Volvo V90 Estate hot on the heels of the new S90

Volvo V90 Estate hot on the heels of the new S90 (Estate Concept pictured)

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The Volvo V90 – the estate version of the new S90 – looks set to debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show as Volvo expands its new German-bashing range.

Update: The Volvo V90 Estate has now been revealed and will, as this report states, debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

Now we’ve had the reveal of the new Volvo S90, the question on everyone’s lips is: When will we new Volvo V90 go on sale as the estate take on Volvo’s new S90?

Volvo has yet to confirm the V90’s debut, but all the money is on the V90 being revealed in February, after the S90’s debut at Detroit in January, before getting its public reveal at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. And, in many ways, it will be much more appealing than the S90.

Volvo has always done estate cars very well – even if they are no longer the load-lugging choice of the chattering classes (that role is now falling to the new XC90) – and the new V90 should be the most appealing Volvo estate ever built.

First look at the Volvo V90 estate

Volvo V90 revealed in scale model

We’ve already had our first look at the V90 with this photo (above) of a scale model revealed by the Chinese (just as we did with the S90), and we know it’s inspired – as is the S90 – by the stunning Estate Concept we saw last year.

What it clearly offers is all that’s great about the new S90 – it’s profile, its nose and, especially, its interior – but it will also offer more lugging space and a back end that is much more appealing than the S90s – perhaps the only part of the S90’s design that jars.

Will there be a V90 Cross Country?

The V90 and V90 Cross Country will get the S90’s stunning interior

In a word, yes.

Volvo are planning to replace their entire range by 2020 – no mean feat – with the new XC90 the opening salvo, followed by the S90 and V90 and then the S60 and V60.

It does look likely that Volvo will be replacing the XC70 with a new V90 Cross Country – complete with raised ride height and rufty-tufty looks – leaving the option to deliver a smaller XC90 as the XC60 (and there will also be a an XC40).

What engine options will the V90 get?

Just like the S90, the V90 will get a range of Volvo’s Drive-E 2.0 litre engines, with a D4 and D5 a certainty, as will be the performance twin engine T8 Hybrid.

What isn’t certain at the moment is whether or not Volvo will offer the T6 petrol with 4WD – which is now available on the new XC90 – but even if they don’t deliver the T6 in the UK for the S90, it would be daft not to offer it on the V90, and in particular the V90 Cross Country.

What also looks a distinct possibility is that there will be a 3-cylinder hybrid with a 1.5 litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor at some point, as an entry-level hybrid. But it may not make the S90/V90, and instead be used only in the new V40, XC40 and S60/V60.