Volvo V90 (2016) introduce: the S90’s estate mate is here

This is the new Volvo V90, the estate twin to the all-new S90 saloon. It’s the third model to be released in Volvo’s flagship 90 series, joining the well-received XC90 SUV, and will make its public debut at the 2016 Geneva motor show in March.

The styling’s not a complete surprise; the car was revealed in full in leaked photos in January, with the same XC90-meets-P1800 front end as the S90 and a sloping tailgate with enormous, expressive slabs of tail-lights.

As of March 2016, Volvo has confirmed UK pricing for the V90. It starts from £34,555, with two trim levels, ‘Momentum’ and ‘Inscription’ and a choice of two four-cylinder diesel engines, with either front- or all-wheel drive. First customer deliveries are expected in October 2016.

The T8 TwinEngine hybrid variant will follow a few months after launch, arriving before the end of 2016 and commanding a price premium over the D4 and D5 models.

Each of the current 90-series cars – V90, S90 and XC90 – are built upon the same modular ‘Scalable Product Architecture’ (SPA) platform, and share the same engine family and double-wishbone front, composite transverse leafspring rear suspension layout.

Inside, you'll find essentially the same interior as the S90, with little in the way of visible plastic and plenty of leather, open-pore wood and glass. At the rear, the Volvo offers up 1526 litres of bootspace (including underfloor storage) – useful, but a little bit less than rival BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class estates. Blame that stylish sloping rear glass.

Does it get the same tech as the S90?

Sure does – the ‘Pilot Assist’ semi-autonomous driving system makes a reappearance, governing the car’s speed and steering on motorways at speeds of up to 80mph, providing the driver has at least one hand on the wheel.

Plenty of safety systems too, with cameras scanning for pedestrians, cyclists and even large animals and triggering warning displays, brake pulses and full automatic emergency stops if necessary to avoid hazards from all angles.

The phone-style, portrait oriented touchscreen is updated with the latest smartphone connectivity systems, including Apple CarPlay.

Engines – same as S90?

Yes; the range is made up of Volvo’s current 2.0-litre four-cylinder ‘DriveE’ engine family only.

That includes a brawny 232bhp D5 diesel but the big seller will be the D4 diesel, with 187bhp, 62mpg combined and a 119g/km CO2 rating – all very competitive stats.

From launch you’ll be able to order a D4 with front-wheel drive, available with a six-speed manual or 8-speed automatic gearbox, and a D5 all-wheel drive which is automatic only.

There will also be a T8 ‘TwinEngine’ plug-in hybrid variant following later this year, with more than 400bhp in total and an electric-only range of around 30 miles. It combines a twin-charged four-pot petrol engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox at the front with a large electric motor driving the rear wheels, with the floor-mounted batteries amidships.

Volvo reckons diesel will be the big seller, making up 80-85% of cars. Petrol will account for 5% and the rest will be hybrid.

Inscription trim is expected to be the most popular when orders open in March, and dealer demos will be available in late August/early September, with prices starting from £34,000.

Source: carmagazine.co.uk