Ahhh, sedans. You remember them, don’t you? They used to rule the automotive universe until one day everybody woke up and suddenly decided they needed an SUV. Or something like that.

So it was a pleasure to get into the S90, a traditional 3-box design, with a hood, a passenger cabin and a trunk. There are advantages to this layout that most people don’t think about. Since the luggage compartment is sealed off from the passenger compartment, sedans are quieter than crossovers or utilities. Or even than station wagons, for that matter.

And because sedans don’t have a huge roof-to-floor opening in back, their body structure is more rigid. They have a lower center of gravity for road-hugging handling. And because they sit lower, you don’t have to clamber up into them or rappel down out of them. In other words, they’re easier to drive and they drive better. Sedans are nice.

The S90 is particularly good specimen. It’s handsome. Tastefully understated, both inside and out. The cabin is comfortable and cozy. Everything about it feels reassuring—just what you’d expect from Volvo whose image is built around your personal safety.

Of course, nothing in this world is perfect and neither is the S90. It has some annoyances. Like the user-interface of the infotainment system. When Volvo first brought out its big center screen around 7 years ago it was on the bleeding edge of in-car electronics. We were all entranced. You could swipe up and down and left to right to navigate through the menus. Wow, just like your phone!

But now our expectations are higher, and the S90 has not quite kept up with our expectations. What we forgave before is no longer forgiven. Sometimes the screen seems to take forever to load when you start up the car. And sometimes you have to tap an icon several times before it activates. No doubt Volvo is working on fixing this because those kinds of niggling issues are what get you dinged in the JD Power surveys.

The S90 B6 comes with a 2-liter turbo. It’s not one of those Recharge things that have to be plugged in. And it has plenty of power, 295 horsepower. Even so, it’s quiet. You just step on the gas and it takes off with a quiet whomp. And the all wheel drive system puts the power down where and when it’s needed.

The EPA rates this car at 26 miles per gallon, which is not state of the art, but is quite acceptable for a car this size, with that kind of power and AWD. It’s priced at about $53,000.

The S90 AWD B6 is perfect for those who don’t need to put a dog cage or a bulky box in back; for those who prefer a road-hugging feel; and for those who can afford to stand out a bit from the crowd.

But a word to the wise. You better buy ‘em while they got ‘em. Sales are miniscule and shrinking fast. That’s usually a sure sign of a car that’s about to get yanked off the market. Sedans are a dying breed, and the S90 is no exception.

By: John McElroy

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