2017 Volvo S90

The scored T6 AWD uses a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0L four making 316 hp. That is competitive with the base six-cylinder engines of German rivals. 2017 is the launch year of the first-generation S90, and no T8 plug-in was sold in the US that year.

295 lb-ft arrives across a broad 2,200–5,400 rpm plateau, which is mid-pack for the sedan band.

A 5.6-second run is quick for a four-cylinder luxury sedan, though turbo-six rivals are a few tenths faster.

The supercharger fills in low-rpm response, so turbo lag is minimal and thrust is strong. But reviewers consistently note the four-cylinder sounds coarse and buzzy when revved, which suits a luxury sedan poorly next to six-cylinder rivals.

The Aisin 8-speed automatic is smooth and unobtrusive in normal driving. It is slow to kick down when asked for a quick pass, so it falls short of the crispest ZF 8-speeds in German rivals.

AWD is standard on the T6 and absent from the T5, which is FWD only. The Haldex-type system has no torque vectoring or terrain modes, so it sits mid-band.

In the US for 2017 there were only two powertrains: the 250 hp T5 FWD and the 316 hp T6 AWD, both based on the same 2.0L four. The T8 plug-in hybrid did not reach the US S90 until 2018, so there was no electrified, six-cylinder or EV option.

25 MPG combined for the twincharged T6 AWD is typical of a mid-size luxury AWD sedan. The FWD T5 manages 27.

22 MPG in the city is middling for the class.

31 MPG on the highway is reasonable for a 316 hp AWD sedan.

EPA publishes no range figure for gas vehicles, so range is the combined MPG multiplied by the tank size. The modest 14.5-gallon tank limits it.

Premium fuel at 25 MPG puts EPA's annual cost at the expensive end of the sedan band.

Both 2017 S90 powertrains are rated for premium gasoline per EPA, which adds meaningful cost on every fill compared with regular-fuel rivals such as the Lexus ES.

NHTSA never crash-tested the 2017 S90, the generation's launch year; the SafetyRatings database has no record for it. The 4.5★ placeholder follows the dataset's convention for untested low-volume luxury sedans (matching the 2018, 2021 and 2024 S90 entries) — it went untested because of volume, not a poor result.

The 2017 S90 earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick (not TSP+) with Good ratings in all five crashworthiness tests rated that year: driver-side small overlap, moderate overlap, side, roof strength and head restraints. The passenger-side small-overlap test wasn't run for 2017, and no headlight variant rated better than Marginal, which kept it off TSP+.

Every 2017 S90 came with the IntelliSafe suite as standard: City Safety AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and large-animal detection, Pilot Assist adaptive cruise with steering assist, Lane Keeping Aid, and run-off-road mitigation. On the launch year, BLIS with cross-traffic alert was standard on Inscription but part of an option package on Momentum, and the 360° camera was also optional. That puts it slightly below 2018.

The standard City Safety system earned Superior in IIHS vehicle-to-vehicle testing. IIHS ran no pedestrian AEB test (day or night) for 2017, so that part of the evaluation is unmeasured, even though City Safety did detect pedestrians, cyclists and large animals.

The S90 had BLIS with steer-assist intervention and rear cross-traffic alert, but on the 2017 Momentum it came through an option package rather than as standard. It had no rear auto-braking or safe-exit warning.

Lane Keeping Aid and lane-departure warning are standard. Pilot Assist (second generation) gave steering support up to about 80 mph, but reviewers found the launch-year system wandered in the lane and dropped out when lane markings faded. It works, but drivers didn't trust it.

Adaptive cruise with stop-and-go (Queue Assist) is standard and controls speed smoothly. The steering half of Pilot Assist is unreliable (see 3.2.4), and there is no lane-change assist.

The car has no hands-free capability. Pilot Assist is hands-on: it warns and then disengages when it detects no steering input.

IIHS rated four 2017 headlight variants, which differed by build date (before or after February 2017) and by curve-adaptive versus fixed LED lamps. The best was Marginal and the worst Poor, so no 2017 S90 had even Acceptable headlights. Later model years improved this.

Visibility is average for the class. The raked windshield brings thick A-pillars, and the high beltline and rear pillars limit the view over the shoulder. A backup camera is standard, but the 360° camera was optional.

