The D4 engine is a 1,969-cc diesel with i-ART direct injection — modern-day convention derailed with one pump per injector for ideal pressure maintenance — and a single turbocharger. The output is up from 181 to 190 PS. With the peak 400 Nm of torque, that’s the tie-breaking benchmark across models from either side of Bavaria; and more than those from Stuttgart and Coventry. An eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission does duty powering the front axle.
This is a Volvo, so take every box the NCAP has, tick them all, and draw a few more below with features and tests that the Euro NCAP are yet to mandate and tick them too. Remember that angular pole impact test? Doesn’t even show up on the radar with most others. Speaking of which…
The S90 doesn’t pack adaptive cruise control or radar-assisted autonomous braking. No, regulations have freed up, but my guess is the D5 AWD will have those. This D4 is the Inscription Luxury variant and there is little more to add to the extensive equipment list as it is. Those would go well with the twin-turbo PowerPulse 235-PS motor.
What it does have is the regular (and very easy-to-use) cruise control, a host of braking assistance features, an active lane-keeping assist, automatic parking, and park assist with a rear camera and ParkPilot sensors front and rear.
On the highway, there is no tell of turbo-lag. Given stop-and-suddenly-go traffic, there is a hint of it when revs drop to newly-born four digits but on the move there’s none of that. The motor feels reasonably urgent and the torque is enough to waft you swiftly across highways and cities alike.
The S90 packs a hydraulically-damped double wishbone front suspension and pneumatically-damped multi-link rear suspension. Air cushions were all that were needed to make for an even more relaxing ride. The wheels are 18-inchers wrapped in 245/45 rubber, so the balance of grip, noise and ride quality isn’t teetering on either edge of the challenging triangle. Devious ruts and ditches did manage to let a few thuds filter through — as we’ve seen before — but they always sound a lot worse than they feel.
The highway was several miles away and never widened enough for us to persevere. A quick left detour on to sand — it was a good stone’s sling from the Thar desert — and the S90, with its 152 mm of ground clearance and clever damping handled the unruly undulations with ease. It was now beginning to get dark, and very quickly.
Mjölnirs on either side shining bright, the Viking-sail reflectors turned night into day, position lamps into indicators, and blackened bends into white-lit playrooms. The full-LED beam spread is far, the cornering function works well, and there is even a pair of LED fog-lamps for further visual piercing. Truck traffic relinquishing tarmac to the Norse god’s weapons, I realised I’d had a subtle but seemingly permanent smile. It’s easy. It makes everything feel better. The S90 surprised with its agility, and then some more with its responses in ‘Dynamic’ mode.
Run-off-road protection is there too. Thankfully, even, with no-road conditions in most parts of the country, highways or otherwise. A bit of air over a blind crest and dip had the seat-belts squeeze me to an inch of my breath in a split-second, not releasing me from the strapped hug until all four contact patches were made and the traction control signed off the mutual agreement. A relief it felt like. This system I had seen in the XC90 crash test but, now, to experience it and hope we hadn’t set off the deformation unit in the seats was a smack to the brains by the reality of life and our infrastructure and traffic. Not unneeded is this bit of kit.
Finally, the hotel loomed into view, its distant amber glow far enough to the left to escape Mjolnir’s power. The readout in the 12.3-inch dash display had hovered to between 4.4 litres/100 km (22.7 km/l) to 9.0 litres/km (11.1 km/litre): commendable for a near 1.7-tonne luxury saloon. The S90 comforts, caresses, bear-hugs when needed, but keeps you safe at all time, reinforcing peace of mind like plate-mail on a squire, and sips responsibly too. Would you be needing anything else then, Mr Businessman and Mr Family man? Watch out, Germans.
Need to Know: Volvo S90 D4 Inscription Luxury
Price: Rs 53.5 lakh (ex-showroom)
Engine: 1,969 cc, in-line four, turbo-diesel
Max Power: 190 PS at 4,250 rpm
Max Torque: 400 Nm at 1,750-2,500 rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed, automatic, front-wheel-drive
Weight: 1,820 kg (estimated)
