Volvo V90 T5 R-Design Pro 2018 UK first drive

There was a time, about fifteen years ago, where the combination of a boxy Volvo body and the T5 bootlid badge struck fear into the eyes of car criminals and speeders across the country.

Whereas today you’re overwhelmingly likely to be pulled over by a diesel BMW of some vintage, the UK traffic police of the early 2000s favoured Volvos, and their particular weapon of choice was the V70 T5. Its combination of unassuming looks, long-legged comfort and powerful five-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor made it ideal for the multi-purpose role of policing Britain’s roads.

Now, things have changed - not just in the constabularies but also on the forecourts. Volvo as a brand has transformed, as have its products, and in the V70’s successor, the Volvo V90, the T5 badge carries much less significance than before.

For starters, it now refers to a four-cylinder engine, albeit one that’s still heavily turbocharged. But it’s also no longer the range-topper. Far from it, indeed, as the T5 sits above the entry-level T4 in a petrol range that runs all the way up to the 401bhp T8 plug-in hybrid.

Despite this new mid-range status, the V90 T5 is still a large family estate that cracks 0-60mph in just 6.7sec. In the R-Design Pro spec we have here, it's also a £46,000 car before options. So, should it be back on the traffic cops’ shortlist?

This is deeply desirable, well appointed and likeable family transport, which should come as no surprise if you’ve read any other of Autocar’s reviews of the Volvo V90 since it was launched in 2017. What it still isn’t, however, is capable of truly satisfying enthusiastic drivers.

As with most executive estates at this price point, speccing the V90 is a fine art. While the D4 and D5 are still important range mainstays, buyer’s attention is gradually turning to the petrol models across the board. The T5 has the potential to be the best compromise in terms of performance, price and economy.

The 247bhp on tap puts the V90 right in the firing line of rivals such as the identically powered Jaguar XF Sportbrake 25t and BMW 530i Touring. While we bemoan the T5’s loss of a cylinder in this guise, both of those rivals are also propelled by four-pots, despite their names perhaps suggesting otherwise.

The Volvo’s 2.0-litre unit majors on refinement over excitement, which is in keeping with the rest of the car. It fires up almost imperceptibly and remains utterly smooth and unobtrusive throughout most of its rev band, only becoming raucous at the upper end, where few owners are likely to regularly venture. It’s a more appealing prospect than the diesel for around-town mooching, and it fits in well with the V90’s already impressive high-speed noise isolation.