IIHS rates the LATCH setup Acceptable. There are two complete outboard LATCH positions with low-force anchors that are awkward to maneuver around, and the center seat has a tether only. The rear seat has ample room for rear-facing seats.

Every 2017 US S90 is a five-seat sedan. The center rear position straddles the tall driveline tunnel.

38.7 in is above the segment midpoint. The panoramic roof was not yet standard in 2017, so this figure is the one most buyers got.

42.2 in is slightly above the segment midpoint, and the power seats have a wide adjustment range.

37.8 in is competitive on paper, but the sloping roofline and thick C-pillars make the rear feel tighter than the number suggests.

2017 is the only US model year on the short-wheelbase body. For 2018 Volvo switched US cars to the long-wheelbase body, which added about 4.5 in, so the 2017 car has the generation's tightest rear seat. Reviewers still found it adequate for adults.

At 13.5 cu ft the trunk is among the smallest in the mid-size luxury class, behind the 5 Series and E-Class.

Small-item storage is weak: the console bin is shallow and the touchscreen dash leaves few cubbies. There is no factory wireless pad (it became standard in 2021), no underfloor bins and no AC outlet. The split-fold rear seat with pass-through is the one flexible feature.

The front seats are a segment benchmark, and reviewers called the rear bench comfortable, but it has less leg support than the 2018+ long-wheelbase car. Inscription power bolsters and the optional massage seats add adjustability.

The ride is smooth on good pavement, and the optional rear air suspension improves it. On the standard steel springs, and especially on the larger wheels, sharp bumps come through harshly, so it trails the E-Class and A6.

Wind and road noise are well suppressed at a cruise. Under load, though, the T6 twincharged four-cylinder whines, which keeps the cabin short of the quietest German and Lexus rivals.

Heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate are standard. On the volume Momentum, the heated steering wheel and other heating features are in a $1,550 Climate Package, and the Inscription adds ventilated seats and four-zone climate. Remote preconditioning works through Volvo On Call.

No plug-in hybrid was sold in the US for 2017 — the T8 Twin Engine arrived for MY2018 — so every 2017 S90 is a gas car. The scored configuration is therefore the gas car actually on sale. The T5 Momentum opened the range just under $48,500 with destination.

The T6 AWD Inscription was the representative launch-year configuration and the one IIHS tested. Option packs such as Bowers & Wilkins audio and air suspension pushed many window stickers past $60,000. The 2017 T8 plug-in volume trim the registry names did not exist in the US, so this is the gas T6.

Volvo paid for the first three years of scheduled service, which keeps the five-year total below what the German rivals cost. Years four and five are billed at European-luxury rates, and the launch-year car carried more early-production recalls and fixes. Without the T8's hybrid hardware it sits slightly under the 2018 T8 estimate.

Luxury sedans depreciate quickly, and the S90 lacks the cachet that holds up German resale. The gas cars hold up better than the T8 plug-in, which iSeeCars puts at 37.5% retained at 5 years. A 2017 car reached its five-year mark in the 2022 used-car price spike, which flattered it. Today's KBB values are about 31% of sticker at 9.5 years, consistent with roughly 40–45% at five.

Volvo's New Vehicle Limited Warranty matched the German luxury norm and ran a year longer than the mainstream 3-year term.

Volvo offered no separate long-term powertrain warranty, so the engine and transmission were covered only for the 4-year/50,000-mile basic term. With no plug-in sold in 2017, the 8-year hybrid-battery coverage the later T8 carried does not apply to any 2017 S90.

Volvo's three years of free factory scheduled service beat Audi and Mercedes, which included none. BMW still offered its own plan, so this was competitive rather than unique. The S90 also came with 4 years of unlimited-mile roadside assistance and a Volvo On Call connected-services subscription.

$56,445 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (42% retained, or about $23,707) leaves about $32,738 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,300 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $38,038 in total.

Signals are about average. J.D. Power rates the 2017 S90's quality and reliability as average (71/100), and Consumer Reports calls it about average for its model year. NHTSA has no owner complaints on file. Held at the low end of the middle band because 2017 is the launch year of a new generation and platform (SPA) and of the Sensus electronics, and the Volvo 2017-MY cohort did poorly on initial quality.

