Review: Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription

Back to the TPC test drive review! This time, the car in question is the newly launched Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription. Launched last month, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sedan is locally assembled at Volvo's Shah Alam plant. Being a hybrid and locally assembled, the car is eligible for the locally assembled hybrid tax incentive, with the Inscription trim retailing at RM368,888 (OTR without insurance) and RM388,888 (OTR without insurance) for the top spec Inscription Plus inclusive of 5 years warranty.

The Swedish brand, renowned for being a champion in road safety, was one of the brand taking part in the Drive Luxury Edition event taking place at TPC Kuala Lumpur golf resort a fortnight ago. With exquisite golf course and 'photogenic' attraction forming the backdrop, it set the stage for a truly luxurious occasion with a number of premium luxury cars available for test drive. Now back to the S90 T8 Twin Engine.

The S90 T8 Twin Engine is a hybrid complement of Volvo Car Malaysia's line of full-size sedan, made up of the non-hybrid S90 T5 and S90 T6 R-Design. Interestingly, the hybrid variant is cheaper than the non-hybrid, with the T5 variant retailing at RM388,888 and the T6 R-Design tacking on a higher price tag of RM453,888. Being cheaper, it won't be surprising if the S90 T8 wins majority of the sales.

Technical Specs

So, what are all these T8 Twin Engine, T6, T5 mumbo-jumbo? Well, its basically what lies under the bonnet. See a Volvo carrying the T5 badge? That signifies the Swedish brand's Drive-E 2.0 litre turbocharged inline 4 petrol dwelling under the recipient car's bonnet. How about T6? Well, you have an even more cooking version of the Swede's Drive-E engine, a 2.0 litre twincharged (turbocharged and supercharged) inline 4 petrol. What about T8 Twin Engine then? It still packs the same 2.0 litre twincharged inline 4 petrol but adds on a hybrid drivetrain for extra boost in fuel efficiency and performance.

So, the S90 T8 Twin Engine is a hybrid sedan equipped with the 2.0 litre twincharged inline 4 petrol paired to an Aisin 8 speed automatic. Both the Inscription and Inscription Plus receive similar powertrain setup. Performance figure? The engine alone delivers 320 hp and 400 Nm of torque solely to the front wheels. Throw in the rear-driven electric motor and you have an extra 87 hp and 240 Nm of torque. Add those up and you have a total net figure of 407 hp and 640 Nm of torque! With this setup, the S90 T8 is essentially an all-wheel drive luxobarge.

If you're a type who likes to control your car's performance characteristics, throw in the Drive Mode Settings. There are 5 different settings you can choose: AWD, Pure, Hybrid, Power and Individual. AWD is simply all-wheel drive mode, but it doesn't mean all four wheels are driven all the time. Depending on your driving style, road condition and tyre traction, the S90 T8 will power either just the front axle or rear axle only. On the other hand, Pure mode is a quiet, all-electric mode which can come in handy for urban setting provided you have spare charges. Hybrid mode brings the twincharged engine into play to assist the electric motor. Power mode augments the performance potential of both the engine and electric motor, giving you a boost in acceleration. Finally, Individual mode allows you to tweak the mode settings to suit your own taste.  

The stunning performance figure rewards the S90 T8 with 0-100 kph sprint time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 250 kph. Apart from stellar performance, the sedan returns a frugal 2.0 litre/100km fuel consumption and 46 g/km CO2 emission.

This Inscription test car comes equipped with Dynamic Chassis with composite leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers, but loses out on the Inscription Plus more sophisticated Active Chassis with 2-Corner rear air suspension which automatically levels out the car regardless of load.

The most interesting bit is the location of the 10.4 kWh lithium-ion battery. Capitalising on having an electric motor directly driving the rear wheels, Volvo has divested the car of a prop shaft and in its place is the aforementioned battery. Yes, the battery is located in the central tunnel where the prop shaft is formerly located.  

The setup arguably makes Volvo's all-wheel drive system simpler comparative to other brand, as apart from dispensing with prop shaft running the length of the car, it negates the need for components such as centre differential, transfer case and sundry others.

Yes, it comes with a tyre repair kit....

If I have any gripe with the setup, it would be clearly illustrated in the photo above. Open the boot and flip the spare compartment cover away, you won't find a space saver spare but rather the tyre repair kit to temporarily patch up the 255/40R19 tyres. 

In order to accommodate the rear electric motor, the space saver is...well, doesn't live up to its name apparently. Can be easily rephrased to space hoarder in this case! So out goes the space saver and in goes the repair kit so the electric motor can have all the space. If you encounter small-sized puncture, you're good. If you have a large-sized puncture, you might as well have a tow truck on standby!

Exterior

This is a display car btw, not test car but the equipment mirrors that of the test car

Customary to Volvo, the brand's signature 'Thor's Hammer' daytime running light with LED Active Bending Lights and Active High Beam dominates the front fascia of the plug-in sedan. Unique to the Inscription trim is the chrome grille, chrome lower bumper insert and chrome lower side moulding giving it a more premium image.

