The New Volvo S90
With sleek Scandinavian design the new Volvo S90 aims to take on established premium rivals writes Suzanne Keane
What is it? The S90 marks Volvo’s entry into the premium saloon segment with distinctive styling and luxurious interiors – while offering something a little different to the usual contenders.
First impressions of the new S90? The Volvo S90 is quite angular looking with an aggressive vertical front end. From the front and sides, it really does look great but the shape of the rear taillights wasn’t to my liking. They do, however, give the rear end a low and sharp appearance especially when coupled with the dual exhaust system.
What about the interior? Inside the cabin you’ll be cocooned in soft nappa leather and surrounded in high quality materials while a portrait style touchscreen takes pride of place in the centre of the dashboard. Comfort is key in the front and the back of the S90 and there’s plenty of legroom for rear passengers too. However, despite having a boot space of 500 litres and almost 2m in load length (with the rear seats folded) the height of the opening is a little restrictive and wouldn’t take bulky items easily.
And on the road? On the open road the S90 is smooth and refined and when Pilot Assist is activated it’s an effortless drive on the motorway. The all-wheel drive version has 235PS while the front wheel drive model has 190PS, both of which are more than adequate for some spirited driving. However, on country roads the S90 suspension can be a little rough – possibly due to the optional 20” alloy wheels and low profile tyres on the test car.
The new Volvo S90 comes equipped with an advanced semi-autonomous drive feature, Pilot Assist.
How much? The Volvo S90 will start at €48,400 for a D4 front wheel drive diesel in Momentum trim. Models tested at the launch included a D4 Inscription trim with a €75,595 price tag (€52,900 without options) and a range topping D5 Powerpulse all-wheel drive Inscription model which costs €82.942 (€60,400 without options). CO2 emissions are just 116g for a 2-wheel drive S90 rising to 127g for an all-wheel drive version with road tax ranging from €200 to €270 per annum.
How safe? As you’d expect a range of safety features are included on the Volvo S90 such as City Safety (auto brake), road edge detection, run-off road protection, driver alert control, lane keeping aid, active bonnet, dual stage driver and passenger airbags including driver knee airbag, side impact protection system, curtain airbags, whiplash protection system, vehicle deceleration control and traction control.
What about my options? Standard features on the S90 include an 8 speed automatic gearbox, Adaptive cruise control, Pilot Assist, Keyless start, LED Headlights, Auto wipers, twin exhaust pipes, rear park assist, 17” alloys (18” on all wheel drive models), 9” touchscreen display, vents on the B-Pillar, Leather faced upholstery, Sensus Connect system which allows access to a range of web apps, 10 speakers and Sensus Navigation with a lifetime of map updates included.
Additional equipment on the Inscription included Nappa Soft leather upholstery, 12.3” driver information display, walnut inlays, 18” alloy wheels, LED fog lights with cornering function and dual integrated exhaust pipes.
Optional extras on the test cars included Tilt & Slide sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, park assist pilot, blind spot information system, head-up display, active bending LED headlights, heated steering wheel and front seats, power tailgate, integrated sun curtains, leather instrument panel, 20” diamond cut alloy wheels, laminated side windows, Bowers and Wilkins sound system, Apple car play, Keyless entry, Power front cushion extensions and two corner electric air suspension.
3 words to describe the Volvo S90? Elegant, Luxurious, Distinctive
For more information check out the Volvo Ireland website or their Facebook page
Suzanne Keane
20th July, 2016
