2021 Volvo S90 Review
Price Estimate: $24,086 - $27,349





+68
Great
8.1
out of 10
edmunds TESTED
Like so many Volvos before it, the 2021 S90 Recharge is cooly understated. It's powerful and fuel-efficient, but its clean design doesn't advertise its performance or eco credentials. It's also spacious and comfortable, with a handsome interior and much-improved ride. The picture looks even better when you consider the long list of standard features and driver aids, most of which can't be had on any rival at this price.
2021 Volvo S90 Review
by the Edmunds Experts
What's new
- Minor exterior styling revisions
- New upgraded Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system
- New wireless charging pad and rear USB ports
- Part of the second S90 generation introduced for 2017
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Volvo S90 T6 Momentum 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Twincharger 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.05 per gallon for premium unleaded in Maryland.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Maryland
$195/mo for S90 T6 Momentum
S90 T6 Momentum
vs
$199/mo
Avg. Large Car
See Edmunds pricing data
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Volvo S90 Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(46%)
4(26%)
3(13%)
2(6%)
1(9%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
It’s a BIG and Plush vehicle. +1, 2, & 6 years in!
5 out of 5 starsHowie K, 06/06/2019
2019 Volvo S90 T5 Momentum 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
I generally favor sportier cars, but now I am driving a Volvo S90 T5 which I got at a lease price that I could not refuse! [Actually less per month that my former Infiniti Q50.] So I will say I got a lot of bang for the buck. This is a luxury car that one would not mind being chauffeured in. The rear passenger area is HUGE and comfortable. I can finally sit in front passenger seat … and not even have to think about adjusting the seat for rear passages leg room. The Driver’s seat is very pleasant for sitting and was designed by a Orthopedist. The package came with a Blonde (white) interior which (needs occasional cleaning), is wonderful and elegant. I would say it is the most nicely appointed car I ever owned. (And I have and had several MB and BMWs).
The Tech is amazing! Though sometimes touch screen is a bit overwhelming. The great thing is that you can put the car on Auto Assist Pilot, play with it without worrying about hitting anything on the road. (PS I do not support being a distractive driver, but this practically eliminates it under the right conditions. Always be alert).
The Auto Assist Pilot is from the future. It is not quite at Tesla level, but does much to keep you very safe while also removing the the tedium of Stop and Go traffic. Driving is now an ‘AHHH”. (My insurance rates actually went down when ordering this car.). It is a wonderfully solid vehicle. I will lend this Car to anyone of my family and know they will be safe in it. Gotta love that Swedish engineering.
The trade off is the sporty feel of performance. The Volvo is powerful for a 4 cylinder, and I get 25.5 mpg. (Again better than my past Infinity). 0-60 is quite good for a car this size, but you do lose the ‘feel’ of lungeing acceleration. (But you can use electronic options). It is a great luxury (family) car before it is a sports car. The ride is firm as you ‘float’ over the road. It’s very nice and quiet. Long trips are a pleasure. All in all, it is a car to enjoy the ride in. If you can get great deal on this extremely plush car, don’t hesitate. (P.S. also drove the Volvo S60 for the while. The ride and feel of the S90 is much better).
{A buying note: Volvo pricing is company set and it is difficult to negotiate a lower price When visiting other dealers. There is not much wiggle room so choose the dealership with the best service.}
1 Year Later - still the most comfortable car I ever owned. A pleasure to take a ride in for long road trips.
Pros: Orthopedically Seats 5 w/ enough backseat legroom to play football in. No more squishing upfront seat to allow backseat room. Trunk is large doesn’t seem to be. I guess it is the awkward design. Low but deep. I Love how in winter seats & steering wheel heat up to settings automatically when temp is below 40 degrees. 3 individual temp settings (not even my son’s Tesla S has that.). The Swedes made it solid and sure foot in harsh weather. It is my go-to car in snow and slush. Much better handling than my wife’s Mercedes C Class (which isn’t bad). This car is tank-like sturdy. An idiot SUV driver already backed into my rear fender in a parking lot, and l had no major damage. Have no doubt it will do a great job protecting passengers and family in a crash. (HF).
Con: I still find the screen controls cumbersome and confusing. The car has only driver 1 USB, so had to plug in a hub to use both phone and SD music card (no biggie). I have found that the autopilot is not perfect. It will veer of the road (not follow the road lines in certain situations, [with steep curves in road at higher speeds) so keep you hands on the wheel and pay some attention, [so NO napping!], but it is still a great feature 90% of the time.. But Is still a pleasure to take the stress out of everyday driving.
Still love this car as the next evolution in driving.
TWO YEARS IN;
Still enjoying the ride. Still a very comfortable, plush and quiet car to drive. Volvo has engineered a great car. Some of the Lux tech is great. ex- I can preset the the temperature (like an alarm clock) so I can enter the car at my preferred climate for trips to and from work.
However, center panel navi-entertainment system gets a bit tiresome. Not simple to operate. And the Nav system itself, while 98% accurate most of the time. Does not adjust best route for traffic & other delays. I miss my old Garmin made system (ie-MB). However, I do enjoy the S90’s ride.
