By NITISH S. RELE, nitishrele@gmail.com
Goodbye S80 and hello to a more powerful and capable S90, which scoots 0 toå 60 in just 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph. This all-new midsize luxury sedan from Volvo is a fun ride to pitch through corners on even the most challenging roads. Reassuring brakes, solid steering feel and inspired handling ensure your safety in this all-wheel-drive ride.
Sharing its powertrain with its sibling SUV XC90, this Volvo flagship is equipped with a T6 2.0-liter inline-4 turbocharged and supercharged engine cranking 316 horsepower @ 5700 rpm and 295 pounds-feet of torque @ 4500 rpm. The 8-speed auto gearbox in the front-wheel or all-wheel-drive SUV is as seamless as can be possible. And the start-stop feature (auto engine stop when the vehicle halts) ensures substantial savings in fuel and weight.
Up front, LED headlights and Thor’s hammer-like daytime running lights surround a silver-matte waterfall grille with chrome frame. The centered and familiar Volvo iron mark portrays a confident and athletic stance. The interior radiates both elegance and simplicity, mainly the 12.3-inch instrument digital display of the rounded speedometer and tachometer, and fuel, temp and driver information center readings. Volvo Sensus infotainment, with a distinct vertical 9-inch display touch screen, is essentially made up of four tiles: navigation, media, phone and user-defined. Activate one and watch it expand while keeping the other tiles visible for future use. Walnut wood inlays on dashboard, center console and doors give the S90 a rich feel. Other standard amenities include power moon roof, tilt/telescopic steering column, four-zone auto a/c, 10-way power front seats, and a mammoth 17.7 cubic feet of trunk space.
Dual front and side airbags, side curtain airbag, four-wheel antilock brakes, anti-whiplash front seats, pedestrian/cyclist/large animal detection, semi-autonomous driving called Pilot Assist, rear park assist and camera, side impact protection, dynamic stability and traction control, three-point safety belts with pretensioners for all, lane departure warning and driver alert control, City Safety (brakes automatically to help prevent a rear-end collision), tire pressure monitoring system and daytime running lights are standard.
Displaying remarkable agility, the S90 sedan is a welcome addition to the Volvo family. Lest we forget, the Swedish carmaker’s much-touted and renowned safety features make this exhilarating ride a no-brainer.
