The wagons people historically associate with the Volvo brand will soon be no more, including the V90.
Every once in awhile (including this morning), I just happen to spot a Volvo V90 making the morning commute. In this case, it was the hopped up T8 Polestar Engineered version, and I always catch myself saying “that’s an awesome car”. I and the other folks in the TFL office just get that satisfying alternative-style vibe from driving something like a V90 — so it’s a crying shame that it is now officially going away, for good. Technically it’s already out of US circulation, but now a report from Autocar confirms it will end production altogether at the end of September.
Why? You know why. It’s a decision that another recent report notes will kill off the smaller V60/V60 Cross Country models and already killed the S90 sedan (at least in this market). SUVs are king, and the automaker is pivoting toward a full SUV lineup to replace its aging sedans and wagons moving forward.
At the ES90’s unveiling earlier this year, former Volvo CEO Jim Rowan told Autocar wagons could go the way of the dodo. “Yeah, because I think it’s changed, right? SUVs have changed with ride height.” There’s not a lot of room for alternative interpretations there, where the sentiment is basically that whatever a wagon can do, the SUV can ostensibly do better, to the point where Volvo may reposition the mid-range XC60 to fill the void the V90 leaves behind. From there, shoppers can either lean smaller and less expensive toward the XC40, or jump a step upmarket with the three-row XC90 or EX90.
For the moment, the V60 will still be on the menu through at least the end of the 2026 model year. Beyond that, the US market will be SUV-only, since the electric ES90 liftback isn’t on sale over here. Nevertheless, these wagons’ departures mark the end of an era for the brand, as it leans into more popular (and more profitable) SUVs.
While it’s certainly sad to see them go, there’s also the undeniable truth of why the body style is dying off in the first place: Wagons don’t sell. If they did, Volvo wouldn’t be killing them off. Still, if you’re a wagon fan, let’s take a moment of silence for the V90’s passing.
