The Volvo S90 is boring in the best kind of way, something only Volvo and few others can be credited for in this century. Used Volvos dating to 2012 come with decent tech and the majority of the active safety features of a new Toyota Corolla, but at a considerable discount. The Corolla is an excellent flavor of automotive insipidness, but a cut-price S90 with some miles under its belt is available for the same hard-earned money that would otherwise be spent on that Toyota.
The S90 Does Right By The “Dad Car”
2017-2020 Volvo S90 front 3/4Volvo
Many vehicles that used to be offered around the world retire to China, just like our dear S90. Volvo sold its midsize in the US until 2025, when tariffs dealt the final blow, forcing it to stop importing the Chinese-built S90, among other vehicles. So while we won’t be getting the latest version of the S90, older versions are still pretty special.
Minimalists adore the S90. It’s stylish in an unrestrained way and alludes to Volvo’s strict safety standards with excellent visibility and solid construction. Thunk. That’s the door shutting, one of the many tactile features that whisper, not shout, where all your money is going. Driving sensors will discover things in your blind spot five miles before they show up, and both the lane-keep assist and radar cruise control could guide a submarine through the Mariana Trench.
In order to be a true “dad car,” there has to be a sense of “why did you buy this when this exists?” No matter what car, it must recall, more often than not, the path not chosen. This builds character in children from a young age. Or maybe we’re confusing that with resentment. Whatever it’s called, Volvo has it. When new, the S90 ranged between $58,000 to $70,000 depending on trims and options. For the money, there’s a considerable breadth of vehicles that stir the soul and could make you “dad of the year” for many consecutive years. And we’re talking a brand-new mug each year.
2017-2020 Volvo S90 rear 3/4Volvo
There’s a choice of the venerable Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, and Audi A6. There are also smaller sport sedans, low-mileage used full-size luxury sedans, certified used Porsche Panameras, and a surprising number of Aston Martins. But if your heart is set on dropping Porsche money on a new Volvo, take that up with your kids. If you’re looking at used, heavily depreciated ones, the S90 might just be a diamond in the rough.
But does a used S90 actually hold up after six years and a hundred thousand miles?
For Corolla Money, The S90 Becomes A Solid Choice
2018 Volvo S90 interior view of front cabin areaVolvo
To drink from that mug and still get your Volvo, the faces of the competition need to change. Used models from 2017 to 2020 fly in under the base MSRP of a brand-new Corolla ($23,325). Against a pack of new vehicles, the S90 is a handsome proposition compared to base-trim compacts like the Corolla and its brethren: the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia K4, Nissan Sentra, and Mazda 3. Against other used cars, the S90 has more things going for it than not, too.
2017-2020 Volvo S90 interiorVolvo
The S90 earns an “average” repair score of 2.5 out of 5 from RepairPal, trailing the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class with scores of 3 and 3.5, respectively. Ratings are based on the cost, frequency, and severity of repairs for each model, giving the Volvo its mid-pack rating among other luxury sedans. Interior quality holds up very well after a hundred thousand miles, something most others will show clear signs of aging through.
2017-2020 Volvo S90 interiorVolvo
The seats still cradle occupants with cushy support and both the infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster hold up well. If that center screen seems a bit slow, just know they were slow when they were new, too. All the safety features will still work flawlessly and the supple, soothing ride will lull those little naysayers to sleep in the back.
2021 – 2024 Volvo S90 Recharge 2nd Gen FaceliftVolvo
We got behind the wheel of an S90 with over 117,000 miles on the clock in 2022, after it had been retired from years of Uber service. The rear seats looked fantastic, and the driver’s seat showed little signs of being smooshed for extended periods of time. Cruising at 70 mph on the highway, the S90 was returning 23.7 MPG per the car’s computer, and both its lane-keep assist and radar cruise control were in perfect order.
2017-2020 Volvo S90Volvo
The weighted steering hints at luxuriousness before athleticism, the latter of which would be unbefitting of a large Volvo whose first priority is safety and comfort. The 2.0-liter turbo-4 knuckles down when passing, and any bovine noises emitted when strained are muted by excellent sound deadening.
2017-2020 Volvo S90 crystal shifterVolvo
Volvo chooses to be excellent at a few things when everyone else wants to be good at all things. Brands that try to add more tech to their cars or tune the chassis to be a bit sportier forgo inexpensiveness or simplicity. Volvo hasn’t done that, because it put all the money into a handful of things. It might have cost $65,000 new, and the comparable Mercedes E-Class might have twice as much stuff packed between its bumpers, but it doesn’t have the same sense of quality in its ride or tactile features that feel ever so slightly more genuine in the Volvo than anything else.
The S90 May Be Dead, But Remaining Ones Won’t Be Dying Soon
2017-2020 Volvo S90 rear 3/4Volvo
With the right maintenance schedule and attention, any S90 will keep running just like its brick-shaped predecessors. Basic turbo engines produce anywhere from 240–250 horsepower, with twin-charged 2.0-liter versions brewing 302–316 hp depending on the year. Plug-in hybrid models (though likely costlier to maintain when electric faults occur) are good for 455 hp in later models. That’s one swift Swede if ever we saw one.
Volvo’s famed quality still holds in its cars today – something we’d like to say about its German competitors more often – but large screen-based controls don’t return the same tactile feeling of older models. Volvo used to be the only portrait-oriented center screen outside of Tesla, but it still incorporated a physical gear selector that satisfyingly clicks through the notches from park to drive. A square starter dial sits just below it. One twist to the right and you’re off. One ponders whether this is a homage to Saab.
2021 – 2024 Volvo S90 Recharge 2nd Gen FaceliftVolvo
Nobody does the boring sedan better than Volvo, and its last boring one doesn’t do anything bold to prove its worth in the luxury segment. Its FWD-based platform is of little consequence given its duties, so don’t think it won’t cut it without that push-from-behind feeling rivals have. For $23,325, a new Corolla is in order. That will return the same level of resentment from children towards their parents as choosing a new Volvo over the flashy, tech-forward competition. But choosing the Volvo over the Corolla for the same price paints the Volvo in a far more flattering light.
By the time those kids learn to drive and need a car of their own, it’s likely that the S90 will still be in the family. The average age of vehicles on the road in the US is 12.8 years, with Volvos rated to last another 4–8 years beyond that. There is no argument against their safety record and each model’s ability to comfort and soothe when all others parade an assault on the senses.
That’s what $65,000 bought when new, and that’s what $23,000 buys today. Why are you still even considering that Corolla?
Base Trim Engine
2.0L Twincharged Inline-4 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
316 hp
Base Trim Torque
295 lb-ft @ 2200 rpm
Fuel Economy
21/31 MPG
Infotainment & Features
10 /10
Sources: Toyota, Volvo, S&P Global, Repair Pal
