Volvo’s S90 is one of the most exciting vehicles to come out of Sweden in decades. It’s a praiseworthy luxury car with an understated elegance all its own.
It’s also a terrific foil to the RLX, Acura’s own flagship four-door. Both of these upscale sedans feature front-drive-biased layouts and plenty of technology, but which one is better? Well, why don’t YOU pick a winner and vote in our latest poll!
In top-of-the-line T6 AWD Inscription form, the S90 is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. With both a turbo- and super-charger it delivers an impressive 316 horses and 295 lb-ft of torque, which is available across an incredibly broad RPM range. Not bad for such a tiny powerplant.
All of that twist is sent to each the Volvo’s wheels through an advanced all-wheel-drive system. An eight-speed automatic transmission does its best to improve both performance and efficiency, succeeding, for the most part, on both fronts.
SEE ALSO: 2015 Acura RLX P-AWS Review
As for the Acura, it’s most muscular powertrain is a three-motor hybrid system. The heart of this electrified beast is a 3.5-liter gasoline V6 that helps deliver a combined 377 ponies with 341 lb-ft of torque.
The RLX’s transmission is a motor-integrated seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that’s tied in with the brand’s Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, which can, among other things, shift torque from left to right at the rear axle for better cornering performance.
When it comes to efficiency, the thrifty Volvo should average 25 miles per gallon in mixed driving. However, the hybridized Acura beats it by four MPG, with a combined score of 29. Both of these luxury sedans are efficient, but the Acura clearly leads in this area.
Of course, the S90 counters with a raft of safety features including things like road run-off protection, semi-autonomous driving capability, large animal detection with automatic braking and much more.
Which of these luxury models would YOU rather own? Well, compare them directly right here and please remember to vote in our latest poll!
