Queen on Wheels

There was a personal note from one of the senior officials of Volvo Auto India that greeted me when I reached Jodhpur in the state of Rajasthan for test driving the new Volvo S90 sedan. In his note he described the new Volvo S90 car as the “Queen on wheels in this land of Maharajas”.

- P. Tharyan

I remember as a child I used to read about Queens and Kings and the lives of opulence they led. Queens were aristocratic, rich, blue blooded, powerful, beautiful and at times seductive too. We drove the Volvo Queen on four wheels around in the city and got to know a lot about her temperament.

The new Volvo S90 is so much about fine styling and opulence. Whether you end up being chauffeured around (like most affluent Indians do) or driving the car all by yourself (like many adventurous Indians do), the car does not disappoint you. If one were to describe this car in one word, I would choose the word “Elegance”. The Swedish maker (with Chinese owners) of stylish SUVs like the XC60 and XC90, is now beginning to focus a lot on the sedan segment in the country. When the S80 was taken off the list of vehicles by Volvo, everybody waited for a good sedan from this Swedish car maker.

Finally, their answer in the form of S90 has come as a pleasant surprise. Even though the car has not been official launched in the country, though bookings are open, the car is expected to give several of its German competitors a run for their money.

The moment I began driving the car and exploring and experiencing its features, both technical and otherwise, I was convinced that this vehicle was built with a purpose. The purpose was simple—to give its occupants great ride quality, comfort, safety, all put together with loads of indulgence. Yes, this car does not have paddle shifters, this car has a low ground clearance, and this car does not have….. well, it has almost everything else to make your ride so perfect.