Volvo S90

Volvo S90 Overview

The Volvo S90 is the Swedish automaker’s flagship 4-door executive sedan. Locally assembled in Shah Alam, Malaysia, the flagship sedan recently received a mid-life update in April 2021 and the two variants on offer are the T5 Momentum and the Recharge T8 Inscription Plus, the latter being a plug-in hybrid with electric all-wheel drive.

Changes to the updated model are subtle and are mainly cosmetic. Price for the Recharge T8 Inscription Plus starts from RM 339,315 (OTR without insurance) and the price for the T5 Momentum is yet to be announced by Volvo Car Malaysia.

Volvo offers a five-year, unlimited-mileage manufacturer warranty as well as an eight-year, limited warranty (160,000 km) on the PHEV battery for a worry-free ownership experience. The flagship executive sedan goes up against rivals in the likes of the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E class, Audi A6 and the Lexus ES. 

Volvo S90 Design

The Volvo S90 design combines classic Scandinavian subtlety and elegant proportion with fine details and bold lines. At first glance, the long sculpted bonnet with short front overhang, strong shoulder line and a low slopping roofline gives the car a sporty yet elegant stance.

The facelifted model features a redesigned front bumper with a revised air intake and a chrome strip that now runs across the lower bumper. The Volvo badge is nested within the revised concave grille flanked by sleek LED headlights featuring Volvo’s signature ‘Thor’s hammer’ LED daytime running light.

Chrome details on the exterior elements including the front grille, door handles and the side door is exclusive to the T8 Inscription Plus variant while the T5 Momentum settles with a black-painted finish. Both variants are fitted with 19-inch alloys with 255/40R19 tyres featuring a ten-spoke black diamond cut alloy on the range topping T8 Inscription and a five double-spoke matt graphite diamond cut alloy on the T5 Momentum variant.

At the rear, the Volvo features a distinct C-shape full-LED taillights with revised 3D-effect graphics and sequential turn indicator. The twin exhaust tips are now hidden away replaced by a simpler lower bumper design, signaling Volvo’s commitment towards a cleaner and greener EV future.

Volvo S90 Dimension

Compared to its closest German and Japanese rivals, the Volvo S90 is easily the longest car in the segment and also one of the lowest. It also weighs well over the thick end of 2 tons for the plug-in hybrid model no thanks to the hybrid powertrain as well as a heavy battery pack, making it one of the heaviest cars in the segment by some margin.

Volvo S90 Interior

The interior design remains largely the same as the pre-facelift model and reflects Scandinavian minimalism and luxury at its finest. The dashboard layout is retained with Volvo’s now familiar portrait style 9-inch Sensus Connect touchscreen infotainment system taking centre stage.

Soft touch materials are used extensively across the cabin accented by satin chrome trims. Beautifully sculpted leather upholstery with contrast stitching is reminiscence of Scandinavian luxury furniture design. Top of the range T8 Inscription Plus gets you upgraded Nappa leather with pitched oak/grey ash decor inlay as opposed to the T5’s checkered aluminium decor inlay.

As standard, you get leather wrapped 3-Spoke multi-function steering wheel with unideco inlay and a leather wrapped gear lever. The T8 Inscription Plus adds exclusive Orrefors crystal gear lever with illumination and diamond-cut knurling effect on the controls including engine start/stop knob, drive mode selector and the volume knob.

The interior space is vast with generous knee and head room albeit with a slightly narrow access at the rear door. Rear air vents are located on the B-Pillars as opposed to the more conventional position behind the central arm rest. Innovative positioning of the battery pack along the centre tunnel for the plug-in hybrid may have compromised leg room for the rear middle passenger, but that also translate into an uncompromised boot space with a respectable 500 litres for both variants.

Volvo S90 Features

Standard equipment includes LED headlights with active high beam and daytime running light, automatic headlight levelling system, high position rear brake light, illuminated door handles and a welcome/approach lighting. T8 Inscription Plus adds Active Bending Light (ABL), high-pressure headlight cleaner and illuminated door handle.

On the inside, both variants are fitted with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with adaptive digital display and a 9-inch integrated touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The T8 Inscription Plus gets upgraded Bowers & Wilkins 19 speakers premium sound audio system (1400W), a Head-Up Display (HUD) with Intelligent Driver Information System, Road Sign Information System and Sensus Navigation.

Standard creature comfort include dual-zone electronic climate control, clean zone interior air quality system, power adjustable front seats with memory function for the driver and keyless entry with push to start.

