The wagon. It’s a car that hasn’t found much appreciation in North America for several decades now, apart from versions jacked up several inches and laden with plastic body cladding for the rugged, SUV-like look. Yet in Europe, the wagon is still the preferred vehicle for those seeking extra carrying capacity — CUV lovers, think of it as a CUV with more style and better handling. So while travelling though Europe for ten days with three people and their luggage, I couldn’t have thought of a more appropriate type of vehicle for the task.
Having had a good taste from my short solo trip spanning three days in Alsace and one day in Bavaria last September, I was eager to return to see more of Bavaria, the region where part of my German ancestors came from, as well as bordering Austria, a picturesque country I’ve always dreamed of seeing.
The start, finish, and majority of my trip would be in Germany, so I anticipated either an Audi A6 Avant, BMW 5 Series Touring, or Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate as the most likely of vehicles presented to my by Sixt in their LWAR class. Yet when given the keys to a Volvo V90 Inscription, I hardly complained, content with experiencing one of Sweden’s stateliest luxury vehicles — one available in the United States by special order only and not in this one’s plug-in hybrid T8 configuration at all.
Our itinerary went as followed: three nights in Munich, three in Berchtesgaden, one in Padua, one in Innsbruck, and a final night in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. With a driving distance of over 1,400 kilometers (close to 900 miles) and most of the driving done by me, I was able to get a good feel of the V90 and its abilities over this incredible Alpine journey.
Having driven very few recent Volvos, I found settling in a fairly easy transition, with gearshift, navigation, media, and climate controls a bit different from what I’m used to, yet nonetheless intuitive despite some of the multi-touchscreen commands needed to operate.
What took me longest to figure out were the advanced seat controls. Beyond the basic and familiar eight-way power seat controls mounted on the sides of the front seats, there’s an additional, rather foreign control that activates the advanced settings to adjust lumbar support, thigh cushion extender, side bolster width, and massage function.
After about a day or two, I realized that you just need to move the part of the control jutting out up or down to engage a new menu on the infotainment screen, then you can select which function you want, and either use the directional arrows on the seat control or use the touchscreen to proceed with selecting your adjustments. Heated/cooled seats and heated steering wheel controls are also on the touchscreen, but apart from that I found the V90 relatively easy to operate.
As the luxury-oriented Inscription, our V90 included upgraded Nappa leather, 19-inch 10-spoke diamond cut wheels, additional exterior chrome trim, linear walnut interior trim, gearshift lever made from Swedish crystal glass from Orrefors, selectable driving modes, rear window shades, and the superb Comfort seats. Featuring no less than 16 power adjustments, heating, cooling, and multiple massage settings for type of massage, speed, and intensity these Comfort seats held true to the longstanding Volvo tradition of incredibly comfortable and supportive seats.
While the equipment levels vary market-to-market, our V90 also included the following German-spec packages: Business Pro package (Sensus navigation, smartphone integration, front and rear parking sensors, intelligent parking, Bowers & Wilkins premium sound), Cargo Pro package (power folding rear seats/headrests, various cargo solution aids), Winter Pro package (heated rear seats, heated steering wheel), “Xenium” package (panoramic moonroof, head-up display).
It also included á la carte options such as 360-degree surround view cameras, charcoal headliner, and the premium air suspension, that latter which automatically raised the rear of the vehicle by several inches whenever the power tailgate was activated for easier load-height.
As expected, our V90 also included all the expected active safety features including blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, forward collision alert with autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and lane keep assist, plus adaptive cruise control (which I never used).
To make a long story short, this V90 was equipped with seemingly every option Volvo makes available. Indeed we were travelling across Europe in luxury and style, in the historically understated Volvo way, none of which I had any complaints about.
As for the V90’s ride and handling, I also had little to complain about. The key with judging a car’s abilities and capabilities is to set an expectation based on the car’s and brand’s merits. Getting handed the keys to a modern executive-class Volvo, I was expecting a silky smooth yet not floaty ride, adequate power delivery, and precise yet not overly sporty handling. I’m happy to say that the V90 surpassed my expectations.
Naturally the V90 Inscription has a somewhat softer feel than my near identically-sized BMW 540 with its upgraded M Sport suspension. But in the V90’s case, softer isn’t a detriment, as its fabulous air suspension delivers a ride that’s superbly comfortable, yet one that retains remarkable composure even during sharp turns. Quite honestly, it felt a lot like driving a Range Rover in pure car form.