Living up to its plug-in moniker, a charging port is located just aft of the front left wheel. Charging time can take for as long as between 2 to 4 hours depending on power sources. The plug-in hybrid sedan comes standard with a domestic portable hybrid battery charger which is safely stashed away in the boot. Volvo claims the all-electric range lasts for a maximum distance of 50 km.

Round the back, you have a better looking rectangular dual tailpipe unique to the Inscription trim. The C-shaped LED tail light continues to make its presence known on the full-size sedan.

Interior

There's something about the interior that spells premium luxury. To start off, there's a good dose of pure walnut trim festooned, stretching the length of the dashboard to the door trim. Jutting out of the centre console is the unique-to-Inscription Orrefors crystal gear lever with the engine Start/Stop button just aft of the gear lever. You also get leather upholstery for the multi-function steering wheel and seat. 

Flanked by the centre stack's vertical A/C vent is Volvo's Sensus 9-inch touch screen display which let's you access a range of menu and functions including Drive Mode settings and Bluetooth with handsfree system.

For audiophiles, 330W 6 Channel High Performance Audio System with 10 Speakers is all yours, but if you put your money on the top spec Inscription Plus, the 1400W 12 Channel Bowers & Wilkins Premium Audio System with 19 Speakers will rock your in-car orchestra. 

As part of the Driver Control function, you have a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with adaptive digital display. Apart from that, a Head-up Display function and Road Sign Information system keep you in touch with your current road speed and designated speed limit for a given road. 

2-zone climate control and B-pillar mounted A/C vent made up the convenience aspect of the interior. There's also power adjustable seat with memory setting. If you find parking a source of annoyance, worry not as Park Assist will take on the chore for you. 

All you have to do is keep your hands off the steering, select either Reverse or Drive, and just prod the gas and brake pedal. The car will steer itself into your chosen parking spot, freeing you from having to frantically yank the steering from lock-to-lock. Moreover, the system is smart enough to detect obstacles such as nearby vehicles and steer clear from them. 

Safety

This being Volvo, it would be fitting to talk about the brand's range of safety features on hand. Under the brand's Intellisafe umbrella is the Adaptive Cruise Control, City Safety with Intersection Support, Pedestrian, Cyclists and Large Animals Detection (this is basically the auto brake function), Run-off Road Mitigation (keeps you from veering off to road shoulder), Pilot Assist with Steering Support (helps you drive between lane marking and maintain a set distance with vehicles in front-functional up to 130 kph), Blind Spot Information System and Cross Traffic Alert.

Other safety features include ISOFIX rear child seat mounting, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Descent Control (HDC), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), 360 degree Surround View Camera and Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (iTPMS). 

Driving Experience

Just like the Jaguar test drive, it was pouring down with rain as I set off from TPC main entrance. Yet, it didn't take me long to feel the might of the twincharged engine firing away under the bonnet. Starting off in Hybrid mode, which brings into play both the rear-driven electric motor and front-driven twincharged engine, the interplay between the two power sources became apparent.

The sedan gained momentum without any hint of struggles. It was effortless. It didn't take any more than half throttle to unleash the hybrid powertrain's latent firepower. The operation was nice and smooth, particularly the supercharger; there was no indication of the latter making its presence known from its customary whine. This makes a comfortable, effortless long distance cruising plausible. More importantly with the engine running, you don't have to worry about depleting the battery as the engine will constantly recharge the battery.

Put the S90 T8 in Power mode, however, and all hell break loose. Power mode essentially augments the performance of the twincharged engine and electric motor, transforming the luxury sedan from a cruiser into a no-nonsense-in-your-face brutal turn of speed that makes you wonder if you're driving a Volvo or a Ferrari. I didn't try out the Pure mode, which is an all-electric mode, as the car's hybrid battery was low on juice. 

There's no paddle shifter, but the 8 speed Aisin-sourced automatic is competent enough that you don't really miss the flappy paddles. Shift is decisive, smooth and crisp, ensuring that twincharged engine is ready to flex its muscle at moments notice.

Just below 'D' position on the gear selector is a mode marked 'B', which recharges the battery each time you depress the brake pedal. It doesn't recharge when you lift off the gas or if you forgot to activate the battery recharge function from the Sensus 9-inch touch screen display.

Despite missing out on the Inscription Plus cutting edge Active Chassis with rear air suspension, the hybrid sedan still rides like magic carpet. Cocooned in the leather seat and well-tuned Dynamic Chassis, the S90 T8 still glides over the surface imperfection without sending any jiggles back to the cabin. A perfect vehicle for that balik kampung trip or when you're on a long holiday jaunt with your family or your partner in crime.

Conclusion

The Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine Inscription, from my initial impression of the short test drive, is a well-balanced car that meets the daily requirement typifying Malaysian road condition without compromising on driving dynamic. 

The synergy between the twincharged engine and electric motor is stellar enough not to disappoint you on the performance aspect. If you want outright power, go on and select Power mode. 

The suspension is well-damped despite lacking the air suspension standard on the Inscription Plus, so this writer believes the less than ideal road condition we have here in Malaysia won't make you feel queasy.