes are equally delectable, and it all boils down to personal preference.