Steering is expectedly light, with little feedback, but admittedly the V90 is a luxury car and one that makes little sporting aspirations, at least in Inscription trim. Importantly though, especially considering we drove many miles on Germany’s mostly speed limit-less autobahns, was the V90’s performance when it came to acceleration and high-speed travel.
As the T8 Twin Engine model, our V90 featured a 2.0-liter engine that’s compound charged (both turbocharged and supercharged), plus a rear electric motor for a combined output of 400 horsepower and 472 lb-ft torque. Unsurprisingly, this Volvo wagon had plenty of get up and go, even with three adults and about nine items of luggage, all of which fit neatly in the V90’s massive trunk.
By choice, I did roughly 80% of the overall driving, and some 95% of that was done in the V90’s selectable Power mode, which generates the maximum amount of available power from both the gas and electric engines, plus the firmest suspension setting. With a 0-60 time of under 5 seconds, the V90 seamlessly merged onto the autobahns, while also effortlessly cruising at around 120 mph. Needless to say, I was content and impressed.
Among the most appreciated features of the V90 was the Incription’s standard 12.3-inch Digital Driver Display. Popular in higher-end automobiles within the last year or two, the Digital Driver Display in layman’s terms is a fully digital screen in place of the traditional gauge cluster, with a display between the tachometer and speedometer that can be configured to become a full-3D navigation map with directions, speed limit info, and traffic signs, just as in the large center stack screen.
Especially when driving in an unfamiliar place, let alone the twisty Alpine mountain roads in a foreign country, the less having to divert my eyes’ focus off of what was directly in front of me was extremely beneficial for safety and stress levels. I’ve experienced similar full-screen digital gauge cluster displays in recent Audis and the many Land Rovers I’ve driven, and find it far more useful than head-up display. For what it’s worth, our car did have the customary head-up display, but personally, that’s something I’ve always found rather distracting. Wearing polarized sunglasses 99% of the time makes it extremely difficult to see too.
Speaking of those twisty Alpine roads, words and even pictures can’t even convey how exhilarating it is to drive on them, and how incredible the scenery is. Not only are the roads meticulously maintained, lacking the slightest pothole or imperfection, but they flow with the land, making for driving that is more engaging and more entertaining.
A sharp contrast to many in the United States, all tunnels and bridges feel structurally safe and secure, with ongoing maintenance and construction prevalent throughout both large autobahns and smaller routes, taking place in highly efficient manner.
Indeed, the backdrop of the Alps never gets old. I’ve seen many impressive mountains on both the United States’ East and West Coasts, yet in my opinion nothing is quite as picturesque and stunning as the Austrian and German Alps.
In summary, the Volvo V90 T8 was a phenomenal rental car for 10 days in the German, Austrian, and Italian Alps. It was the perfect vehicle to have for a 10-day road trip, providing maximum utility, comfort, and luxury. Volvo has always done wagons really well, and the 2018 V90 is no exception.
I’m in love.
What a stunning, jewel-like interior. Reading about those seats made me practically salivate – seats like that are the definition of luxury to me.
An impressive-sounding powertrain and a gorgeous exterior (much, much nicer than the S90) make this even more of a winner.
I know I told you a little while ago that I’d prefer an XF Sportbrake because it’s more fun-to-drive but I think I’ll change my answer. I’ll sacrifice a little bit of dynamic ability for an interior like that and a serene ride. It’s not like the V90 will fall over in turns, anyway.
As a Swedish-ancestry owner of 8 SAABS and 5 Volvos since Dec 1970, I find this V-90 dash and interior design to be over-done and very un-Scandinavian. I will pass no judgement on it’s functionality, however, not having driven one.
A very attractive wagon. If only the blind sheep would buy these instead of….well….you know…
A sharp contrast to many in the United States, all tunnels and bridges feel structurally safe and secure, with ongoing maintenance and construction prevalent throughout both large autobahns and smaller routes, taking place in highly efficient manner.
That might explain why you are paying the road toll in Austria and Italy. Austria has a vignette system for highway use and a several sections of highways with separate road tolls (Sondermautstrecken), namely the one with expensive construction projects (viaducts and tunnels in the Alp regions). A 10-day vignette costs €9, and Brenner Autobahn (between Brenner on Austrian-Italian border and Innsbruck) road toll is €9.50.
