Volvo V90: Review
The only way it could be more Swedish would be if it came flat-packed with a side-serving of meatballs
Which is strange. Volvo raced, rallied and won - but all that motorsport heritage never actually helped the firm make anything remotely enjoyable during the 80s. Safe to crash, yes, but fun behind the wheel? Forget it.
Then came the 850 T5. Often painted powder yellow or seen jumping over kerbs in BTCC, it captured the public's imagination more than any previous fast Volvo, or indeed any since.
It didn't stay long. The T5 quickly grew up, became sensible and, soon enough, elderly antique dealers were back driving them. Nothing changed for more than a decade, the S60R doesn't count and, just before we gave up altogether on Volvo, the 350hp S60 and V60 Polestar arrived.
Boot not as big as you might think
Volvo's in-house performance division performed miracles, considering the building blocks it had to work with; the result was not only fast, but also astonishingly capable. Posing the question: what could Polestar and Volvo achieve starting from scratch? Now they now both have the chance.
Sitting on the billion-dollar SPA platform, the all-new V90 shares engines and underpinnings with the XC90, providing something close to gigantic proportions. A little shorter and fractionally wider than the big SUV, the V90 looks great on the optional 20-inch wheels. In fact, this could be the first Volvo estate since the T5 you might buy on appearance alone.
For this launch event, there are three derivatives available: the 235hp D5 diesel and the 320hp T6 petrol, both all-wheel drive, and the front-wheel drive 190hp D4 diesel. The T6 has yet to be confirmed for the UK, but is likely to follow the 407hp T8 plug-in hybrid at some point next year.
Now the weird bit. When the V90 goes on sale this September two rear suspension layouts will be offered. An optional multi-link air suspension or, wait for this, a transversely-mounted leaf spring - just like a Corvette. That's right, cart springs.
Volvo claims the leaf spring option helps for packaging reasons. Packaging for what or, rather, whom? Where traditional Volvo wagons were offered with seven seats, the V90 comes with just five. It's a travesty that a whole generation of kids will grow up without the rear-facing pews that allowed children of all ages to give the finger to following drivers.
Dynamic? Not really. Comfy? For sure
Boot space isn't even that generous; not to get all What Car? on you, but a significantly shorter Skoda Superb estate monsters the V90 with 25 per cent more space. Still, at least in the Volvo you have one of the classiest cabins in the business and standard toys like self-driving cruise control on all models.
With plenty of talk about 'comfort' at the press conference, can Volvo really have performed a miracle and made a luxurious modern car with very old fashioned suspension? Sadly there's no chance to find out on this event, because all the launch cars ride on air suspension and come with generous 255/35 Pirelli P Zero tyres.
Speaking to a Swedish chassis engineer, he says that maximising comfort as well grip at both front and rear axles were priorities alongside the ride. Comfort and grip? It's not sounding promising.
We start with the D5 diesel. Its all-wheel drive incorporates the latest Haldex 5 differential combined with Volvo's own all-wheel drive hardware. With 10 more horsepower than the original 850 T5, the V90 doesn't hang around. Accelerating hard up a slip road into fast-moving traffic, both traction and outright speed are enough to raise a single eyebrow.
Its 2.0-litre diesel, shared with the XC90, has been modified for the V90 and boasts something called PowerPulse. This nifty new technology bolts a small compressor and pressurised tank to the side of the engine. It works by injecting compressed air into the exhaust manifold to prime the turbo at low engine speeds, thus eliminating lag.
Very stylish on the outside...
There's a weight penalty of 10kg, but that's nothing considering the mechanically simple system manages to replicate Audi's expensive e-boost technology with its heavy lithium ion cells, 48V electrical system and more complex compressors.
Power and torque are unaffected by the addition, but a faster reaction from the turbo means off the line the Volvo takes just 7.2 seconds to hit 62mph - but there's a catch. Not only do you only get two hits from a single tank (though it only takes six or seven seconds to refill the bottle), PowerPulse also only works in first and second gear. This means the surge and engine response off the line isn't necessarily replicated in a typical overtake above second gear.
This would be less of an issue with a more powerful V6 diesel, as found in some of the V90's rivals. The modest 2.0-litre four-cylinder also lacks smoothness and refinement when worked hard, but is near silent at a cruise.
Away from the motorway and on more challenging tarmac, the V90 has strong grip for a car that weighs more than two tonnes. Predictably enough the balance is set to mild understeer; news that a lift can tighten the line just a tad no doubt coming as a huge relief to the Volvo's target audience... Again, as you might expect, the all-wheel drive is set up conservatively; this may be new Volvo, but it's still a family estate as well.
Immediately it becomes clear that Comfort mode does what it says on the tin, without a hint of catering to anything more spirited . It takes nothing more than a mid-corner bump, an odd camber and a crest before the V90 begins to feel very under damped, and ever so slightly out of control, until the ESP calls time to gather up the resulting mess. Switching to Dynamic calms things, adding some welcome body control without ruining ride comfort.
... and the inside too!
So does the T6 petrol suit the V90's relaxed character better than the four-cylinder diesel? Er, no, in a word. In fact, after just a few minutes it's hard to think why anyone would choose it over the diesel.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol misses out on the PowerPulse, but gets both a supercharger and turbo instead to try and overcome its modest engine capacity and lack of cylinders. Despite this, it doesn't feel anywhere near as potent on the road as 320hp would suggest.
Though the engine feels noticeably lighter over the front wheels than the diesel, it's also less enjoyable to drive. Where the D4 is quite pleasant with all its settings in Dynamic, the T6 is infuriating. The sportiest setting ramps up both the engine and 'box to such surprising levels of aggression it feels a mismatch for such a proudly comfort-oriented car. The engine sounds strained as well.
So the new V90 is not the most entertaining estate in the world to drive. But that's not to say the car is without appeal - far from it, even for those people who enjoy driving for the sake of driving. The way the engineers have bravely not chased the German obsession with 'sporty' suspension was a brave move, but a commendable one. Because as priorities for big estates go, comfort surely ranks pretty high.
For now this is no sporting estate then. And if you want white-knuckle thrills you'll need something else in the fleet, or something with a decidedly more sporty model in the range, be it an Audi RS or Mercedes-AMG. Maybe one day Polestar will be let loose on it to give us something to revive fond memories of fast Volvo wagons. For now it's nice to know Volvo is still willing to stick by the traditional family estate and put a stylish modern twist on the format, even if most of the target audience seem to want SUVs. One for the die-hards but no worse for it.
VOLVO V90 D5
Engine: 1,968cc 4-cyl diesel
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 235@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 354@1,750-2,250rpm
0-62mph: 7.2sec
Top speed: 149mph
Weight: 2,100kg
MPG: 57.7mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 129g/km
Price: £44,055
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The 2017 XC90, available for delivery from July, is also fitted with Power Pulse.
I'm hoping for some decent discounts to be offered in a year or so when I might be looking to upgrade my current V70. It's impossible to say without driving them but my initial thoughts are that I wouldn't need the D5. I'd go for the D4 and upgrade to Inscription spec and maybe add a couple more toys.
Would you really notice 190 vs 230bhp in a family estate? Not so sure it's worth the cash. I know you get 4x4 thrown in but I've never had a problem with fwd in the current V70.
I'm not sure an extra 2 cylinders on a diesel load-lugger makes it that much more special.
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