Used Volvo S90 for sale: everything you need to know

The Volvo S90 made its debut in 2016 but in the UK, Volvo has recently announced it will no longer sell its large executive saloon. That’s a shame, but with SUVs dominating the sales charts, not unexpected either - and besides, there are still plenty of S90s to choose from if you’re looking at the used market.

You can now find S90s under £20,000, which is a significant saving against their original prices, and Volvo’s slightly less aggressive image than some rival brands means they might not have been driven quite as hard as some of the German models. For the money, you’ll struggle to find a more relaxed and comfortable saloon, too.

Those German cars include the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, each of which is excellent in its own right and should still be on your shortlist, while other more offbeat alternatives include Britain’s executive saloon, the Jaguar XF, and the Lexus ES from Japan.

Should you buy a Volvo S90?

The Volvo S90 isn’t the obvious choice in the executive car class, and that’s what some people will like about it. That’s always been the case with Volvos to a degree, but the S90’s handsome styling and tasteful, logical cabin design will give you a sense of occasion that some previous big Volvos lacked.

With plug-in hybrid power available, and Volvo’s commitments to reducing its environmental impact and increasing safety, the V90 also has a less aggressive and less thrusting image than some of the alternatives, so may suit those who have more of an environmental conscience - without making the step into a fully electric vehicle.

Launched with a range of downsized petrol and diesel engines the S90 offers a broad span of performance and economy depending on the version you’re looking at, but while there were also a handful of different trim levels, the S90’s quality, comfort, refinement, and excellent ride quality all came as standard. Volvo has prioritised ride over handling, but there’s good grip and all-wheel drive versions have plenty of traction even in poor weather.

The S90’s cabin is smart and well laid out, with many functions controlled through a 9-inch portrait touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard. This can take some figuring out but its size and location, and Volvo’s efforts to keep things relatively simple, mean it’s easy enough to adapt to. The interior materials feel great and there’s more space, particularly in the rear seats, than most rivals. Its boot is a good size and shape too, and if a conventional saloon boot is a limitation, there’s always the Volvo V90 estate car instead.

And those rivals we keep referring to? It’s the usual trio of German executive cars, the Audi A6, BMW 5-series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. All are more dynamic than the Volvo, and some are flashier on features, but the Volvo’s Swedish style is its own appeal for some buyers. The Jaguar XF and Lexus ES (and older GS) both offer a different take on the executive car formula too.

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What’s the best used Volvo S90 model to buy?

While the T8 Recharge was the only version available towards the end of the S90’s run, you’ll still find plenty of diesel and petrol models for sale in the used market. There’s no bad choice really - as is often the case, the diesels are the ones to go for if you spend most of your time on motorways, but the petrol variants perform well and drive smoothly. The eight-speed automatic gearbox used by all models slips between gears almost imperceptibly too.

That said, the T8 Twin Engine (later Recharge) has both strong performance and, if you have somewhere to plug it in, the potential for excellent economy. As far as trim levels go, to maximise the S90’s luxury feel we’d be tempted to seek out an Inscription model, with its heated and cooled Nappa leather massage seats.

Used Volvo S90 fuel economy and performance

• Volvo S90 D4: A 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel making 190PS, the D4 gets from 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds and offered combined economy of up to 50.4mpg. All S90s got an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
• Volvo S90 D5 AWD: The D5 used a more powerful version of the D4’s diesel, making 235PS, and was available only with all-wheel drive. It knocked the 0-62mph time down to 7.0 seconds, while economy dropped to 43.5mpg combined.
• Volvo S90 T4: Like the diesel, the T4 and T5 both have 2-litre engines and turbochargers, but are petrol-powered. The T4 produced 190PS, and just undercut the D4’s 0-62mph time, at 7.8 seconds. Up to 37.7mpg combined should be possible.
• Volvo S90 T5: The more powerful petrol made 250PS and sliced a full second from the T4’s 0-62mph time. Combined economy was no worse, at 37.7mpg.
• T8 Twin Engine AWD: ‘Twin Engine’ referred to petrol and electric plug-in hybrid power, though the T8’s 2-litre engine was also boosted by both a turbocharger and supercharger. Combined they made 303PS, for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. Electric running (between 29-35 miles) helped it to 166.1mpg combined economy.
• T8 Recharge AWD: Effectively the same as the T8 model above, but the last few UK-bound T8 models were badged Recharge and produced a little more power at 310PS. 0-62mph dropped to 4.7 seconds and with more EV range (32-54 miles), WLTP economy climbed to a maximum of 313.4mpg.

What used Volvo S90 trim levels are available?

The majority of used Volvo S90s you see for sale will come in either Momentum, R-Design or Inscription trim, with some being badged R-Design Plus or Inscription Plus, with small equipment variances depending on the age of the car. From 2022-on, when the range was available only with the T8 Recharge engine, Volvo dropped the ‘Plus’ designation, but both the R-Design and Inscription trims were still very well equipped.

• The Volvo S90 Momentum got 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, as well as LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors and a rear camera, two-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch driver display, a 9-inch portrait touchscreen with navigation and 10-speaker audio, leather upholstery, and heated front seats, plus Volvo’s usual huge range of safety features.
• The Volvo S90 R-Design swapped the regular S90 seats for leather and nubuck sports seats, LED foglights with a cornering function, a head-up display, sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles, 19-inch alloy wheels and a lowered sports suspension setup, and various sports interior details.
• The Volvo S90 Inscription also upgraded to 19-inch alloys over the Momentum spec, while getting ventilated Nappa leather trim, massaging front seats, a head-up display, chrome detailing inside the car and out, and a special crystal gear selector knob on T8 models.

Used Volvo S90 dimensions and boot size

The Volvo S90’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4963mm
• Width: 1895mm (mirrors folded), 2019mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1443mm

The Volvo S90’s boot size is:

• 500 litres

Used Volvo S90 road tax

Thanks to its plug-in hybrid drivetrain the top-end Volvo S90 T8 attracts slightly less VED or ‘road tax’ than its regular petrol and diesel equivalents, though its expense when new (along with several other higher-spec S90s) means that it’s still subject to a hefty tax surcharge for the second to sixth years of registration, so you’ll pay £560 per year in those years. The petrol and diesels will be £10 more per year over the same period. For S90s registered prior to April 2017, there are bigger tax savings to be made - the plug-in versions won’t cost you a penny in tax.

How much is it to insure a Volvo S90?

At the bottom end of the Volvo S90 range, lower-specification T4 and D4 models sit in group 27 (out of 50) for insurance, but by the time you move up to the T8, this jumps to group 42. While this could prove expensive, it’s not greatly different from some rivals - the BMW 5-series spans groups 32-44 (excluding the high-performance M5).

Read our full Volvo S90 review