2018 Volvo V90 Wagon Immigrates to America With Sub-$50,000 Price Tag
Volvo has officially revealed pricing for its newest wagon, the V90.
Available in two trims, the V90 R-Design will start at $49,950, while Inscription will start at $51,950.
Both come standard with Volvo’s T5 turbocharged four-cylinder, which sends 250 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels. A more powerful T6 four-cylinder, fed with turbocharged and supercharged air, will be available as a $6,000 option. Those models send 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels as standard.
The R-Design and the Inscription trims both come with Volvo’s 8-speed automatic transmission, but the Inscription comes with Volvo’s dynamic chassis while R-Design models comes with a sport chassis.
The real differences between the two are inside: Nappa leather and more comfortable, ventilated thrones are all the sole remit of the V90 Inscription.
Buying a V90 can be done online through Volvo’s Online Concierge. From the brand’s website, buyers can configure their V90 with the help of a specialist who helps them through the process remotely, notifying them when the car is shipped and when it’s available for pick-up at the dealer.
Alternatively, owners can opt for the full Scandinavian experience with Overseas Delivery. The option provides buyers with two plane tickets and hotel accommodations in Gothenburg, Sweden, where they’ll get a tour of the factory and drive their V90 around Europe to the port from which it will be shipped back to the U.S.
A version of this article originally appeared on SwedeSpeed.
More by Sebastien Bell
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This checks off so many of my wants: - great seats - wagon - great interior - great stereo - design??? This is where something is off with the V90. It looks too long, which is an odd reaction to have for a wagon. To me, Volvo means a more boxy, upright but well designed aesthetic. This wagon looks like it's trying way too hard to be something different. Maybe it's the slope of the rear glass that's throwing it off. I think the XC90 is the best looking SUV other than the Touareg. Both are stylized bricks with well designed front and back ends. The V90 lacks this idea and went for swoopiness instead. I don't think that helps Volvo, at least in a wagon. Right now, the XC90 is Volvo's best looking vehicle, and I say that as a devoted wagonista.
This car kills me. I love that we can get a proper wagon and that it looks so good inside and out. But Volvo KILLS me with their powertrains. $49k+ with only 4 cylinders available is utter malarky. I've driven the Volvo 2.0t in a V60 and it was a total let down. Reviews of the powertrains have been mixed at best. A 4cylinder will never have the NVH that is appropriate to a luxury car of this price. At best, you'll smother the engine enough that you don't even know you have an IC one and the car could pass for electric. SMH.
I could see this as a successor to my dear, departed '02 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon, which I owned for 10 years and something like 110K miles. IMHO, assuming equal weight, 250 hp is plenty of power for the car. The Saab had a wicked "passing speed" in sport mode, which allowed the engine to rev beyond 3500 rpm before shifting . . . albeit with gobs of torque steer. I never, ever felt the car was underpowered. While not a paragon of reliability, the Saab's issues in my hands did not involve the turbocharging. The most serious ones were a rear main seal leak that developed at 90K miles and some issues with the transmission that were fixed with a flush at about 75K miles. The car did reliably achieve 30 mpg at Interstate speeds with a moderate load and rolling terrain, with the a/c on. No one seems to build wagons with squared-off rear tailgates anymore, I presume for aerodynamic reasons. As for the engine sounds . . . seriously folks, it's a cotton-pickin' station wagon! Under normal operation, the engine never spun up much over 2300 rpm. Having a boost gauge, the Saab's engine management strategy was revealed: lots of boost at low rpms. Sure, it was as coarse as any other 2+ liter 4 in the higher rev ranges and yes, the 3-liter 6 in my BMW and the 6.2 liter V-8 in my truck are smoother and sound better over 3000 rpm. This could be nice.
Beautiful automobile. Masterful design. I covet it in my garage. Except, for $67 large it boasts manual steering column adjustment and the sun visors aren't extendable. Isn't sun glare a safety issue? Volvo? Seriously?