Volvo S90 is chic, refined hybrid sedan

When you look at the Volvo S90, it may surprise you that it is considered a mid-size sedan. The long, lean body and sleek lines are a chic luxury treatment from the Scandinavian automaker that impresses from the curb, and it feels much larger once inside the cabin.

My tester was the 2024 S90 Recharge with all-wheel drive and the Ultimate trim package. Yes, like all Volvos, it’s unique in many ways from other competitors. In terms of interior space and price, it ends up settling in between luxury mid-size and full-size competitors. If you like to stand out in a crowd, Volvo ensures that is part of what you get with distinct design inside and out.

Volvo offers the S90 with two AWD powertrains, both with 4-cylinder engines. The base engine is the B6 with a 48-volt hybrid system, and the other option is the Recharge plug-in hybrid with more powerful electric motors and a battery pack that can provide a bit more driving range. My tester featured the Recharge format.

New for 2024

The 2024 Volvo S90 Recharge plug-in hybrid is now available in a slightly lower Plus trim, which reduces the base price by a few thousand dollars. A new color, Vapour Gray Metallic, is available as is standard metallic paint. The previously available Black Stone and Thunder Gray Metallic hues are no longer offered.

The price of the S90 starts at $59,495 and can reach $72,395 depending on the trim and options. The base model is the Plus ($59,495); Ultimate is the next step up ($65,095); the Recharge Plus starts at $66,845; and the top-end Recharge Ultimate will cost you $72,395.

My posh Recharge Ultimate added a Lounge Package ($1,500) that featured a sporty middle-seat console for the rear seats, as well as massage seats up front and ventilated rear seating. Audiophiles will enjoy the Bowers & Wilkins system ($3,200) and the endless audio options it offers.

Performance

The 2024 S90 Recharge offers a maximum all-electric range of 38 miles. This is a nice EV experience driving, albeit for a short range, with only the slightly audible feedback from the low-friction tires.

My tester featured the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, with a combined 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, to give the S90 plenty of low-end torque and a pleasurable launch to 60 mph in just 6 seconds.

Featuring an AWD setup with an 8-speed automatic transmission, acceleration from a standstill was excellent. As expected, the dual electric motors provide instant torque that is reliable for merging at high speeds. In Electric/Hybrid mode, this Volvo gets 66 mpg-equivalent in combined city/highway driving. In Gas/Hybrid mode, it gets 30 mpg combined.

Cabin

My S90 tester’s cabin was pretty impressive with a refined mix of quality materials from brushed metal and wood to genuine leather. I really appreciated the 14-way power-adjustable front seats, though the manual steering column was a surprise for this level of sedan.

I think from a roominess standpoint, the S90 sedan is bigger than almost all of the luxury mid-size segment competitors and with the folding rear seatback, it offers an extended and accommodating cargo area. There’s plenty of head and leg room in both the front and rear seats.

My biggest gripe beyond the manual steering column adjustment, has to be the learning curve and responsiveness of the infotainment system. There always seemed to be a slight delay after pressing the screen. It was sharp and clear visually, in addition to being intuitive to use.

All S90s feature a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen mounted in the center of the dashboard. To adjust simple functions like the head-up display or just heating for the seats, you must interface with the system. While this is quite normal for luxury-class cars, the Volvo had a much longer learning curve to adjust to. Volvo’s latest Android-based infotainment system now supports Apple CarPlay and offers over-the-air software updates.

Safety

The Volvo brand has always prided itself on safety and my S90 tester had a laundry list of impressive driver-assistance features that are mostly standard. Key safety features include Standard automated emergency braking with forward-collision warning; standard lane-keeping assist; and standard adaptive cruise control.

The adaptive cruise control uses radar and camera modules to alter cruising speed if it detects a slower vehicle ahead. Another option is the active park assist. Using sonar and radar, vehicles equipped with this system will seek out and measure empty parking spots and then actively steer the vehicle into them while the driver operates the accelerator and brake.

Overall, the 2024 Volvo S90 Recharge Ultimate is an impressive luxury sedan that delivers big performance with AWD traction. This feels like a much bigger sedan and for the base price for the Ultimate starts at $71,200. My tester landed with options and destination at $78,195, which is very reasonable given the hybrid system’s performance traits.

• John Stein is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. He has more than 25 years of experience driving, testing and writing about the automotive industry, its latest innovations and new vehicles.