Volvo is most known for their wagons, more than any other vehicle they’ve ever made. So it comes as no surprise they have unveiled their new 2017 V90 Estate, a range-topping full-sized wagon based upon their new S90 sedan.
The V90 is the latest product roll-out in the renewal of the brand built upon their now highly acclaimed Scalable Product Architecture that underpins the XC90 crossover SUV. That vehicle has been winning numerous awards from media and consumer publications for its design and performance.
The V90 will be the largest Estate or what we call a Wagon in the States available on the market. It’s about two inches longer than the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon. Audi’s Allroad is even smaller still. Even though Subaru Outback is considerably downmarket, it’s also much smaller.
It rides on the same 115.7-inch wheelbase as the S90 Sedan, coming in at 194-inches long but low at 58-inches tall. It will be relatively light for its size, ranging from about 4200 to 4600 pounds for North American models.
These may include both T5 front-wheel drive as well as T6 and T8 all-wheel drive variants. The T5 features a 2.0 liter turbocharged four with 250 horsepower. Both the T6 and T8 have the brand’s 2.0 liter supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 320 horsepower.
The T8 of course has a plug-in hybrid format which uses an electric motor drive unit at the rear axle for an additional 87 horsepower, bringing to total to 407. You get maximum power and maximum fuel efficiency here. All powertrains come with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Design continues the new look of Volvo which seems to be a perfect combination of modern style and brand’s historic brand DNA of sensible shoes. It has upscale appeal its details yet remains dignified and understated from afar. The shape however is at the same time much sexier than the boxy silhouettes of the past.
Inside is where the new Volvo really shines with a cabin lined with rich forms, materials and textures. Passengers will enjoy class leading space both front and rear. And with the Estate you can also expect an expansive cargo hold.
Note that seating capacity remains at five. Call it modern safety concerns or the marketing strategy of keeping the XC90 crossover relevant, there is no rear-facing third row of the old days or in the Mercedes-Benz wagon.
Safety will of course be the topic of most marketing materials for the V90, taking greater importance than its handling or performance. The V90 will not only offer all of the crash safety features of the S90 which are way to vast to list, but also new driver-assistance and automated features that push the envelope.
It will have available Volvo’s cutting-edge Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive technologies which are the first wave on our steadfast march to self-driving cars. Crash prevention features also include Volvo’s exclusive large animal detection and run-off road mitigation as well.
The 2017 Volvo V90 ‘s official on sale date or pricing has not yet been announced. You can expect however it will be a significant step up from pricing on the S90 sedan.