Don’t be quick to assume that everything is well-maintained in Germany, especially the Nordrhein Westfalen (NRW where Cologne and Düsseldorf are located in) and a few states in former East Germany. Despite its heavy industry and commerce there, NRW is seriously strapping for cash and couldn’t afford to rebuild many of its crumbling road infrastructures. Bavaria is probably an exception because this state is “cash cow” of Germany and has grudingly contributed billions of euros of solidarity money to other states.
Germany has considered the vignette system (Maut) for the passenger vehicles, but the German-registered vehicles would be exempted, which ran foul of EU regulations. Back to the drawing board…
Very good points about the tolls and vignette system. The tolls on the Brenner Autobahn and the other Italian Autostradas were actually quite steep if I remember. I know the current Euro-dollar exchange rate is only about 1.14, but we had the habit of treating Euro bills and coins like Monopoly money. Sounds foolish I know, but it’s not easy to exchange nominal amounts of Euro for dollars at banks in the U.S., so we essentially wanted to use up what we had before we returned.
But back to the roads, I have no doubt that many of the roads in other German states, especially those in the former GDR are less pristine. It’s like that way here in the U.S. Massachusetts, where I live, despite one of the strongest economies and highest average median incomes in the country, has among the worst roads, likely because of the large population and subsequent heavy traffic/travel and the large amount of highways.
By contrast, the state of New Hampshire, directly north, is also reasonably affluent, yet the small population dictates only several major highways through the state. As a result, more money can go to just those roads, which are maintained to a similar degree as the ones I traveled in Europe.
New Hampshire is big on toll roads. Tax free New Hampshire has to get their money somehow. That Volvo is a nice looking wagon.
Especially in the former GDR many roads are billiard smooth actually. They’re generally the worst in the west (NRW). Most notable is the Autobahn bridge over the Rhine at Leverkusen, which has had a speed limit of only 50km/h for nearly 10 years now, for structural deficiencies. No change in sight despite very heavy traffic.
Daddy likes! Good design works in multiple form factors and this wagon looks great, just as good as the same language did when first introduced on the XC90 a few years ago. And the interior is absolutely gorgeous as well. Thanks for sharing your experience here. Not sure if you know – does the engine power all go to the front wheels and then the electric assist to the rear (i.e. not connected) or is it all combined and then FWD and doled out as needed via a traditional mechanical connection to the rear wheels?
Alright, level with me, did you actually have your rental car washed while it was in your hands? I can’t keep a dark car clean for ten minutes even when locked in a hermetically sealed garage, you seem to drive halfway across Europe and avoid even a smattering of dust. Inquiring minds want to know. 😃
Thanks Jim! I’m not 100% sure of the answer to your question regarding the drivetrain. I believe the gas engine up front only sends power to front transaxle and the electric motor just to the rear, as in many BMW plug-in hybrids but I could be mistaken. The fact that one of the driving modes is labeled “AWD” confused me even further.
But funny you should mention getting it washed. I did really want to get it washed as it became filthy over the course of our trip bit there was never a convenient time and place! I was haappy the pictures hid its filth pretty well as the metallic blue paint is brilliant. I am that guy though who’d pay to get his rental car washed 🙂
That’s a beautiful wagon,but it would probably be a good car to lease rather than buy. I’m sure it’s an expensive car to maintain and fix with all of those very complex mechanical and electrical and infotainment systems.
Simply wonderful. The best looking car on the market today.
This is the most appealing Volvo I have seen in a long time. But then I like larg-ish wagons. Like Carlberg66, I would be concerned about how the car will age. The FWD Volvos of my experience have aged poorly, but this could be obsolete information.
My favorite part is the seat with the extending thigh support. I am of average build but have found car seats to have bottom cushions that are too short. People with shorter legs may like modern seats but I recall that the seats in my older Mopars extended nearly to my knees, and I loved them.
Well, my brother has a 1999 FWD Volvo (S80) with a VW Diesel engine. It currently has 550k miles on it, having required a rebuild at 516k. And so far it’s been nearly flawless
Yeah but that’s the dark ages, Swedishbrick. I was driving a late model car with no PAS back then.
