BUY, LEASE OR FINANCE AN VOLVO S90 T8 PHEV FROM OSV: bit.ly/3vVfL1W
Volvo has never really cracked the full-sized executive sector and this S90 model hasn't done so either, but it has its charms, especially in the Recharge T8 Plug-in hybrid AWD form that customers now have to have. Based on the brand's well-established SPA platform architecture and 2.0-litre drivetrain format, this electrified Swedish saloon aims to tempt company customers with what Volvo describes as 'elegant and functional' appeal.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00​​​​ Introduction
00:43 Background
02:38 Driving Experience
05:59 Design & Build
12:08 Market & Model Range
16:03 Cost of Ownership
19:56 Summary
Background
If you're thinking of buying a full-sized executive car, then you're probably thinking of a BMW 5 Series, an Audi A6 or a Mercedes E-Class. Other brands have tried and failed to upset German dominance in this segment, Volvo being one of them. The Swedish maker's old S80 never managed to make much of an impact here - but then that was a car from a different era of Volvo ownership.
These days, the Gothenburg marque has huge Chinese investment to drive it forward and the result is a much stronger range of product - cars in fact like this one. Volvo itself reckons that this improved S90 (and its V90 estate counterpart) represent even more of a step forward than the second generation XC90 SUV did - and sure enough, this car showcases the Gothenburg brand's latest Plug-in hybrid tech.
Driving Experience
This S90 uses Volvo's more powerful 'T8' plug-in hybrid powertrain with 455hp on tap. You're certainly never really prompted to exercise all that power, but if you ever did, you'd find that 62mph could be dispatched in just 4.7 seconds on the way to the governed 112mph maximum that all Volvos these days share. Once you've discovered where the drive modes reside (they're buried away in a 'Driving' menu on the centre screen), you'll find that ultimate speed is delivered by a 'Power' mode that sees both petrol and electric units permanently working together. Alternatively, there are three other drive choices: a 'Hybrid' setting that sees the two power sources cutting in and out as necessary: a 'Constant AWD' mode that gives you permanent 4x4 traction: and a 'Pure' setting that only uses the battery power and can take you up to 54.7 miles (way more than most people's daily commuting distance) on a single charge.
That the handling doesn't serve up anything that encourages much driving involvement has a lot to do with the rather vague steering. But if you wanted a sports saloon, you wouldn't have chosen an S90 anyway, so it's best instead to settle back and enjoy the super-smooth 8-speed auto transmission and this Volvo's unruffled poise and exemplary refinement. There's no adaptive damping system - and that's disappointing because you'd ideally want it in this car: the extra weight of the plug-in hybrid powertrain has robbed the S90 of the supple suspension feel we remember it delivered in the un-electrified versions available at the original launch.
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