Driver assistance features include adaptive cruise control, pilot assist, park assist front and rear, rear view camera and automatic dimmed rearview mirror. The Inscription Plus adds park assist pilot, 360 surround view camera, power operated boot with hands-free operation, power operated sun curtain as well as a sunroof.

Safety comes courtesy of Volvo’s industry leading Intellisafe safety and driver’s assistance system featuring City Safety. Both variants receive the full suite of Volvo’s highly advanced and comprehensive safety system, among others includes collision avoidance and mitigation with intersection support for pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, front and rear collision warning and mitigation support with auto brake, oncoming lane mitigation, Cross Traffic Alert (CTA), Lane Keeping Aid (LKA), run-off road mitigation with road edge detection and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS).

Protective safety feature includes Pre-Prepared Restraints (PRS), dual stage driver and front passenger airbags, Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) with dual chamber SIPS airbags, full length Inflatable Curtains (IC), Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) for front seats and energy absorbing seat cushions.

Child safety include ISOFIX anchor points, power window with pinch protection and integrated two-stage booster cushion for the outer rear seats.

Volvo S90 Driving Performance

Engine

Under the bonnet, the T5 Momentum variant is powered by a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering 254 PS at 5500 RPM and 350 NM of peak torque between 1500-4800 RPM, driving the front wheels. Century sprint is completed in 6.8 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 180km/h.

The T8 Inscription Plus hybrid powertrain features an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor mounted on the rear axle. As the ‘Recharge’ branding implies, the ICE adopts the same 2.0 turbocharged engine and supercharging it, bumping up the output of the petrol engine alone to 320 PS and 400 NM.

The electric motor on itself produces 87 PS and 240 NM, now powered by a larger 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, bringing the total combined system output to 407 PS at 5700 RPM and 640 NM of peak torque between 1200-5400 RPM. 0-100km/h is achieved in an impressive 4.9 seconds, totally annihilating its closest competition by some margin. Unfortunately, top speed is also limited here at 180km/h.

Transmission

Drive is sent to the front wheels via the Aisin eight-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic. In the T8 Inscription Plus hybrid model, the same transmission works in concert with the electric motor on the rear axle to provide Electric All-Wheel Drive (eAWD) or pure Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) depending on the drive mode selected (Hybrid, Pure, Eco, AWD).

Hybrid is the default mode which the electric motor and internal combustion engine works together either in tandem or separately to provide optimal driving performance. Pure mode uses the electric motor only and drives the rear axle (up to 125 km/h) provided battery charge is sufficient.

Eco mode as the name suggests prioritizes fuel efficiency while constant AWD mode locks the vehicle in all-wheel drive and offers optimal torque distribution between front and rear axle to provide the best possible control, stability and traction

Power mode maximizes the combined power from the internal combustion engine and the electric motor by providing power to both the front and rear wheels. Gear shifting will be faster and more distinct where the transmission prioritizes gears with a higher traction force.

Volvo S90 Ride Comfort

Based on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture Platform (SPA), the Volvo S90 features double wishbones at the front and a multilink with transverse leaf spring suspension system at the rear. The T8 Inscription gets upgraded Active Chassis (adaptive dampers) with two-corner air suspension. Level control regulates the car's suspension automatically to maintain the same ride height at the rear regardless of load.

The shock absorption is adapted according to the selected drive mode and according to the speed of the car. It is set for the best possible comfort and is regulated continuously depending on the road surface, the car's acceleration, braking and cornering.

The T5 Momentum on the other hand makes do with Dynamic Chassis with hydraulic shock absorbers. The ride is considerably firmer without the air suspension, but otherwise the ride is equally quiet and is a cossetting place to spend time in.

Volvo S90 Fuel Consumption

Official rated fuel consumption on a combined cycle for the T5 Momentum is 7.0 L/100km with a CO2 emission of 159g/km. The T8 Inscription Plus on the other hand manages to achieve an impressive fuel economy of just 2.1L/100km thanks to the hybrid powertrain. CO2 emission is rated at 46g/km.

Volvo S90 Conclusion

The Volvo S90 has managed to redefine the luxury executive sedan segment. On top of Volvo’s industry leading safety features, the flagship sedan also presents exceptional level of comfort and luxury comparable to its closest rivals while offering what is quite simply the most powerful powertrain in the segment. Refinement is a given and to say that the Volvo S90 is one of the safest car money can buy is a definite understatement. However, Volvo’s commitment towards safety also means that the 180 km/h speed limit is here to stay. While it may not be as engaging or as fun to drive as its German counterparts, under the right circumstances, the Volvo S90 can certainly unleash the Mr. Hyde within the highly sophisticated Dr Jekyll exterior.