Volvo V90

I have reviewed this earlier after a test drive and was deciding on this vs E220D estate brought in by Parallel importers for about the same price. I finally went for this with a 5 +5 year service and warranty plan. The Benz was a diesel which I had no chance to test out and therefore decided against it and the warranty was for only 1 year and no free service.

After 2 full months the car is riding well. The Pilot assist is great to have on highways and when you are having a conversation with your passengers or fiddling with the ICE. The ICE very occasionally hangs. The car can be customised to 2 main drivers and one guest to appropriate key fobs . The drive is serene and more comfortable then anything else I have driven except for the LS 460 it replaced. It is quiet but the AC fan is a little weak. Need to set it at 22 for sufficient cooling. Its perhaps surrounded by windows making it bright and airy but warm in the sun despite V-cool film. The drive is good but its no not hatch despite its 265 bhp. It will keep one very comfortable on long drives as the seats are firm and orthopaedically supportive. Interestingly there is no BLIS on the Momentum model and the TFT screen shows only one dial with Map on ICE screen but there is surround sensors making it beep and tweet a lot! Also the auto emergency brake system can be jarring at times but has potentially save me once from backending the front car.

I have owned the 2 previous V70 models which were workhorses and my uncle had the 240 series and my bother the 850 series wagons. All these were a little agricultural - tough and safe. But this V90 is super cool and very elegant. The tailgate is especially well done. Test drove the T5 momentum which will be more than adequate for SG roads and highway bashing in Malaysia. Comfortable, quiet - a lot more so then the previous V70. Not sluggish on comfort or even on ECO mode but not really fast on Dynamic mode. Apparently you can customise your settings to yoru preference as well. Handling wise is hard to tell as the Leng Kee area are straights and gentle curves. The ICE is fantastic - easy to use and can be most distracting! Overall a serious contender if you are in for wagons. Only competition will be MB and Audi wagons.

The Volvo V90 is a handsome looking estate, with aggressive features and sleek lines. It's not the most spacious in its class but it's plenty enough to be used as a daily driver.

The cabin is what makes this estate special. Interior is classy and comfortable, with a driving experience focused on comfort.

Space in the boot isn't as large as the V70 but the V90 is able to hold four adults easily and the ride feels refined at cruising speed.