6 years in- Still a great car! But some Cons: Low maintenance, except the tires have tendency to bubble. (Replaced 2). I am tired of Nav system, Voice loading is 85% wrong most of the time. No HD traffic updates either. Volvo has a very expensive annual app renewal cost. Strangely the rear windshield rubber gaskets have started to disintegrate (but no leaks yet). Got a rear end ram by a ‘distracted’ (texting) driver, but no harm to me thanks to the safety features. {$7500 in damages though. And the shop could get the Collision avoidance sensor system to work right again, but eventually Volvo fixed it.
But still over all love the car.
The UnCola of luxury cars
5 out of 5 starsRabbi Mitch, 08/23/2018
2018 Volvo S90 T6 Momentum 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Twincharger 8A)
I have had my S90 for one month and couldn’t be happier with every moment of my experience. After testing other marquis brands, the S90 was suggested and my search was over.
It glides under the radar, yet is sleek, luxurious, quiet, powerful and beyond comfortable. It is a drivers car in that I need to participate and I like that.
Give it a shot and move over to the UnCola side of life. … You will be happy you did!!
8 pluses, 1 minus
5 out of 5 starsCatbert, 08/17/2018
2018 Volvo S90 T5 Momentum 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
The S90 is a beautiful car. The proportions are perfect, and the styling is classic. The interior is the best place to be of any of the 50 plus cars I’ve owned. The aesthetics are perfect. The performance of my T5 AWD is what I expected, not a killer, for sure. I knew that going in, and if performance with a capital P was totally important, I would have sprung for the T6. My … driving is mostly highway, and 250ish HP is a OK. And now the minuses. The corporate 4 cyl. is....well, a 4 banger. It isn’t particularly smooth, and doesn’t sound that great either. It’s obviously a modern motor, but suffers from a cylinder deficiency in a large car application. Sorry Volvo, but one size really doesn’t fit all. It isn’t a horsepower issue, it’s about refinement and smoothness. Lastly, the ride...it’s not that great. Even on a smooth interstate highway, you can feel too way much road. I understand it isn’t a Rolls or Big Jag, but it isn’t an C class either. Volvo would do well to farm out the chassis tuning if they can’t do better. Bottom line the S90 is one or two cylinders and a more compliant chassis away from a World class near luxury sedan.
UPDATE. Seems a large part of the road harshness was not one, but three Pirelli P Zero tires that were not able to be balanced, or maybe not exactly round. After replacement the road noise and vibration/harmonics are hugely improved. Second ride update...after replacing the O.EM. Pirelli P Zeros with Michelin Primacy Tour A/S tires, the ride characteristics are excellent.
MY GAS MILEAGE. Now that the S90 is well broken in, I can report Interstate mileage of 32.9 MPG on my last long trip. This is at speed limit plus 4 mph, i.e. 64-74 mph. My suburban every day driving is right at 25 mpg. I am not a feather foot.
Last update: The Volvo is gone at the end of the warranty period. It was a very good experience, but not good enough to buy another or purchase an extended warranty. The T5 is just not a satisfying motor, even considering it’s the base offering. Another issue is the headlong plunge into electrification by Volvo. I applaud the effort, but I don’t want to own a ICE Volvo when the company is in a mad rush to discontinue my technology. So goodbye sweet S90, hello Lexus.
Like it
5 out of 5 starsDiane, 06/23/2019
2018 Volvo S90 T6 Inscription 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Twincharger 8A)
Updated 6/23/21: I have now owned my S90 for 3 years. This is the second Volvo I've owned, prior to this I owned a XC60. I have owned a Mercedes diesel sedan and a Lexus SC400. The S90 has most of the bells & whistles because there weren't many cars to choose from on the lot. I love how roomy it is and the leather seats. Favorite feature is the heads up display. I'm looking to buy … a second car but really hard to consider buying my dream sports car without the heads up display. The reason I didn't give this a 5/5 is because I had to take my practically brand new car in when my turn signal and several other features just stopped working. Also, the tires cost a fortune and a big chuck broke off when I parked...badly. I do love the car for road trips because it's a smooth ride, performance is like driving a jet, and the upgraded stereo is awesome.
Update: I bought my dream sports car and I still own my Volvo S90. I use my S90 for my daily driving. I really like all the upgrades my S90 has and I haven't had any problems since the initial glich so I'm updating to 5 stars. I think I'll end up keeping this car even when I buy another car because I really like this car.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Volvo S90, so we've included reviews for other years of the S90 since its last redesign.
2021 S90 Highlights
Sedan
T6 Momentum
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $51,550 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 25 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $195/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.5 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | all wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the S90 models:
- Pilot Assist
- Maintains a gap between the S90 and the car in front and keeps the S90 in its lane, giving the driver an added layer of safety.
- Blind Spot Information System
- Notifies the driver if a car is lurking in the blind spot as well as if cars are approaching from the sides when backing up.
- Low & High Speed Collision Mitigation
- Warns the driver if a front collision is imminent and applies the brakes if no action is taken.
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