Whoever mentioned to not decide a guide by its cowl clearly hadn’t laid eyes on the Volvo V90.
Jonathan Harper
It’s been 4 years since Volvo first unveiled the V90 wagon, however rattling if seeing one in my driveway would not make me a bit weak within the knees. Maybe it is the Bursting Blue paint. Maybe it is the R-Design styling tweaks. All I do know is, whoever mentioned to not decide a guide by its cowl clearly hadn’t laid eyes on the Volvo V90.

LikeGorgeous exterior designComfortin a position and properly appointed interiorHuge roster of ordinary driver-assistance tech

Don’t LikeSensus tech is typically buggy20-inch wheels negatively have an effect on journey qualityExtra effort required to purchase one

The R-Design is about off by a barely completely different decrease entrance fascia and these 5-spoke, 20-inch wheels, however even the usual V90 appears to be like good-looking as heck. The low, broad stance and loooooong profile are all implausible, as is the quick entrance overhang, plus the LED lighting parts and beneficiant dash-to-axle ratio. It’s a design that is each hanging and fashionable however will certainly age nicely. I would not change a factor.That longroof form lends itself to utility, too. Fold the rear seats flat and the V90 provides 53.9 cubic ft of cargo area, which is about the identical as a compact SUV. Admittedly, whereas passenger area is equally beneficiant, that quick general top means headroom might be a problem for taller passengers, particularly within the rear. At least the R-Design comes commonplace with a panoramic sunroof, to make the cabin really feel as open and ethereal as potential, which is particularly welcome given my tester’s all-black upholstery scheme.

Every single a part of the V90’s inside is as good to have a look at as it’s to the touch.
Jonathan Harper
Up entrance, the motive force and passenger are handled to super-comfy, super-supportive chairs. Every single a part of the V90’s inside is as good to have a look at as it’s to the touch, with comfortable leather-based wrapping the dashboard and steering wheel and high-quality plastics on the door playing cards and heart console. I may do with out the abundance of piano black trim across the shifter and cup holders, because it will get very dusty very simply, nevertheless it’s a small grievance about an in any other case beautiful cabin. Even the carbon fiber trim appears to be like nice.Volvo’s Sensus software program handles infotainment duties, organized on a 9-inch, portrait-oriented display. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Sensus over time and my expertise continues to be hit and miss. Despite including processing energy, the V90’s system is commonly gradual to answer instructions at startup, however as soon as it will get going, these points go away. I like that each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto should not solely commonplace, however might be relegated to the underside tile of the house display in order to not take over all the interface.

What I do not like, nevertheless, is that among the scorching factors to entry pages just like the settings menu are form of small and straightforward to flub whereas driving. Swiping left or proper reveals completely different menus for various issues, however whereas the training curve is barely steep, when you get to know Sensus, it provides a wealth of performance.

A digital gauge cluster is commonplace and, whereas I respect the minimalist strategy to what info is fed to the motive force, the display is not as feature-rich as what you will discover in Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz merchandise. That mentioned, the place Volvo actually ups the ante in comparison with the German competitors is its commonplace degree of energetic driver-assistance tech. Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a driver alert monitor, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise management, street signal info and Volvo’s Pilot Assist tech, which provides steering help for freeway driving, are all commonplace on the V90.Volvo provides its T5 and T6 engines right here, which you will discover in just about each one of many firm’s different fashions. The T5 consists of a 2.0-liter turbo I4 with 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, whereas the T6 — which is what I’ve right here — provides a supercharger to the combination, leading to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. Interestingly, the less-powerful T5 delivers its full torque thrust at simply 1,500 rpm whereas the T6 takes a further 700 rpm to construct enhance — and actually, given the V90’s comparatively relaxed demeanor, except you are all about bragging rights, the T5 looks as if the best way to go.The eight-speed automated transmission is imperceptible in its motion and T6 fashions come commonplace with all-wheel drive for added foul-weather traction.
Jonathan Harper
That’s to not say the T6 is not an incredible engine. It offers numerous energy and, regardless of having a turbocharger and supercharger doing work beneath the hood, general operation is buttery clean. The eight-speed automated transmission is imperceptible in its motion and T6 fashions come commonplace with all-wheel drive for added foul-weather traction. If you follow the T5, you are locked into front-wheel drive, however that is not essentially an issue a superb set of winter tires cannot clear up. Besides, if it is rugged, go-anywhere capability you are after, would possibly I counsel the V90 Cross Country?Even with the additional energy and extra pushed wheels, the T6 setup is not that a lot much less environment friendly than the T5. The EPA says a V90 T5 with front-wheel drive ought to return 22 miles per gallon within the metropolis, 33 mpg freeway and 26 mpg mixed, whereas the T6 AWD lowers these numbers to 21, 31 and 25, respectively. After every week of blended driving, I recorded 24 mpg.On the street, the V90 would not actually compel you to drive it laborious. The steering has good weight, however feels a bit numb. The V90 would not hate being thrown right into a nook and the chassis does a pleasant job of mitigating physique roll on winding roads. Unfortunately, the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tires of this R-Design tester make for an typically brittle journey on Los Angeles’ crappy freeways.The R-Design equipment would possibly look sporty, however the V90 is an easy-does-it form of cruiser that’ll fortunately breeze via lots of of miles at a time.
Jonathan Harper
Still, I actually like driving the V90. It’s simply straightforward. There’s nice visibility out the entrance and an Individual driving mode permits you to tailor issues just like the throttle, steering and even the brakes to your liking. Personally, I desire to depart all of it in Comfort, since that is the place the V90 actually shines. The R-Design equipment would possibly look sporty, however the V90 is an easy-does-it form of cruiser that’ll fortunately breeze via lots of of miles at a time.But here is the factor: You have to actually need a V90 to get one. This wagon stays an order-only affair, which means sellers haven’t got them readily in inventory, as a substitute focusing their efforts on the higher-riding V90 Cross Country. At $53,090 to start out, together with $995 for vacation spot, the V90 T5 FWD represents a $3,090 discount over the most cost effective Cross Country, which might solely be had in T6 AWD guise. And in the event you’re actually scorching on a Volvo wagon, there’s additionally the $40,645 V60, which is barely smaller however makes use of the identical engines. Don’t overlook concerning the $46,095 V60 Cross Country, both. Decisions, selections.The 2020 Volvo V90 is comfy, purposeful and fairly good to drive — and there is a lot to be mentioned for the inherent exclusivity (learn: cool issue) of a special-order-only automobile. Those who do make the additional effort to hunt one out absolutely will not be dissatisfied. The design alone makes it a standout.