Volvo V90
Back in 2023, Volvo announced the slightly surprising decision to stop doing what Volvo does best. Ok, maybe not what they do best; they didn’t remove all seatbelts from their cars and adorn their front grilles with machetes whilst equipping all alloy wheels with Roman-esque spikes or anything. Let’s say what they’ve done extremely well for generations, then; they removed the estate car lineup from the UK market.
Now, whether they like it or not, for many people, including myself, you say Volvo, you think large, boxy estate. Be it Jerry Leadbetter’s yellow 240 (those below a certain age – Google ‘The Good Life’), the rozzers’ favourite and car thief’s nemesis – an 850 T5 or the oh-so-cool Omega liveried entry into the BTCC, the Volvo estate is the epitome of understated, useful Nordic cool.
So, I’m delighted to say that Volvo quickly saw the error of its ways and the Volvo estate is back on the British menu in V90 & V60 flavours.
Just how big is the V90?
This is the V90 – the big one, and it really is big. At 4.95 metres long and nearly 1.9 metres wide with a 2.94 metre wheelbase, it’s nearly as long as a full-fat Range Rover. Whichever seat you’re in there’s more than enough space to stretch out in the V90 and even with every seat occupied the boot will swallow 560 litres. Put the back seats flat and that expands to a considerable 1,526 litres with the added plus of a low loading area as it’s not an SUV and no lip to lift heavy items over.
Not that boxy; still a Volvo
The boxy styling of Volvo estates is essentially a thing of the past. Yes, the grille is still pretty square-on but you’d actually struggle to find a flat surface on the V90; even the rear hatch is now angled which does take away a bit of valuable space – very un-Volvo. And yet, if you removed all Volvo logos this is still instantly recognisable as a Volvo estate, such has been the evolution of the model over the decades.
Inside the V90 is an oasis of calm with huge, comfy seats, all of that welcome space we mentioned and a buffer from the outside world meaning even at motorway speeds it’s all oh-so serene. With so many lofty SUVs on the market, including many from Volvo, it’s easy to forget how much more involving it feels when you’re closer to the tarmac. Yes, you lose that sense of imperious superiority over lesser mortals but it’s far more satisfying in terms of actually driving.
Sustainable luxury
Volvo interiors have been one of our favourites for some time, blending scandi-cool and practicality effortlessly. The V90’s a bit dated now but that may be a good thing. It’s got an excellent blend of touchscreen and physical buttons and switches so it’s conveniently skipped the trend of being as minimalist as possible.
Instead of the fingermark-magnet that is piano-black plastic, Volvo’s gone with wood veneer for a touch of natural luxury around the cabin. It does look like a bit of an afterthought in places but it comes in a range of grainy or gloss finishes and, to coincide with the leather-free, wool upholstery option it’s responsibly sourced.
Safe, but not annoyingly so
Volvo continue their goal originally set for 2020 that nobody would die or be seriously injured in their cars so, as you can imagine, the V90 is stuffed full of every single safety feature you could think of, plus some you probably couldn’t. What’s interesting, and very welcome about the V90, though, is that it goes about the now mandatory speed & lane departure warnings in as subtle a way as possible. Where some manufacturers bark at you like an angry drill sergeant should you dare stray 1mph above the limit, the V90 lets you know the error of your ways in a far more polite fashion.
Two PHEVs the only engine choices
At time of writing building a V90 to your own specification isn’t an option in the UK, it’s just a case of selecting one from existing stock. If you do they’re all PHEVs and they’re all AWD. It comes in T6 Plus and T8 Ultra guise, both with a 2.0l turbocharged petrol engine powering the front wheels and a 143bhp electric motor powering the rears. The difference between the two powertrains is the T8 gets a supercharger for added oomph and the T6 doesn’t. What that equates to is 345bhp in the T6 & 449bhp in the T8. Both are fast, properly fast with 0-62mph coming around in 5.5s & 4.8s respectively.
Being a PHEV, both models inevitably have an electric-only range and it’s not too bad. The T6 will manage a claimed 54.1 miles and the T8 52.2 miles which will easily cover the average daily commute without the need to even disturb the petrol engine.
How much is the V90?
What will all of this space, effortless luxury, safety tech and fairly ridiculous performance set you back then? Well, as we said, you can’t currently spec your own V90, it’s a case of choosing one from existing stock and the T6 is £63,175, the T8 is £71,675. Not inconsiderable sums of money, admittedly but the good news is Volvo are offering discounts of £3,500 off the T8 & £3,000 off the T6. For how long, of course, we don’t know.
Should I buy a Volvo V90?
We like big estate cars, especially quick ones; there’s just something understated about them in this sea of SUVs. Volvo bringing the V90 back is very welcome, even if it’s not exactly cheap, but it’s inevitably a stay of execution rather than a permanent deal. If you want a V90 and, why wouldn’t you? – I’d act quickly before they disappear again.
By Ben Harrington
2025 Volvo V90 T8 Ultra Specifications:
Engine – 2.0l petrol & electric motor, Transmission – 8-speed auto, Layout – Front engine, AWD, Power – 449bhp,Torque – 240Nm + 440Nm, Emissions – 20g/km CO2, Economy – 256.5mpg, Maximum Speed – 112mph, Acceleration – 4.8s – 0-62mph, Price – £71,675 OTR
The 2025 Volvo V90 is available now, priced from £63,175. For full details go to:www.volvocars.com
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