In what shape would you like your stylish, efficient, luxurious Volvo? We already like the XC90 crossover, and the S90 sedan made a big impression on us last month at the Detroit auto show. Now Volvo has pulled the wraps off the third model on its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, the V90 wagon, and it’s just as much of a looker as the S90 and XC90.
“In many people’s minds we are known as the definitive estate [wagon] brand,” Volvo president Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement. “While the Volvo brand today stands for more than estates, we are proud to carry forward this rich heritage with the V90.”
As we had expected based on a leaked photo, the 2017 Volvo V90 continues the modern, handsome design language of its predecessors. The company’s large, wide grille dominates the nose, with a strong shoulder line developing above the front fenders and extending the entire length of the vehicle. The car’s bodysides are relatively plain and its roof less sloped than some modern cars, but it’s a very attractive package.
As befits a Volvo station wagon, it comes with chrome roof rails that are practically begging for a roof box or ski rack. Out back, vertical taillights flank a steeply raked rear window, below which a wide, vertical liftgate features large “VOLVO” lettering. The overall impression is more mature than the only wagon Volvo currently sells in the U.S., the V60; We had nothing but praise for a Four Seasons V60.
In the cabin, too, we see the same understated Swedish style that so endeared us to the XC90 and S90. Wood trim spruces up the dashboard and door panels, a large vertical touchscreen dominates the center stack, and fully digital instruments greet the driver behind the minimalist three-spoke steering wheel. The car’s center console has smart brushed-metal engine start-stop and driving-mode controls, as well as large storage cubbies hidden beneath a sliding cover. The car pictured here also has the elegant metal speaker grilles of the car’s optional Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
The 2017 Volvo V90 will offer the same set of advanced safety features as the XC90 and S90, including run-off-road protection, pre-collision braking, and the company’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous highway driving feature. Also on board will be Volvo’s Sensus touchscreen infotainment system, with support for Apple CarPlay.
Engine choices in the U.S. should mirror those of the XC90 and S90, meaning you’ll be able to equip your V90 with a T5 250-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-four engine and front-wheel drive, as well as a T6 powertrain with a turbo- and supercharged four-cylinder good for 316 hp, both of which will be backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Volvo also plans to offer its T8 plug-in hybrid system on the V90, which marries a turbo- and supercharged gas engine with a battery and electric motor.
The 2017 Volvo V90 will be shown at the Geneva show next month, and should go on sale by the end of this year.
