Whoever mentioned not to judge a guide by its deal with evidently hadn’t laid eyes on the Volvo V90.
Jonathan Harper
It’s been four several years because Volvo to start with unveiled the V90 wagon, but damn if seeing a single in my driveway won’t make me a small weak in the knees. It’s possible it is really the Bursting Blue paint. It’s possible it is really the R-Layout styling tweaks. All I know is, whoever mentioned not to judge a guide by its deal with evidently hadn’t laid eyes on the Volvo V90.
The R-Layout is established off by a a little different reduced entrance fascia and these five-spoke, twenty-inch wheels, but even the normal V90 appears handsome as heck. The reduced, wide stance and loooooong profile are all excellent, as is the limited entrance overhang, plus the LED lights aspects and generous dash-to-axle ratio. It’s a design and style that is each striking and present day but will certainly age very well. I wouldn’t adjust a matter.
That longroof form lends alone to utility, too. Fold the rear seats flat and the V90 presents fifty three.9 cubic ft of cargo house, which is about the exact as a compact SUV. Admittedly, although passenger house is equally generous, that limited total top usually means headroom can be an problem for taller passengers, in particular in the rear. At the very least the R-Layout will come normal with a panoramic sunroof, to make the cabin sense as open and ethereal as doable, which is in particular welcome provided my tester’s all-black upholstery scheme.
Every single element of the V90’s inside is as good to appear at as it is to touch.
Jonathan Harper
Up entrance, the driver and passenger are treated to tremendous-cozy, tremendous-supportive chairs. Every single element of the V90’s inside is as good to appear at as it is to touch, with tender leather-based wrapping the dashboard and steering wheel and substantial-good quality plastics on the doorway playing cards and heart console. I could do without having the abundance of piano black trim close to the shifter and cup holders, as it receives pretty dusty pretty effortlessly, but it is really a smaller criticism about an in any other case wonderful cabin. Even the carbon fiber trim appears good.
Volvo’s Sensus computer software handles infotainment duties, organized on a 9-inch, portrait-oriented display screen. I have had a adore/loathe relationship with Sensus more than the several years and my expertise proceeds to be hit or skip. Even with introducing processing electric power, the V90’s method is frequently slow to respond to instructions at startup, but at the time it receives likely, those people troubles go away. I like that each Apple CarPlay and Android Car are not only normal, but can be relegated to the bottom tile of the home display screen so as to not consider more than the complete interface.
What I do not like, having said that, is that some of the very hot details to access webpages like the settings menu are sort of smaller and uncomplicated to flub although driving. Swiping remaining or right reveals different menus for different issues, but although the understanding curve is a little steep, at the time you get to know Sensus, it presents a prosperity of functionality.
A digital gauge cluster is normal and, although I recognize the minimalist method to what information is fed to the driver, the display screen isn’t as element-prosperous as what you are going to obtain in Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz merchandise. That mentioned, exactly where Volvo seriously ups the ante as opposed to the German level of competition is its normal amount of energetic driver-guidance tech. Computerized unexpected emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a driver warn watch, blind-place checking, cross-traffic warn, adaptive cruise management, highway indicator information and Volvo’s Pilot Help tech, which provides steering guide for freeway driving, are all normal on the V90.
Volvo presents its T5 and T6 engines listed here, which you are going to obtain in quite substantially every a single of the company’s other designs. The T5 is made up of a 2.-liter turbo I4 with 250 horsepower and 258 pound-ft of torque, although the T6 — which is what I have listed here — provides a supercharger to the combine, resulting in 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. Curiously, the fewer-strong T5 provides its comprehensive torque thrust at just 1,five hundred rpm although the T6 will take an extra seven-hundred rpm to make strengthen — and actually, provided the V90’s somewhat peaceful demeanor, except if you might be all about bragging legal rights, the T5 appears to be like the way to go.
The 8-pace computerized transmission is imperceptible in its action and T6 designs arrive normal with all-wheel generate for added foul-climate traction.
Jonathan Harper
Which is not to say the T6 isn’t a good motor. It presents a lot of electric power and, despite possessing a turbocharger and supercharger doing perform under the hood, total operation is buttery clean. The 8-pace computerized transmission is imperceptible in its action and T6 designs arrive normal with all-wheel generate for added foul-climate traction. If you adhere with the T5, you might be locked into entrance-wheel generate, but that is not automatically a issue a great established of winter season tires won’t be able to solve. Moreover, if it is really rugged, go-everywhere capability you might be right after, may I suggest the V90 Cross Place?
Even with the excess electric power and extra pushed wheels, the T6 setup isn’t that substantially fewer efficient than the T5. The EPA suggests a V90 T5 with entrance-wheel generate must return 22 miles per gallon in the metropolis, 33 mpg freeway and 26 mpg combined, although the T6 AWD lowers those people quantities to 21, 31 and twenty five, respectively. Right after a 7 days of blended driving, I recorded 24 mpg.
On the highway, the V90 won’t seriously compel you to generate it challenging. The steering has good excess weight, but feels a small numb. The V90 won’t loathe being thrown into a corner and the chassis does a good job of mitigating entire body roll on winding streets. Unfortunately, the twenty-inch wheels and reduced-profile tires of this R-Layout tester make for an frequently brittle ride on Los Angeles’ crappy freeways.
The R-Layout package may appear sporty, but the V90 is an uncomplicated-does-it form of cruiser that’ll fortunately breeze via hundreds of miles at a time.
Jonathan Harper
Continue to, I seriously like driving the V90. It’s just uncomplicated. There is good visibility out the entrance and an Specific driving method enables you to tailor issues like the throttle, steering and even the brakes to your liking. Individually, I choose to depart it all in Comfort and ease, because that is exactly where the V90 seriously shines. The R-Layout package may appear sporty, but the V90 is an uncomplicated-does-it form of cruiser that’ll fortunately breeze via hundreds of miles at a time.
But here’s the matter: You have to seriously want a V90 to get a single. This wagon continues to be an buy-only affair, this means sellers do not have them readily in inventory, as a substitute concentrating their efforts on the higher-riding V90 Cross Place. At $fifty three,090 to start off, which includes $995 for desired destination, the V90 T5 FWD represents a $three,090 discount more than the least expensive Cross Place, which can only be had in T6 AWD guise. And if you might be seriously very hot on a Volvo wagon, there is also the $forty,645 V60, which is a little smaller sized but employs the exact engines. You should not ignore about the $46,095 V60 Cross Place, possibly. Selections, choices.
The 2020 Volvo V90 is cozy, functional and quite good to generate — and there is a great deal to be mentioned for the inherent exclusivity (examine: neat component) of a particular-buy-only vehicle. Individuals who do make the excess energy to seek out a single out certainly will not likely be unhappy. The design and style alone helps make it a standout.