Review and Test Drive: The 2021 Volvo 90 Series – Volvo S90 and XC90 Recharge T8 eAWD Inscription

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DRIVING THE 2021 VOLVO S90 AND XC90 RECHARGE

Driving a Volvo is different. Unlike with other cars, the driver twists the start/stop button and the XC90 experience begins. In its week with us, the XC90 exhibited nothing short of excellent road manners and excellent passenger comfort.

While neither the XC90 nor the S90 will ever be confused with a sports sedan, there’s no question that the 400-horsepower hybrid is engaging in its own right.

Both the S90 and XC90 feature the Recharge plug-in hybrid with Volvo’s Drive-E four that develops 313 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. That figure is before it is augmented by the front-mounted 34-kilowatt starter motor/generator and an 87-horsepower electric motor that powers the rear axle. This translates into 400 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque, which brings this midsize SUV an almost go-cart-like feel at times. Volvo upped the T8’s battery capacity from 104 kilowatt hours to 11.6 for 2020 but there was no additional change for 2021. Moreover, in Pure Eco Mode, we found we could putt around town for a good part of the day emission free, lowering our environmental footprint.

For those of us who enjoy the tech side of driving, the fun comes when engaging the standard Pilot Assist function, which works above 30 mph (48 km/h) and up to 80 mph (129 km/h). Working in conjunction with the car’s excellent radar adaptive cruise, it is a semi-autonomous driving experience and removing your hands from the steering wheel for more than 15 seconds will result in stern warning messages from the Swedish Chef, I mean from the car itself, to take the wheel again. If you don’t, it will be followed by more warning chimes and it will ultimately disengage. The system is intelligent enough to temporarily disengage during lane changes and then reengage automatically. The only downside is we found that it, like other similar systems, does require clear lane markings to function properly.

Another favorite feature, and one that greatly increases safety, is the Active Bending Light feature with the LED headlights. While it sounds like it is a spell from Hogwarts to bend light, ABL merely follows the movement of the steering wheel to provide illumination in turns and curves.

Both of the elegant Swedes offer a comfortable ride, and do an excellent job in protecting its occupants from the harsh realities of less than perfect roads. The steering in both has good road feel and both are quite nimble, belying their size.