Fitting in somewhere between traditional luxury mid- and full-size cars, the S90 is only available as a hybrid, albeit in mild or plug-in flavours. Despite being on the market for a few years, the car still looks very modern and contemporary – just like all that build-it-yourself Swedish furniture at a certain megastore.

With the plug-in variant (flying the Recharge banner) now available on both Plus and Ultimate trims, getting behind the wheel of this electrified Swede is more affordable than last year. There are also some blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em colour changes to the paint options available in 2024.

The mild hybrid variant of this luxury sedan makes 295 horsepower from a 2.0L four-cylinder engine. This mill (called the B6) is helped along by an integrated starter generator but the lack of a large hybrid-type battery means this S90 is always drinking even a little bit of gasoline whilst on the move. Meanwhile, the plug-in hybrid also uses a 2.0L gasser engine (called the T8) but supplements it with robust electrification to produce a system total 455 horses and 523 lb-ft of torque.

An eight-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duties on both models and Canadian cars get all-wheel drive as standard equipment. This translates to 10.6 L/100km in the city, 7.6 on the highway, and 9.2 combined for the mild hybrid. The plug-in model is good for about 60 km of all-electric driving when conditions are right, posting 8.5/7.6/8.1 L/100km in city/highway/combined environs when the battery is depleted.

This is a brand all but synonymous with safety, so it should surprise precisely no one this model aced all crash test the IIHS could throw at its Swedish sheetmetal. Could-be-better headlights and fussy child seat anchors prevented the S90 from earning a Top Safety Pick designation. However, it was noted on multiple occasions that the “driver's space was maintained well,” indicating crash forces were correctly directed away from the onboard dummies.

Consumer Reports gives this car a 35-of-100 score in terms of predicted reliability, though it is worth noting there is a dearth of data points for the last couple of years from CR’s vaunted reader surveys. This tends to happen with vehicles which do not sell in huge volumes. Predicted owner satisfaction is mid-pack, likely due to the fact that customers in the Volvo demographic tend to obsessively research their purchases – not a bad trait.

Swedish minimalism shows up not just in bedroom furnishings but also in car cabins. A large tablet-style touchscreen controls many functions, though physical controls for major commands like radio volume remain gingerly placed on the dashboard. An entertainingly designed shifter is sure to spark conversation, as will the knurled twist knob which stands in place for a typical start/stop button. Material quality has been first rate in the examples this author has recently sampled.

Both the mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid models use precisely the same platform, so their dimensions are equal. Total length is 5,090 millimetres (200.4 inches), while height and width are 1,438mm (56.6 inches) and 1,895 mm (74.6 inches) respectively. Ground clearance at curb weight with one person aboard is 144 millimetres (5.6 inches), so be sure to clear the driveway after each snowfall.

Mild hybrid (B6) S90 sedans start at $69,792 for a Plus trim and $75,642 for the Ultimate trim and its fancy Harman Hardon sound system (among other upgrades). Fronting for the plug-in Recharge is a pricier proposition, costing at least $82,292 for a Plus and $88,142 for an Ultimate trim.