When it comes to luxury sedans, the 2021 Volvo S90 promises to be a contender to the likes of the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6. Priced similar to its rivals, the S90 offers plenty, but is it worth the high price tag?

Kelley Blue Book tested it out and shared their thoughts on this expensive luxury sedan. Let’s look at what they liked and disliked about it as well as what all it offers. 

What did Kelley Blue Book like about the Volvo S90?

The first thing that caught their eye was its exterior styling. Kelley Blue Book reviewers liked the elegant lines and curves throughout the body, along with Volvo’s signature scalloped grille in the front. Also adorning the front are two T-shaped LED headlights that they dubbed, “Thor’s hammer” in appearance. 

The R-Design trim offers a front spoiler and grille designed specifically for this model. Other exterior traits setting the R-Design trim apart from the others are its gloss-black trim along the windows, a rear diffuser, and black-colored housings on the side mirrors. 

The Volvo S90’s interior turns heads as well. For the lower trim, you’ll find birch-wood accent pieces, comfortable seating, and a spacious cabin with lots of leg and headroom. 

The R-Design configuration offers Nappa leather, sporty steering wheel, and metal inlays replacing the wood trim. Volvo’s Inscription is the luxurious model, which has the walnut wooden accents. There’s also a plug-in hybrid model.

Where did Volvo go wrong with the S90?

There wasn’t a lot Kelley Blue Book didn’t like about the Volvo S90, but they had a few complaints worth noting. The fact that Volvo only offers a four-cylinder engine turned the reviewers off. 

In the S90, you can only get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor, which they questioned its effectiveness to run such a large sedan as this. Since it’s both supercharged and turbocharged, this motor is able to produce a decent amount of power without too much lag. 

Another feature that didn’t exactly impress Kelley Blue Book was the vertical touchscreen display. The touchpad screen is usable, but it can be awkward. So, they felt this feature wouldn’t thrill too many people looking to buy the Volvo S90. 

The ride quality failed to capture their attention as well. While it drove nicely and handled the road pretty well, they didn’t feel it had the same agility that you often see in vehicles with rear-wheel drivetrains. The BMW 5 Series offers more, but the S90 isn’t too far behind. 

What does the S90 offer?

One of their favorite features on the Volvo S90 is the Pilot Assist. This system is Volvo’s answer to the autonomous driving feature you see with some other vehicles. However, Volvo’s only works when your hands remain on the steering wheel unlike what you see with cars like Tesla. 

Another favorite is the panoramic moonroof that reaches just past the rear seats. It lets in a decent amount of natural light, but it also has a powered shade that will shut automatically when you want to prevent too much light from coming into the cabin. 

The Momentum model, or base trim, offers 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and parking sensors in the front and rear of the vehicle. 

The R-Design trim has a Harman Kardon sound system, 19-inch alloy wheels, rear shades, and extendable front seat cushions. The Inscription model has heated as well as ventilated seats, walnut wooden inlays, and an Inscription front grille. 

The Volvo S90 passes Kelley Blue Book’s review with flying colors. With only a few minor issues, they still felt it was an exceptional vehicle that deserves a chance in the large luxury sedan market.