2016 Volvo S90 India review, test drive

What’s it like from the inside?

The similarities with the XC90 continue on the inside as well. To begin with, the sedan is built on the same wheelbase as the SUV, giving it loads and loads of legroom, and many of the SUV's beautifully designed bits have been carried over on as well. The cabin is a fine mix of high-quality leather, real wood and some exquisite detailing. And the unique vertically aligned air vents with their chromed over controls look different too. What also leaves you impressed, as on the XC90, is the manner in which chrome has been used across the cabin, and how Volvo has integrated bits of knurled metal on the start-stop knob and the drive select 'roller'.

After you've taken in the very attractive wood, leather and chrome lined door pads, with the attractive Bowers & Wilkins integrated speakers, your eye naturally goes back to the center console, where the 'cool'-looking, high-resolution 9.0-inch infotainment screen takes pride of place. Placed vertically, like the screen on the Tesla, it controls all manner of functions from the air-con blower to the lane departure warning setup. The controls, however, are quite haphazardly scattered between three screens, you need to flick left and right to access, and the system is unfortunately not as intuitive as it could or should have been. Also, using the touchscreen to control the blower speed is a bit fiddly; especially if you are driving. And while the cabin in general is beautifully built and put together, some plastics don’t live up to the high standards of the rest of the cabin. You can see exposed joints in places and the fit and finish on some bits lower down just isn't the same.

Seat comfort, however, is very good, especially at the front. The driver and passenger seats are wide and tall, and the adjustable thigh support helps make the driver feel even more relaxed. Back support is first rate and because the seats are finished in the finest nappa leather and are cooled, they really do feel a bit special to sit on.

There's acres of legroom in the rear of the car as well, and the feeling of space is just tremendous. The seat itself isn't as good however. Thigh support is a bit down on the competition, the backrest feels a bit upright, and though you are comfortable, even on longer drives, a bit more attention to rear seat comfort would have gone a long way in upping overall comfort levels here. What's also less than ideal is that the wide transmission tunnel makes sitting three abreast a bit challenging as the passenger in the middle has to straddle it. Boot space, however, is good at 500 litres, and the loading lip isn't too high either. You get a space saver (spare) as well.

Volvo will launch only one version of the S90 – the fully loaded Inscription. Buyers will get full LED headlights, lane keeping assist, park pilot, heads-up display, a Bowers & Wilkins multi-speaker 1,400-watt high-end audio system, a subwoofer, Apple Car Play, four-zone climate control, nappa leather, walnut wood inlays, a leather dashboard and a powered (open and close) boot lid. However, there are a few features that we think should have been there, but aren't – a rear blind, paddle shifters, and a powered steering adjust.