Text by Tom Appel
2024 Volvo S90 AWD Recharge Ultimate
Specs
Class: Premium Midsize Sedan
Color: Denim Blue
Seating Capacity: 5
Miles driven: 146
Real-world fuel economy: 32.6 mpg
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | A |
| Power and Performance | B+ |
| Fit and Finish | A |
| Fuel Economy | A |
| Value | C+ |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | B- |
| Tall Guy | A |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 455-horsepower 2.0-liter |
| Engine Type | Turbocharged 4-cylinder plug-in hybrid |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 66 MPGe/30 mpg (city/highway combined)
EPA-estimated EV range: 38 miles
Fuel type: Premium Gas
Base price: $71,200 (not including $1095 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Lounge Package ($1500), Bowers & Wilkins premium audio ($3200), Active Chassis with Rear Air Suspension ($1200),
Price as tested: $78,195
Pros and Cons
The great: Classy cabin, plenty of power, enduring design
The good: Quiet ride, outstanding available audio system, easy on the gas
The not so good: Small door openings, pricey in Ultimate trim
Review
Maybe I’m just too sentimental, but it saddens me deeply that there is seemingly no place in the U.S. for a sedan as attractive as the S90. Volvo’s largest car can also be had in wagon form, though the V90 Cross Country is expected to be dropped from the North American lineup following the 2024 model year.
New to the U.S. in 2017, the stately midsize S90 capped a sedan lineup that also included the sporty compact S60. In the first quarter of 2024, the smaller S60 and V60 wagon—sales are not split out—accounted for more than 6000 Volvos sales stateside. The S90 and V90, on the other hand, notched fewer than 400 sales combine. We think this is a shame.
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Some fault for public disinterest in the S90 falls squarely in Volvo’s lap. Though we love the design, neither 90-Series Volvo has been meaningfully updated since its ’17 rollout. Still, there is a lot to like here, and for shoppers willing to buck the crossover trend, there’s a classy and sophisticated sedan waiting to establish you as a statistical outlier.
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Engines
For 2024, the S90 comes two ways: mild hybrid (B6), or plug-in hybrid (Recharge). The mild-hybrid setup pairs a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. This setup is rated at 295 horsepower. The system is “mild,” because its electric motors only assist the gasoline engine, they never alone propel the vehicle.
The Recharge includes a 19-kWh battery which allows for an EPA-estimated 38 miles of electric-only driving. Like the B6, the recharge employs a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The S90 Recharged boasts 455 combined-system horsepower. Both the B6 and Recharge come with an 8-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. For the record, the V90 wagon is offered only with the B6 drivetrain.
Prices and Trim Levels
The S90 is offered in two trim levels, Plus and Ultimate. The S90 Recharge Plus is new for 2024, and brings the plug-in hybrid entry price down considerably. S90s with the B6 engine start at $59,695 (Plus), and $65,295 (Ultimate). Recharge models start at $67,045 and $72,595.
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2024 Volvo S90 Ultimate with the Lounge Package, Bowers & Wilkins audio system, and Rear Air Suspension in Denim Blue. Including destination charge, our test car came to $78,195.
Despite growling long in tooth, the S90 still presents well, inside and out. The cabin still feels fresh and modern, and exudes and refreshing dollop of minimalism. Everything inside the car feels thoughtfully considered and seemingly serves some purpose. The controls are an issue for first-time Volvo intenders, and the touchscreen employs a stacked-icon swipe sideways navigation strategy that is not intuitive, and does not ultimately access all functions.
Connectivity
For major functions—audio and climate—the infotainment systems works fairly well, but for more detailed functions—tone settings and audio controls—drivers must dig deep into the systems, and employ unattractive black and white screens which seem to have been lifted from a late-Eighties IBM PCjr (look it up). Also, frustratingly, we found or cell phones disconnected from the system when reentering the vehicle. Reconnecting was simple enough, but most new cars do a better job of maintaining Bluetooth connections.
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While we’re talking about the infotainment system, the pricey ($3200) Bowers & Wilkins audio system is not to be overlooked by shoppers serious about their music. This author finds the system among the best he’s enjoyed in any vehicle and any price.
Room and Comfort
Though midsize, and though plenty roomy inside, the S90’s surprisingly small door openings—especially up front—complicate the ingress and egress of larger folks. Extremely tall folks may also find snaking into the vehicle a little more complicated than it should be in a midsize vehicle. Make sure to take note of how well you fit during a test drive.
On the road the S90 acquits itself as a luxury vehicle should, with the luxury shining through in most driving conditions. The Volvo sedan rides and handles well, though ride quality is not quite as refined as that we’ve enjoyed in recent test vehicles, including the Genesis G80 and G80 sedans.
Power and Performance
The hybrid drivetrain serves up plenty of power, though the gasoline engine itself can be rough at idle, and sound a little coarse during acceleration. In pure-electric mode, the S90 Recharge travels in eerie silence, and the power delivery is silky smooth. Once the battery is depleted, the gas engine kicks in with a bit of a ruckus, upsetting the ambient calm. Still, even with the gas engine in play, the S90 is a reasonably refined and fun-to-drive road car.
Charging fully just once over 146 miles netted us a 32.6 mpg return, excellent fuel economy for a premium sedan with so much power on tap.
Storage space is a little crimped, as the rakish S90 only allows for 13.5 cubic feet of trunk space (remember trunks?), and small opening will complicate the loading of larger items such as banker’s boxes.
Summary
There’s a lot to like about Volvo’s plug-in hybrid midsize sedan. We appreciated the clean design, modern-looking cabin, and excellent long-trip comfort. Also, the S90 is relatively rare, so you won’t see yourself coming and going as you might in a more-popular vehicle. If you’re serious about the S90 Recharge, be sure and test drive both the Plus and the Ultimate. We suspect that many would-be S90 owners will find the entry-level example quite satisfying, and save more than $50000 in the process.
2024 Volvo S90 Recharge Ultimate Pictures
(Click below for enlarged images)
