Volvo has launched the S90 mild-hybrid sedan along with the XC60 mild-hybrid SUV in India. Both are priced at Rs 61.9 lakh (ex-showroom). As a part of the 2021 facelift, they get minor styling changes on the outside, new features and a 2-litre turbo-petrol engine which is assisted by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The diesel engine available before has been discontinued, with the brand’s focus shifting first to petrol and then to an EV line-up in India.
The S90 has been Volvo's flagship luxury sedan since 2015, after it replaced the S80. For the 2021 model year it has received a facelift with minor styling tweaks on the outside. These include a redesigned front bumper, a chrome bar under the centre mesh, new grille design and concealed tail pipes. Volvo has brought in the single top-end ‘B5 Inscription’ variant of the facelifted S90 to the Indian market. It is powered by a 2-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine which is assisted by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The power plant produces a peak output of 247bhp and 350Nm of torque.
The Volvo S90’s interior remains unchanged from before though. It continues to boast Volvo’s Scandinavian design language, with the 9-inch portrait style infotainment touchscreen taking centre stage. This system runs on Google OS and features an assistant which is multilingual. The S90 also gets a premium 19-speaker 1400W Bowers and Wilkins surround-sound system. On popular demand, Volvo has brought back the BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) safety aid to India to make these cars more safe. This system flashes a warning light near the door mirror to warn the driver of traffic/people in blind spots. It also has a steer assist system that automatically veers the car back into its lane, if the driver attempts to steer into blind traffic. Volvo says that the BLIS works from 59kmph up to a speed of 140kmph, but only on clearly marked roads.
The 2021 Volvo S90 also gets a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, massaging front seats and air suspension for utmost passenger comfort. Moreover new features that come as standard include an advanced air cleaner and the Volvo cars app which enables you to lock/unlock the car and have 24x7 roadside assistance. This app also supports Over-The-Air updates which will enable it to have the upcoming features Volvo has notified us about: charging status, air quality display and even scheduled service programmability.
The S90 is available in four colours — crystal white, bright silver, onyx black and denim blue. It rivals the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 and the BMW 5 Series.
The XC60 is Volvo’s midsize luxury SUV and it also has received minor cosmetic tweaks for the 2021 model year. Just like the S90, it gets an updated front fascia with a new grille and a restyled bumper with chrome inserts. Along with body coloured inserts and a chrome strip in the rear bumper with concealed tailpipes. It shares the 2-litre turbo-petrol engine which is coupled to a 48-volt hybrid system with the S90 with unchanged power figures (247bhp and 350Nm torque). The XC60 also comes in a single top-end B5 Inscription variant and sports all the aforementioned features that the S90 gets (same interior and all the new tech features), with the addition of adaptive cruise control and a 15-speaker 1100W Bowers and Wilkins audio system. The XC60 is available in six colours — crystal white pearl, osmium grey, onyx black, denim blue, pine grey and fusion red colours. Volvo, with the XC60, plans to take on the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3 and the new facelifted Audi Q5.
Volvo offers both the S90 and the XC60 with a three-year service package available at an additional cost of Rs 75,000. This covers the full maintenance of the cars along with the parts which are wearable. Moreover, Volvo also provides a lifetime warranty on all the OEM parts. This is the first time an automaker will provide a lifetime warranty on replacement parts. The scheme commences from October 2021.
Up next for Volvo is the launch of the XC90 mild-hybrid SUV for the Indian market. It is now the only Volvo product that houses a diesel powerplant and Volvo has confirmed that the XC90 mild-hybrid will arrive soon. Additionally, Volvo has also announced that their first electric vehicle for the Indian market will be the XC40 Recharge which will come to our shores early next year. All this will be done to complement the brand’s plans of going fully electric by 2030 and being entirely carbon neutral by 2040.