Volvo Car Australia has pulled the covers off the new S90, their Swedish marque’s all-new flagship luxury sedan that will take a figurative hammer to the established rivals from Germany. Come October, it will be available locally with a starting price of $79,900.
We’ll get to the exact details of each specifications will be on offer - ranging from the T5 Momentum, D4 Momentum, D5 Inscription AWD, to the T6 Inscription AWD – but Volvo has been trying for a long time to deal a solid blow to its competition in the premium space. But is there anything so different about this attempt?
According to Kevin McCann, Managing Director of Volvo Car Australia: “The All-New S90 combines outstanding driving performance, industry-leading safety features and a high quality, luxurious interior that epitomises pure Swedish style. The S90 is without doubt the best luxury sedan Volvo has ever produced. It sets a new standard that will strengthen Volvo’s position in the prestige sedan segment in Australia.”
On the surface, at least, there’s not that much all that different but the S90 represents a much more comprehensive assault, in terms of the depth of engineering behind it, the in-built technology (convenience and safety), engine and powertrain roadmap, build quality, materials, oh yes, and design.
We’ll have to drive it ourselves to see whether Volvo’s new 90 Series cars establishes itself as well as its ambitions do, but so far the S90 has been received very well critically abroad.
While Volvo Australia hasn’t included official power figures during the launch information, it shouldn’t differ from the quoted numbers from units sold in Europe:
For the two Momentum specs, the T5 petrol should generate 187kW/350Nm while the D4 diesel outputs 140kW/400Nm. In Inscription spec, the T6 engine should produce 235kW/400Nm while the D5 diesel should be good for 173kW/480Nm.
Volvo is highlighting its autonomous driving technology called ‘Pilot Assist’, which is now in its second generation in the S90. The system works with the Lane Keep Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control functions to keep the car at the centre of the lane (above 50km/h and up to 130km/h), the driver only needing to give light steering input.
There’s also Volvo City Safe and Run-Off Road Mitigation. Both systems use proximity sensors, radar, and a camera located around the car’s outer edges. In Volvo City Safe, it uses them to detect either pedestrians, cyclists, and even large animals and applies the brake of necessary. Run-Off Road Mitigation system, on the other hand, intervenes by helping the driver steer in a path that will reduce the risk of road departure, applying the brakes if necessary.
Volvo is equipping their diesel engines with the new PowerPulse system which uses a small electric compressor to release air into the exhaust before the turbocharger turbines, allowing for quicker acceleration from standstill and reducing turbo lag throughout the rev range.
The S90 range begins with the petrol powered T5 Momentum and D4 Momentum. Standard features include 4-zone climate control with AQS, keyless start, 12.3-inch infotainment display, electrically operated front seats with memory and lumbar support, iron ore décor inlay, LED headlamps, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring, Park Assist Pilot, 18-inch 10-spoke turbine design wheels, Moritz leather upholstery.
Moving up to the higher-spec D5 Incription or T6 Inscription, buyers will gain all-wheel drive, Liner Walnut décor inlay, ambient interior lighting, 19-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, and Fine Nappa leather upholstery.
For an additional $3,000 for any variant, buyers can select the optional Technology Pack which brings DAB digital radio, a 360-degree camera, head-up display, and Apple CarPlay support.
Prices for each S90 are:
T5 Momentum: $79,900
D4 Momentum: $82,400
D5 Inscription: $96,900
T6 Inscription: $98,900
For more on Volvo vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