It may as well be a Morris Oxford compared to this thing.
It’s a gorgeous car but I wouldn’t touch it outside of warranty with a ten foot pole. The only thing this car seems to have in common with the legendary redblock 240 is the brand emblem. A tiny two-liter engine puffed to 5-liter V8 output with both super and turbochargers, paired to electric motors, and big digital screens for critical driver information and all of your audio and climate control functions. Uh-uh, no way.
I’ll posit a hypothesis that the depreciation curve of a luxury Volvo in the states could result in the car being effectively “totalled” if that central screen goes out at 100K miles. If not quite totaled, then surely expensive enough that you’ll either a) decide you’re happy with no audio and whatever fan speed and heat it was set to when it died, or b) research the velocity needed to literally total the car but not yourself against some roadside oak tree so you can collect the insurance payout.
Volvo’s mission is different now, this is a leaser not a keeper.
I’d hope some genius will find a way of hooking up your iPad or something to keep newer cars on the road.
Or some Mad Max setup with the dash ripped out and old fashioned knobs and gauges nailed to things?
There should be enough thrown rods, rear end shunts, t bone shots, and other maladies to keep the junkyard market filled with excess screens. Unless you’re trying to rebuild from a fire I don’t see a problem.
The adjustable thigh cushion is thankfully becoming pretty common across the industry, at least in luxury brands. I have it in my BMWs and couldn’t live without it.
Even though I’m only 5’6″ (5’7″ with boots 🙂 ) I have long legs and a short torso for someone of my height, so longer seat cushions are appreciated. Additionally, my often sore legs from long distance running always appreciate a little extra thigh support.
What I like equally so is having adjustable thigh bolsters. They aren’t as common, but I appreciate them a lot.
Nice car indeed. I’m not so worried about the long term maintenance as the long term payments. A base V90 wagon is about $68k in Canada, that’s a lot more than I paid for all 4 vehicles I currently own combined!
Oh well, the title isn’t 2018 Volvo V90 Inscription T8 AWD – Trekking Across the Alps with Cheap Dutch Guys.
As someone who hasn’t spent much time in Volvo’s since the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s, I’m struggling a bit with 400 hp and 16 way power seats. Of course even today I’ve never owned a car with power seats of any kind. I’m not sure I’d want an automatic ride height increase with the tailgate up when loading or unloading inside my garage, either. Still a stunning car, especially the powertrain, and a great report on a worthy alternative to Audi/BMW/Mercedes for Alpine luxo-touring. Last rental car I drove in that region with 3 adults and luggage was a 3 door Opel Corsa ….
“even today I’ve never owned a car with power seats of any kind”
You make me realize that I have never had them on any of the three cars I have bought new. They have been on several of the used cars I have had through the years, as part of what I call the “Used Car Equipment Group.” Meaning you take what you get when it comes to color and options.
It’s a real boon when your SO is of very different stature. When I unlock the TSX, it knows it’s me (from my key) and the seat very politely moves way back into my pre-set condition. If it didn’t do that, I couldn’t even get into the seat, as it’s so far forward. I used to hate that in the Forester, which had manual seats.
I got spoiled by power seats way back in 1983 with the TBird, and then the Mercedes 300E had those definitively intuitive seat controllers.
I have nothing against power seats, it’s just interesting that even with the fairly “nice” cars we’ve had in the last 20+ years (Land Cruiser, turbo Beetle GLX, Forester Turbo, Tacoma TRD OffRoad) none of them had that option … in the case of the Tacoma, not even available optionally at least in 2016. So I chuckled when Brendan wrote “basic and familiar”. As I get older and stiffer I certainly would appreciate memory seats or even just pushing a button through the open the door, before I crawl in after my wife’s been driving.
I, on the other hand, am blessed with a Mrs with whom I can share automotive seat and mirror settings. Our only incompatibility in the car is that she likes both the steering wheel and center armest up and I like them both down. Opposite of a toilet seat, I guess. 😀
Nicely done. I assume you paired your phone with the V90’s Bluetooth system, yes? I’ve heard the new Volvo infotainment isn’t very good. Curious how you felt about it.
Yes I did. I thought its infotainment system was up to the standards of the best German brands – far superior than most American, Asian, and other European brands. And I’m glad it didn’t default to any Apple CarPlay nonsense.
