2018 All-Stars Contender: 2018 Volvo V90 T6 AWD R-Design

Anyone older than 40 remembers a day when there were more wagons on the road than high-riding SUVs and crossovers. Sadly, that day has come and gone, and no matter how much we want it to, there will never be a Cinderella-story comeback. Dead segment driving, you might say.

Thankfully there are still a few companies keeping the fading wagon dream alive here in America—chief among them Volvo. And in case you hadn’t noticed, we love us some Volvos. The V90 wagon’s S90 sedan sibling scored a Daily Double last year as our 2017 Design of the Year and a 2017 All-Star.

To clarify, there are two flavors of the V90, the straight-up wagon New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman and friends drove to South Carolina and back as part of a feature story late last year, and the V90 Cross Country, a slightly cladded and lifted version Volvo can better market as a crossover alternative (because of course). As Kitman pointed out, the non-Cross Country V90 is only available for special order, so you really have to want one to get one. We wanted, and we went with a V90 T6 AWD with the R-Design package sprayed up in a sweet metallic shade called Bursting Blue for our All-Stars evaluation vehicle.

“Sharp—that’s how you describe the Volvo V90,” contributor Chris Nelson said. “It looks sharp, drives directly, operates in a straightforward manner, and has clean-cut aesthetics. Minimalist design means superfluous bits are contained to small trim pieces and the like.” Put another way, the V90 is tacklike, never tacky, and although it’s no hot-rod sled, it’s plenty capable dynamically.

Sharp enough to earn a 2018 All-Stars trophy? Find out on Saturday, March 10, when we announce the winners at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance—and right here on automobilemag.com.

2018 Volvo V90 T6 AWD R-Design Specifications
PRICE	$56,945/$68,290 (base/as tested)
ENGINE	2.0L DOHC 16-valve supercharged and turbocharged I-4/316 hp @ 5,700 rpm, 295 lb-ft @ 2,200-5,400 rpm
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic
LAYOUT	4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, AWD wagon
EPA MILEAGE	22/31 mpg (city/hwy)
L x W x H	194.3 x 74.0 x 58.1 in
WHEELBASE	115.8 in
WEIGHT	4,189 lb
0-60 MPH	5.8 sec
TOP SPEED	130 mph

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