2017 Volvo S90 T5 FWD

Volvo knows as well as any car company that being a nonconformist has its ups and downs. Throughout its long history, despite multiple corporate ownerships, Volvo has persisted in being different. Even now, as Volvo embarks on a plan to chase global luxury leaders such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, it’s paving its own distinctly Swedish path.

Different isn’t always better. Volvo’s new four-cylinder-only engine strategy, for instance, has drawn mixed reviews from us, at least among the top-of-the-line T6 Inscription versions of the S90 sedan and the XC90 SUV that we’ve sampled thus far. Both of these $60,000-plus models use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that, although turbocharged and supercharged to provide competitive performance, struggles to match the refinement and effortlessness of the competition’s six- and eight-cylinder powerplants.

But the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder is more palatable when installed in lesser Volvos such as the front-wheel-drive S90 T5 tested here. In this lower price range, boosted 2.0-liter four-cylinders are the norm, as seen in competitors such as the Mercedes-Benz E300, the Audi A6 2.0T, and the BMW 530i. Shorn of its supercharger, the turbocharged four produces 250 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque in T5 form, 66 hp and 37 lb-ft less than the T6 produces but in the same neighborhood as the Germans’ four-bangers.

Mixed Messages

Given that this Volvo weighed 3781 pounds—nearly 300 pounds less than both the S90 T6 AWD model and an all-wheel-drive Mercedes E300 4MATIC—we expected slightly better acceleration numbers than the T5’s 6.3-second sprint to 60 mph and 14.8-second quarter-mile run at 97 mph. That zero-to-60-mph dash lags behind the heavier, all-wheel-drive Audi A6 2.0T by 0.2 second and trails the Cadillac CTS 2.0T AWD by 0.5 second.

And, if Volvo is so committed to these forced-induction four-cylinder engines, the company could learn from Mercedes-Benz’s isolation techniques. While the E300’s four-cylinder is smooth to the point of being nearly imperceptible, the S90’s engine delivers unwanted noise, vibration, and harshness into the cabin when pushed. Although the S90 is still a quiet car, it’s not as hushed as the Mercedes, recording 69 decibels of noise at a steady 70 mph compared with the E300’s 67 decibels.

On the bright side, the Volvo’s eight-speed automatic shifts smoothly and quickly. Its smartly spaced gearing makes the most of the engine’s powerband, with a strong swell of torque coming on low in the rev range and the transmission sorting out requests for more power with prompt downshifts. Fuel economy is a strong suit, too, as the S90 T5 achieved 26 mpg overall and 33 mpg in our 200-mile 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, to the T6 model’s 22-mpg and 31-mpg results.

If the S90’s engine provides more grunt than its acceleration performance suggests, though, the Volvo’s chassis inverts that paradigm. Objectively, its 0.91-g performance on the skidpad ranks near the top of the class, a surprise given the T5’s decidedly nonaggressive setup of all-season rubber wrapped around 18-inch wheels. Its roadholding ability even narrowly beat the S90 T6, which achieved 0.90 g on much more performance-oriented Pirelli P Zero summer tires and 20-inch wheels. The S90 T5’s 168-foot stop from 70 mph also tops the A6 2.0T and the CTS 2.0T, although it falls short of the E300’s impressive 154-foot result (the Benz’s performance tires deserve most of the credit there).

As was the case with the T6 model, it’s the intangibles that let down the S90’s chassis. The smaller wheels don’t clomp over bumps like the 20-inch setup did, but the T5’s wheel-and-tire setup only serves to minimize the impression of a less-than-stout chassis, rather than eliminate it. Larger impacts are not as harsh but still send reverberations through the structure, while wheel control is improved—but not as buttoned-down as we expect in a luxury sedan of this caliber. Heavy steering that gets even heavier in the Volvo’s Dynamic mode feels imprecise and does not engender confidence on a back road.

Lovely Looks

Beyond those disappointing dynamic attributes, Volvo’s distinctive design sense makes the S90 a visual knockout—even without the glitz of the higher-trim Inscription model’s chrome accents and larger wheels. The less flashy T5 model remains elegant, understated, and attractive. Its clean, uncluttered lines and balanced proportions make for a sedan that’s stylish without being overwrought. The slightly plain rear end is the only note that falls a bit flat, as its C-shaped taillights make us think of a competitor for Volkswagen more than Mercedes-Benz.

Step inside, and the more modest S90 Momentum is decidedly less glamorous than the Inscription. You won’t find the same impeccable details such as intricate speaker grilles, open-pore wood trim, and buttery-smooth nappa leather upholstery, but the base car’s materials remain high quality and pleasant to the touch, and the cabin retains a warm, inviting feel. The seats, in the Volvo tradition, are supportive and comfortable, even if the standard six-way power front seats don’t provide the same level of adjustability as the optional 10-way setup. Somewhat egregiously (at least for us Michiganders), heated front seats aren’t standard on the S90, and our test car was not so equipped. Admittedly, neither the E-class nor the 5-series offers heated front seats as standard, and those Germans start above $52,000 while the base Volvo costs less than $48,000.

Several other features were similarly notable in their absence, although perhaps that’s no surprise given that our T5 Momentum’s as-tested price was $15,000 less than the T6 Inscription’s. The only extras on our sparsely equipped $50,815 test car included metallic paint ($595), a wood-trimmed steering wheel ($325), and the Vision package ($1950) that added a 360-degree camera view, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and power-retractable side mirrors. If optioning our own S90, we’d spring for the $1000 Momentum Plus package that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, along with a larger 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The standard 8.0-inch cluster is distinctly less functional and attractive: It doesn’t include a tachometer in its default configuration, for instance, and requires fussing with the car’s various drive-mode settings to elicit one.

Almost Drives Itself

It’s telling of Volvo’s priorities that the sophisticated Pilot Assist semi-autonomous system is standard on every S90. By combining features such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, this car can assume responsibility for steering and braking to essentially “follow” traffic and lane markings on the highway at speeds up to 80 mph. The Volvo will allow you to take your hands off the wheel for only 15 seconds at a time, compared with the Mercedes-Benz E-class that grants you a whole 60 seconds of “look ma, no hands!” time. But you’ll pay nearly $10,000 extra for the E300’s Drive Pilot system, which is only available packaged with myriad other add-ons.

Volvo’s push for self-driving technology is an admirable mission, and it jibes with the company’s long-standing emphasis on safety. But the computers haven’t taken over yet, and we still like to drive. If the S90 truly seeks to take the established (read: German) luxury leaders to task, it needs to raise its dynamic competence to match its distinctive and appealing design.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $50,815 (base price: $47,945)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 120 cu in, 1968 cc
Power: 250 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 115.8 in
Length: 195.4 in
Width: 79.5 in Height: 56.8 in
Passenger volume: 98 cu ft
Trunk volume: 14 cu ft
Curb weight: 3781 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.3 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.7 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 32.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.0 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.4 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.8 sec @ 97 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 168 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.91 g*

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA combined/city/highway driving: 27/23/34 mpg
C/D observed: 26 mpg
C/D observed 75-mph highway driving: 33 mpg
C/D observed highway range: 470 mi

*stability-control-inhibited