Volvo V90 Review

The standard leather seats are soft and relaxing so there’s really no need to spec up to the optional sports seats – they also take up more interior space.

Nearly five meters in length the V90 will happily fit four tall adults, but they’ll feel a little tighter than they would in a Mercedes E-Class.

Storage space is good in the V90 with two large cupholders, big glovebox and decent door bins. However there is nothing clever such as the wireless phone charging cubby that you can have in a Skoda Superb Estate.

People used to buy Volvo estates for their enormous boots so it may surprise that the V90 doesn’t lead the class in this respect. With a capacity ranging from 560 to 1,526 litres with the rear seats down it’s still very practical, but that maximum capacity is about 150 litres less than a A6 Avant offers – or two soft bags in luggage terms.

The 187hp D4 model starts off the range and as an entry-level proposition it’s decent – returning fuel economy of 62mpg and emitting 119gm/km of CO2. Top-of-the-range D5 models get clever tech to improve throttle response, plus four-wheel drive for extra grip in the wet.

The more powerful D5 uses largely the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder, but gets a clever system called Power Pulse, which shoots compressed air into the turbo to make it more responsive. In practice it provides impressive shove from very low speeds, but the 0-62mph time of 7.2 seconds can’t match those posted by larger engined (and similarly priced) rivals.

Higher fuel consumption of 57mpg and CO2 emissions of 129g/km can be attributed to the car’s power-sapping four-wheel-drive system.

The Volvo inherits the XC90’s relaxed ride – exactly what you need on a long motorway journey. The plush ride can be further improved with the optional £950 rear air-suspension and we reckon it might be even better fitted with the smaller 17-inch wheels.

Noise inside is kept at a minimum at motorway speeds and most of what was audible could be attributed to the £1,700 20-inch wheels – go for the smaller 17 or 18 inch alternatives and it will be even quieter. Push the engine to its limit and its four-cylinder design means it is ultimately not as smooth as the six-cylinder units offered in rivals.

The standard eight-speed automatic gearbox is an option in some rivals and adds to the Volvo’s cosseting nature providing smooth changes, even if it’s not quite as polished as the one offered by BMW.