There’s a new Swede in town. And it’s gorgeous
Well, folks, this is it: the new Volvo S90. A premium mid-size sedan that aims to compete with the likes of the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, among others.
As you would expect, the 2017 Volvo S90 looks a lot like the Thor-inspired XC90, and that's a good thing, because the second-generation Swedish SUV looks pretty sweet.
Besides the design, the new S90 also uses the same modular platform as the XC90, which was predictable, seeing as Volvo invested no less than $11 billion in the last five years to improve its products.
At the moment, we don't really know exactly what engines will be available and in what power outputs, with Volvo mentioning only the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid setup that makes [[hp:400]] in the XC90. Some sources say that the new S90 will also be available with a [[hp:316]] T6, and an entry-level [[hp:245]] T5. Just to be clear, all of the variants use a 2.0-liter gasoline engine in different setups. All-wheel drive will be available as well, depending on your motor choice, and an eight-speed automatic transmission will transfer power to the wheels.
Inside, the 2017 Volvo S90 offers a similar ambiance as the XC90, with the Sensus infotainment touchscreen sitting right in the middle of the dash. There's leather, wood and aluminum touches throughout, and the whole thing looks like it belongs in a designer outlet, rather than a showroom.
The Swedes say that the new S90 comes equipped with an advanced semi-autonomous drive feature, called Pilot Assist, that “gives gentle steering inputs to keep the car properly aligned within lane markings”. The system works at speeds of up to [[mph:80]] and no longer needs to follow the car in front, as similar systems of older generations required.
Another Volvo-specific feature is the addition of large animal detection to the City Safety suite of systems, which can detect elk, horses and moose – day or night –, and apply automatic braking to help you get out of a potentially messy accident.
The 2017 Volvo S90 will be publicly unveiled at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, with first deliveries slated for the month of July. For those who want a wagon body style, just wait until March, when we're expecting to see the V90 Estate unveiled at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.