Volvo has been in the bottom third of J.D. Power's quality and dependability studies for the whole period that bears on a 2017 car, and has since fallen further. Most complaints concern infotainment and electronics, not mechanical failures.

The launch year has four recalls, twice as many as 2018, and three of them involve occupant-protection hardware: curtain-airbag bolts that could break, a front passenger seat-belt buckle defect, and an A/C drain hose that could leak water into the cabin and onto airbag components. The fourth is a connectivity-module software error that disabled eCall. All are fixed at the dealer and none affects the powertrain, so the item stays in the middle band rather than the low one.

The scored gas volume trim is the T6 AWD: Volvo's turbocharged and supercharged Drive-E (VEA) 2.0-litre four with an Aisin 8-speed automatic. The Aisin gearbox is proven. The twin-charged VEA four has no systemic catastrophic failure mode, but it is complex for its size, and owners report some oil consumption and supercharger or turbo issues as the miles add up. The early T8 plug-in's ERAD problems do not apply to this configuration.

When it launched, the S90 cabin was among the best in the mid-size luxury class, with genuine open-pore wood, quality leather or Nappa, and metal trim. It falls short of the very top only because the slow, layered Sensus touchscreen was criticised.

This is the launch year, and two recalls trace back to installation errors (the A/C drain hose and the curtain-airbag bolts). Owners also report trim pieces coming loose and condensation in the headlights. Volvo's initial-quality results for this period were poor. Owners still praise the car as solid and quiet, so it sits mid-to-low in the band.

About 280 US retailers gives national coverage, but the network is thinner than BMW's, Mercedes' or Lexus's, and Volvo's service satisfaction is near the bottom of the premium brands. The 2017 car came with three years of free scheduled maintenance, and the T6 hardware is shared with the high-volume XC90 and XC60.

Repair costs are normal for a luxury sedan, and good independent parts suppliers exist (FCP Euro, IPD, Skandix). Most of the T6 drivetrain is shared with the XC90 and XC60, and this gas car carries none of the T8's out-of-warranty high-voltage battery or ERAD risk. The nameplate is discontinued and was built partly in China.

Every 2017 S90 has the same 9-inch portrait Sensus screen, with no larger option. That is small for the class.

The tablet-style Sensus interface is easy to read at a glance, and some reviewers rate it near best-in-class. But climate and most other controls are folded into the screen, the first-year software lags, and Consumer Reports found it unintuitive, with tiny fonts.

On the volume Momentum trim, Apple CarPlay is not standard: it comes in the $1,000 Momentum Plus Package, wired via USB. Android Auto support arrived later and became standard only for 2018. Wireless projection is not offered.

Sensus Navigation is standard, but the voice system is command-based and clumsy, so owners lean on phone projection where they have it. The Google-based system arrived only for MY2022.

The base Momentum system is ordinary, but Harman Kardon is offered and the 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins option is among the best factory audio at any price.

The 12.3-inch full-digital driver display is standard on Inscription but costs extra on the volume Momentum ($1,000 Momentum Plus Package). It offers few, fixed layouts.

The Sensus-era car has no vehicle OTA updates: software updates happen at the dealer, and only map data downloads. S90 OTA support starts with MY2022.

Volvo On Call covers remote lock/unlock, remote start and preconditioning, and a car locator, with an initial subscription included. There is no digital key, and the early app was slow and unreliable.

The volume Momentum has a front USB-A port and 12V sockets. The USB hub is in the Momentum Plus Package, and there is no factory wireless pad, no USB-C and no AC outlet.

Push-button start is standard and remote start works through Volvo On Call. Full keyless entry and the hands-free power trunk lid are in optional packages on the Momentum, and no phone-as-key is offered.

A rear camera and parking sensors are standard. The 360-degree camera, which reviewers rate as excellent, is in the $1,950 Vision Package.

A graphical head-up display is offered as an option. It is clear but conventional in size.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware easy to use, but the 2017-only short-wheelbase rear seat (35.9 in of legroom) and the small 13.5 cu ft trunk make rear-facing seats and strollers a tighter fit than in the 2018+ car.

It was an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with Good crash ratings and standard City Safety AEB and Pilot Assist on every trim. Blind-spot monitoring and the 360 camera cost extra on the volume Momentum, and NHTSA never rated the 2017 car.

