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In-depth reviews

Volvo S90 saloon - MPG, running costs & CO2 (2016-2023)

Plug-in hybrid Volvo S90 compares well with its rivals

Carbuyer Rating

3.4 out of 5

Owners Rating

5.0 out of 5

Read owner reviews
MPG, running costs & CO2 Rating

3.5 out of 5

Compare the Volvo S90 to its main rivals, such as the Jaguar XF, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 and it acquits itself reasonably well. The withdrawal of standard petrol and diesel engines makes the car expensive, and that will put some buyers off. The 352.6mpg figure that the Recharge T8 plug-in hybrid version is capable of achieving in test conditions is very impressive, as is the near-55-mile electric range. How possible they’ll be in the real world, however, is another matter.

Volvo S90 MPG & CO2

Because these large executive cars are more often driven by company-car users, it makes a certain amount of sense to only offer the plug-in hybrid. Called the Recharge T8, it has a large battery and CO2 figures start at just 19g/km, which puts the car in the lowest possible Benefit-in-Kind band for non-electric cars.

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The figures are varied, with between 104 and 352mpg possible, and an electric-only range estimate of 31.7 to 54.7 miles on a full charge. If you regularly drive around town and plug the car in often, then you stand a chance of getting close to that hugely impressive maximum figure.

The two previously available diesel engines make either 187 and 235bhp and offer perfectly reasonable fuel economy and CO2 emissions, but they’re not class-leading in any way. The 187bhp version will return around 50mpg. A T4 petrol was also sold, and that could return up to 37.7mpg.

The more powerful D5 PowerPulse S90 diesel, featured four-wheel drive as standard, which, unsurprisingly, reduces fuel efficiency and increases CO2 emissions. This version manages around 43.5mpg.

Servicing

Like most cars, the S90 will need servicing every year, and if you get it serviced at a main dealer (there are 120 across the UK, so you shouldn’t have to travel too far to find one) it’s covered by what’s known as the Volvo Service Promise. This guarantees the use of original Volvo parts, as well as a complete vehicle health check and a software upgrade alongside the mechanical servicing that’s required. There are also a number of service plans that can be used to spread the cost of servicing.

Warranty

The Volvo S90’s warranty is okay – the car is covered for three years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), putting it on par with the Audi A6 – but it’s a little behind its rivals from Jaguar, Mercedes and BMW, none of which put a mileage limit on their warranties. There’s also an eight-year (or 100,000 mile) battery warranty which will apply to all new models of the S90, given that it’s now offered solely as a plug-in hybrid. This covers you if the battery drops below a certain percentage in that time.

Insurance group

Previously, the S90 range sat between groups 27 to 33, making it reasonably affordable to insure relative to its rivals. However, the latest S90 range is made up exclusively of plug-in hybrid models which are more expensive to insure; sitting between groups 42 to 44.

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