My only qualms with it were that there are so many menus and sub-menus as far as the settings are concerned. The basics most important functions (phone-nav-audio) are easy to use, but more advanced settings are difficult to control while driving. I wanted to fine-tune the excellent Bowers and Wilkins stereo, but couldn’t easily figure it out so had to call my buddy who is more familiar with modern Volvos.
Also, the navigation map didn’t show the grade of traffic on the roads (red-slow, yellow-somewhat slow, green-normal traffic) as in some cars. I’m sure there is a setting to turn it on but I didn’t look to hard for it.
Your qualms are exactly what the various auto blogs and rags disliked as well, although they seem to have come out against the system much more forcefully. I know at least one organization said to avoid the vehicles with this system entirely until there is an update, but I can’t remember who wrote it.
A very beautiful and seductive wagon. This would find a very loving home in our driveway, except for the steep price. We looked at the then-nicest Volvo wagon when we were shopping almost five years ago; the interior really bowled Stephanie over. Much nicer than the TSX, but also much more expensive.
Do you avoid using cruise controls all the time? If so, I’m curious as to why. I use them constantly. I prefer to “tell” the car what speed I want to drive, and then not keep having to look at the speedometer and adjust my foot all the time. I think I would really like Autopilot. Not to be distracted, but because I find these types of driving assists useful and a better way tot drive. Obviously not on very windy, hilly roads, but anything other than that. I find having to drive on a freeway without CC to be very tedious.
I rarely ever use cruise control. There’s just something about the unnatural and unsettling to me about the engine revving and the vehicle maintaining its speed, in essence “driving itself” without my foot on the gas pedal – I don’t like the feel of it at all. Same goes from changing the speed via steering wheel mounted controls.
The only time I occasionally use cruise control is if driving to say, New York, which from Boston includes a lot of straight open road on I-95. But even then I usually get unsettled after a few minutes and turn it off.
X2. I really only got to using a car with that feature recently and whereas I can appreciate its value on long runs featuring roads with predictable, gentle curves there is always a feeling of unease in the back of my mind when I switch it on. It’s easy to forget the thing is working and realize at the last minute you are entering into a curve tighter than you expected at too high a speed I find. Of course, me being in Austria, not the US with its never-ending straight highways probably adds to this.
Other than the above, on a long run not having to operate the gas pedal tends to lull one into becoming less concentrated or worse.
So yes, I get you 100%.
That is some beautiful looking wagon! Though I greatly dislike the interior controls – please give me a proper floor shifter!
Gorgeous car and one clearly well-suited to your Alpine tour. Volvo seats cannot be beaten for long drives!
I owned two Volvos in the past, a 1996 850 Sedan and a 2001 V70 wagon, but ended up trading both after about 7 years for VAG products, which just seemed to be more refined in terms of the ride and handling balance and cabin noise levels. In terms of reliability, the Volvo’s were somewhat better, but the VAG vehicles had much lower depreciation.
The latest V70 did inspire a visit to the Volvo showroom, however, and I was surprised to learn that the FWD 5-cylinder model is available by special order only. I don’t want or need AWD here in Texas, and the reduced mechanical complexity of FWD would seem to boost the odds of achieving better reliability.
Geez, even the rental cars of the Saur family feature a perfect combination of exterior and interior colors and materials…
I like Volvo’s current line-up very much; their hatchbacks, sedans and wagons (that’s right, Ford and GM-fans: hatchbacks, sedans and wagons). Oh yes, and their SUVs too! Volvo Cars has become a thriving company for sure.
“Geez, even the rental cars of the Saur family feature a perfect combination of exterior and interior colors and materials…”
I laughed when I read this. But honestly, I couldn’t have spec’d it out any better myself! Got lucky I guess 🙂
This is an outstandingly handsome car, the most elegant and correctly judged design on the market today. Nothing made by any other maker exudes quality and restrained good taste like this. The surfaces on the doors are lush and lively; the detailing is superb and the interior comfortable without visual excess. Who needs more than this?
And yes, Austria is a lovely country. I was in Innsbruck this year. I will be back.
I would surely like to drive one, but whats with the overly wide center stack. Its like these designers don’t have knees.
Loading up my battered 10 year old 150,000 mile workhorse V70 and drooling over this article… Great car for a great road trip.