The front seats are excellent and the rear has vents, but rear amenities are thin on the Momentum. The trunk is small for a family's luggage.

Pilot Assist with stop-and-go adaptive cruise and comfortable seats make it relaxing in traffic. Having climate controls only on the touchscreen, and a firm ride over sharp bumps, detract.

The turbo four-cylinders return competitive mileage for a luxury sedan, but they take premium fuel and the car has luxury-priced tires and service.

The 2017 short-wheelbase car is a bit easier to place than the 2018+ long-wheelbase sedans, and it turns in about 37 ft. Thick pillars hurt visibility, and the 360 camera is optional.

This is a luxury sedan with a small trunk, so it is not meaningfully work-capable.

With its luxury-oriented interior and complex twincharged powertrain, it is not suited to work abuse.

There are no work-focused provisions: no onboard power, no upfit ecosystem, and a carpeted trunk.

Excellent seats, standard Pilot Assist and good highway range make it a strong tourer. The engine whine under load and the firm ride on steel springs hold it back.

AWD on the T6 handles gravel and snow, but the low sedan clearance and small trunk limit outdoor use. Roof bars and a hitch are accessories only.

The 60/40 split-fold rear seat with pass-through helps, but the 13.5 cu ft trunk and its sedan opening make bulky gear a squeeze.

It is secure and composed, but reviewers call it unsporty next to the 5 Series and Jaguar XF. One Canadian reviewer found it assertive in corners by Volvo standards.

The steering is precise but artificially heavy and numb, even in Comfort mode.

Reviewers report strong, confident brakes. No instrumented stopping figure for the 2017 car was retrieved, so this stays mid-band.

The twincharged T6 four-cylinder pulls strongly with little lag, and the 8-speed automatic is smooth. Reviewers split on its refinement: one calls it creamy, Consumer Reports finds it below German standards.

Under load the four-cylinder sounds strained and whiny, which is out of place against six-cylinder German rivals.

The 2017 short-wheelbase body turns tighter than the 38.7 ft long-wheelbase 2018+ car, but it is still mid-to-wide for the class.

The excellent seats are widely adjustable, but the steering column is manual, not power telescoping, many controls are buried in the touchscreen, and the thick pillars create blind spots.

It is quick enough at 316 hp but is tuned for calm cruising. Reviewers find it pleasant but not engaging.

Even the T5 Momentum came with leather, navigation, a sunroof, power memory seats, the 9-inch Sensus touchscreen, and Pilot Assist plus City Safety with automatic emergency braking. Those were extra-cost on several German rivals. Blind-spot monitoring and the panoramic roof were still options for 2017, and only became standard for 2018.

At about $48k–$56k the S90 undercut a comparably equipped BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class by several thousand dollars, with more standard driver-assistance content. The trade-off was four-cylinder engines only, the 316 hp supercharged-and-turbocharged T6 at the top. It was fair-to-good value rather than a standout bargain.

There were two powertrains (T5 FWD, T6 AWD) and two equipment grades. The T8 plug-in and the R-Design trim had not arrived yet, so the four-trim lineup was much narrower than the 5 Series or E-Class ranges.

8,640 US sales in the launch year is a small fraction of the 5 Series and E-Class, which each sold several times that. That figure turned out to be the generation's peak, as sales fell to about 7,000 the next year.

By 2017 Volvo's image was on the rise, led by the new XC90 and its Scandinavian design and safety reputation. As a sedan brand, though, it lacked the luxury cachet of BMW, Mercedes or Audi, and that gap shows in the S90's weak resale.

Launch-year cars carried thinner discounts at first, but slow sedan sales soon made lease deals and dealer discounts common. Those deals helped buyers without amounting to fire-sale pricing.

2017 was the first model year of an all-new generation, built on Volvo's new SPA platform with a fresh Sensus touchscreen interior and Pilot Assist. The first facelift did not arrive until 2020–21.

Reviewers praised the design, cabin and standard safety tech, and it earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick. However, they marked it down for the coarse four-cylinder, firm ride on big wheels, slow Sensus infotainment, and a tight rear seat in the short-wheelbase US car. It rarely beat the 5 Series or E-Class in comparison tests.