Estepona, Spain – We spend a couple of days on Spain’s legendary Costa del Sol driving Volvo’s new luxury sedan…
Another Volvo with number 90 on its badge?
Indeed! The S90 follows the acclaimed XC90 as the second of what will be a number of new models from Volvo’s head of design, Thomas Ingenlath. Like its SUV sibling, this sedan is also based on the Swedish company’s new SPA platform architecture and it also shares the XC90’s engine range, though the turbodiesels now feature Volvo’s new PowerPulse technology … more on that later though.
It’s a handsome beast, isn’t it?
Put it this way: there wasn’t a journalist on this international launch who would disagree with you. Volvo had parked an S90 in the foyer of our hotel and it drew admiring comments from my colleagues as soon as we walked in. The nose features a concave interpretation of the Volvo grille – reminiscent of its ’60s iconic P1800 sports car – and like the XC90, the S90 boasts Ingenlath’s signature T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” LEDs daytime running lights in the headlamps.
The S90’s blended curves and sharp creases – especially evident over the rear arches – give it a silhouette that is at once muscular and sophisticated.
The XC90 boasts arguably the best interior in its segment … does the same go for the S90?
I’d say so. Look, the XC90 interior was a real breath of fresh air that offered something distinctly different from the German triumvirate and, because the S90 carries much of these design cues, it no longer has that initial wow factor. Still, as familiar as we now are with Volvo’s new interior DNA, the S90 still impresses. Kent Falck, who heads up the XC90/S90 project for Volvo, was at the launch, and described the cabin as “being like your dining room at home”. We can therefore assume that Kent’s dining room is an exercise in understated Swedish minimalism populated by furniture that blends ergonomics, fine leather and wood, with the very latest in electronic appliances.
The seats mimic those of the XC90 – in my opinion the finest seat design currently on the market – and are available with a massage function. Rear leg-room is impressive and rivals that of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, though the S90’s lower roofline means the rear of the cabin doesn’t feel quite as roomy back there as the Merc. Boot space, too, looks a little tighter than the E’s, but at a claimed 500 litres, it still offers plenty of storage space.
I see it has the same big screen infotainment system, too…
Yes. “Sensus” is the official name for Volvo’s infotainment and driver support system, which provides the driver with information through three screens: what Volvo calls “Now” info in the adjustable heads-up display and centre display between behind the wheel; and the non-critical “Whenever” info on the large centre screen with touchscreen capability.
As we declared in our road test of the XC90, this is the most intuitively functional automotive infotainment system on the market. Using its sat-nav to navigate our way around the Malaga region was a cinch and with the superb optional Bower & Wilkin audio system fitted, Scandi electronica and ’50s modal jazz provided an excellent soundtrack to our route of twisty mountain roads and dual-carriage highways.
Highways? That’s a bit boring for a test route, isn’t it?
Normally, I’d agree, but Volvo specifically chose the A7 between Estepona and Malaga to showcase the latest version of its PilotAssist driver support system. This is part of Volvo’s IntelliSafe package and is standard on the S90. A development of the system in the XC90, it represents the next step in Volvo’s stated goal of full autonomous driving capability.
Employing various sensors to pick up lane markings, along with radar-guided adaptive cruise control, this latest PilotAssist ups that ante from operating to a maximum of 60 km/h (in the XC90) up to operating to a maximum of 130 km/h in the S90 … which is why we were driving along the A7. Low-speed traffic jams, as well as general highway driving, is now within the ambit of the system’s capabilities (XC90 owners will be pleased to know that they can have the software of their cars upgraded to allow this highway speed capability.)
And does it work?
Provided the lane markings are clear enough and the road doesn’t bend left or right at too much of an angle, our S90 kept itself within the requisite lane. The driver has to keep a hand on the steering wheel and provide some sort of input otherwise the system will disengage. Volvo is very clear about the system being there to assist rather than take over. “The driver is expected to actively participate in the driving and remains responsible for monitoring, supervision, and over all operation of the vehicle” is the no-nonsense statement in the press release.
Initially, I wanted to see how much control I could give over to the car in an attempt to see how close to actual autonomous driving the system really is, but that only led to frustration. Letting it deal with the lanes and traffic while I only offered the light touch of one hand saw it frequently disengage. However, once I let it help me and I found a happy mental medium where I provided constant minimal steering inputs while trusting the S90’s electronics to do the rest, navigating the highway became a very relaxing affair.
You hinted earlier at new engine tech …
Right, sorry. Yes. Volvo calls it PowerPulse and it refers to the turbo technology that debuts in the S90’s turbodiesels (and then rolls out in the 2017 XC90s, too). The S90 range features various iterations of Volvo’s 2,0-litre Drive-E engine block and in the turbodiesel variants this tech aims to cut turbo-lag to a minimum by getting the serial sequential two-stage turbo operating at optimal speed as quickly as possible. Audi is doing something similar with its new electric turbo technology, but Volvo’s engineers are using an air compressor to do the same job (they claim it’s a cheaper solution). Basically, air is pumped into a pressurised two-litre tank via a compressor and when – at low speed or from standstill – you want to put your foot down, this pressurised air is fed by a valve into the exhaust manifold in order to spool up the turbo.
Again … does it work?
Acceleration is brisk and the 173 kw/480 N.m D5 we drove certainly feels more responsive than the unit tested in the XC90. Granted, the big SUV’s greater mass has to be factored in, but even accounting for that, subjectively at least, it feels more urgent.
And where has Volvo pegged the handling then? I hear the E-Class’s cosseting ride is the new benchmark?
The Merc manages a balance between suppleness and dynamic ability that remains true to its core brand values (be sure to read our upcoming August issue where we put the new E220d up against the BMW 520d) and the S90 runs it very, very close. I’d like to drive the two back-to-back to make a definitive call, but initial impressions are that the S90 doesn’t quite match the German’s balance between agility and comfort. Our launch cars all had the optional air-suspension (R17 500 and fitted to the rear axle only) and even with the adaptive dampers dialled to Comfort mode, it didn’t cope quite as well with low-speed bumps in the road.
Look, I am splitting hairs here and the S90 does live up to the “Relaxed Confidence” that Roger Wallgren, the engineer in charge of its chassis development, says his team was aiming for. “The S90 should provide a relaxed experience over long-distance driving, together with the confidence to effectively perform evasive manoeuvres when needed.”
So, which models are coming to SA then?
Initially – by the end of October, to be exact – it will be the D5 and the 235 kW/400 N.m T6, both in Momentum or Inscription trim and both in AWD. In 2017, we’ll get the D4 FWD, T5 FWD and R-Design variants with their more aggressive body-kits and suspension set-ups and, after that, the 300 kW/640 N.m T8 Twin Engine to follow at a later stage.
And pricing?
Still too early for specifics, say Volvo SA, but the brand is aiming to position the entire range between the mid-R600 000 and R900 000 brackets … and that, on paper at least, looks marginally cheaper then the E-Class, which starts at R710k and ends at R950k.
