Laidback elegance and luxury from the launch of the new Volvo S90

Volvo South Africa is currently riding a wave of success that consumers are possibly quite unaware of. Having reached huge successes with the likes of the XC90 and opening new Volvo Experience dealerships, Volvo SA is doing very well for itself.

Volvo SA is still shaking off the mantle bestowed upon it by the public, of a super-safe, ultra-boring car for old people and architects, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Volvo has really stepped up the plate and is seriously trying to change the public perception of their brand and as far we can tell they are doing a proper job of it with vehicles like the XC90 and now the new S90 where we were on launch.

The S90 couldn’t have come at a better time, with its German rivals preparing new releases in this segment. It delivers high levels of luxury, performance and technology at a price point that is sure to give the opposition sleepless nights.

The Drive

At launch the S90 was available in two Drive-E engine and power train variations, namely D5 and T6, both coupled to eight-speed Geartronic transmissions. More engine types will be available at a later stage.

We first sampled the diesel variant, and flying over the Franschhoek pass it was hard to fault the engine and gearbox pairing. Volvo has introduced some new technology in the D5 engine called Power Pulse which is essentially a small compressed air tank that shoots burst of air into the turbo to keep it spooling, to avoid lag, and I can honestly say that it works. With torque for days and almost zero lag from the turbo, the D5 was a dream in the mountains.

We next sampled the T6 over Helshoogte pass into Stellenbosch and found it to be somewhat nervous in Dynamic mode, with it wanting to drop a gear and get on with it at sometimes inopportune moments. Selecting the Comfort mode saw the engine and drivetrain calm down a bit and settle into a brilliant cruiser that simply ate up the kilometers.

The Style

The S90 will be available in three trim levels – Momentum, Inscription and R-Design, with each these featuring a multitude of colours, materials and trim options.
The Inscription models we tested were trimmed in an array of leathers ranging from white to cream to black to tan and featured stainless steel, woods and synthetics. The cabin has stainless steel accents that define lines such as the centre line that runs across the dashboard, joining these from vent cluster to vent cluster. Another feature they are proud of is the diamond-cut control knobs on everything.

Taking centre stage of the S90 dashboard is a Sensus Connect nine-inch touchscreen in a portrait orientation that controls just about everything in the car. Climate control, audio control and navigation are all accessed from a very intuitive interface. The addition of Apple Car Play and Android Auto to the system makes connectivity a breeze.

The exterior of the Volvo S90 has been a six year labour of love for the Swedish company, with almost every inch of the vehicle being painstakingly designed to best reflect the virtues of the brand from safety and style to lines that are pleasing to the eye.

In stark contrast to the back end the front end is work of art with the concave grille and its stainless steel tipped bars to the now familiar Thors hammer led headlights.

The Safety

Being known as the masters of auto safety, Volvo spared no expense when it came to the S90, fitting it with every three-letter safety system that they have in their arsenal. An uprated radar detection system now allows the S90 to “see” large animals, cyclists and pedestrians as well as smaller objects that conventional radar systems might miss.

With a comprehensive detection system in place, Volvo have now taken one step closer to full autonomous driving with the S90 featuring systems that allow the car to virtually drive itself, with very little input from the driver. Lane keeping assist coupled to adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation allow the S90 to cruise along with the vehicle taking care of everything, provided the environment is fit and can supply the systems with the data it needs.

Our Verdict

With the S90 being built on Volvo’s Scalable Product architecture, also found in the XC90, Volvo has hit a home run with the S90. As they continue to shake off the stigma attached to the brand, I for one do hope to we start to see many more Volvos on our roads, and I cannot wait to get one of these to test properly!

Models and Pricing

Volvo S90 T5 Geartronic Momentum	R675 200
Volvo S90 T5 Geartronic Inscription	R718 700
Volvo S90 T5 Geartronic R-Design	R704 200
Volvo S90 D4 Geartronic Momentum	R698 500
Volvo S90 D4 Geartronic Inscription	R742 000
Volvo S90 D4 Geartronic R-Design	R727 500
Volvo S90 D5 Geartronic AWD Momentum	R777 700
Volvo S90 D5 Geartronic AWD Inscription	R821 200
Volvo S90 D5 Geartronic AWD R-Design	R806 700
Volvo S90 T6 Geartronic AWD Momentum	R828 400
Volvo S90 T6 Geartronic AWD Inscription	R871 900
Volvo S90 T6 Geartronic AWD R-Design	R857 400

Prices exclude emissions tax.

All models come standard with a 5-year/ 100 000 km full vehicle warranty, full maintenance plan and roadside assistance, as well as laminated glass and Tracker Connect as standard.