2021 Volvo S90 review

What We Like

Well-designed seats: The S90's front seats are some of the most comfortable in any car, at any price. Volvo smartly partnered with orthopedists to design and shape them for maximum comfort over long distances. Standard heated front seats add to the experience, as do the available heated rear seats and ventilated front seat options.

Refined interior: While the German luxury sedans each have their own style, the Volvo S90 is noteworthy for its uniquely Scandinavian flair. The simple dashboard layout has a welcoming warmth that's missing in BMWs and Audis, and the cabin is covered in premium leather and natural wood trim. The sturdy construction enhances the feeling of quality and, for a little extra accent, the available crystal shift lever is a nice touch.

Driver aids: All S90s come standard with frontal collision mitigation, lane keeping assistance, blind-spot warning, and adaptive cruise control, but that just scratches the surface. What you don't see is the engineering underneath that earned it top crash test scores. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the S90 a Top Safety Pick+, the organization's highest honor.

What Needs Improvement

Busy ride with larger wheels: We recommend sticking with the standard 18- or 19-inch wheels as they're noticeably more forgiving on rough roads. The available 20-inch wheels surrender some of the tire sidewall for appearances, resulting in a less comfortable ride over potholes and bumps. You'll feel quite a bit more of the impacts, but at least they're kept from being overly intrusive.