Hello. I must, first apologize. I do not currently own a V90, but am seriously considering it vs the E450 Estate Wagon. I searched this forum and didn't notice threads comparing the 2020 V90 to the 2020 E450. With this said, the reason I'm considering these vehicles is to address safety and comfort, particularly for my wife who has serious back issues which have been addressed surgically. I'm retired and wish to purchase one of these vehicles for long-distance travel to visit family and friends, from New England to the mid-Atlantic states. With this said, whichever vehicle I purchase must have front seats that are extremely comfortable, supportive and safe (particularly for whiplash protection). In addition, since I plan to buy (not lease), maintain to OEM specifications and keep for 10-to-12 years, I'm trying to determine the overall (actual owner experience) reliability of these two vehicles. It's not an issue of maintenance expense, for me, but rather on-the-road reliability. We sometimes travel in remote areas, which have no or intermittent cell phone service, and a breakdown in these areas would leave us stranded.

If anyone on this forum has information or personal experience that can help me with my concerns, I'd greatly appreciate hearing from you.

 

You can check Consumers Reports and KBB etc for any historical data on reliability but from my practical experience, there's plenty of dealer support for Volvos in the northeast (I live in Western CT, where I have about 4 or 5 dealers within 30 miles). Volvos have a reputation for great seats but that may be a personal preference. Volvo dealer labor and parts rates are middling in my opinion - higher than a Toyota (or a Lexus which some have serviced at a Toyota dealer) but lower than BMW or Mercedes. I don't really think you can say which brand is safer, since government regulations and testing has forced all manufacturers to a very high standard. So my view is what features do you want for your given price point and which do you really expect to use?

 

I have owned Volvos (5 inc 4 wagons) and MBs (3, 1 wagon, 1 SUV) but not the current models you are considering. That said, I would offer some general observations that may be, to some extent, applicable.

Seats: MB seats are very good - Volvo seats are better. The MB and Volvo leather stands up well. MB "Tex" is prone to cracking and peeling.
Suspension: The Volvo suspension is very good from a functional and durability standpoint. MB suspension is absolutely bulletproof - never had any repair/replacement and rarely needs alignment.
Transmission: Volvo - never had an issue MB - 2 of the 3 experienced transmission failures at 105K and 155K miles.
Electrical: A MB weak point
Body: My first Volvo, a 1960 122S rusted away. Subsequent cars - 1976,2003,2009,2015 - no problems. All 3 MBs experienced rust around trim fastening points.
Dealer/Mfg issues: My 1994 MB wagon had a major electrical malfunction - the wiring harness failed. It was a known problem and MB USA refused to accept any responsibility. My current Volvo experienced a switch backlighting failure. Volvo's initial response was to deny repair under the CPO coverage but after I wrote to the president of Volvo USA, they offered to repair as a "good will" gesture.

 

Thank you for your replies. My interest in the V90 and the MB E450 centers on safety and comfort. What prompted this is concern for my wife, who has very severe back issues. I don't expect her to drive the vehicle I purchase, since it will be used primarily for long-distance travel and she does not like to drive a car on highways at high speed. From my viewpoint, I like the front seat of the V90, which is designed to mitigate whip lash injury, as opposed to the E. In looking at the IIHS crash test results, at least on paper, both seats appear to be equally good. One other thing I like about the V90 is that it has a spare tire, while the E does not. When I drive in New England and the mid-Atlantic states, I sometimes travel in places with very spotty or no cell phone service. A run-flat-tire sidewall blow out, as a result of our infamous pot-holes, could really leave me stranded. Conversely, I'm not a fan of the V's Apple-like all encompassing center control screen, and much prefer the E's dashboard layout and the use of voice commands, nor it's 19" wheels (if I order the E, it will have 18" wheels to maximize ride comfort). No car is ever perfect. In the coming weeks, I plan to schedule extended test drives with the V and E to see which my wife finds most comfortable. Whichever one she's most comfortable in will be the deciding factor. From an overall safety viewpoint, my guess is that either vehicle will provide excellent safety.

I appreciate the guidance you've offered.

 

The run-flat tires with no spare option would be enough to put me off the Benz. It's just another in a long line of "features" on new cars whose primary purpose is to reduce manufacturing costs. The only significant tire problems I have encountered in the past 30 years have been severe sidewall damage due to potholes. Incidentally, the stiffer sidewalls of the run-flat tire will, most likely, negate the comfort advantage of 18" wheels vs 19." This whole wheel upsizing business is an absurd styling gimmick unless you spend all of your driving hours cornering at the limit of adhesion on dry roads.

 

Just my 2 cents, I traded a 2015 E Class on a 19 V90 T6 Inscription due mainly to the seats, the MB seats are hard as a rock, my wife complained constantly when we were on long trips. So the next car had to pass her "seat" test. The V90 won hands down. Ours have the seats with adjustable front bolster which helps provide me the leg support that I like. Don't go for the 20" or larger tires, stick with 18 or 19s, this obsession people have with large wheels is just ridiculous for ride comfort. The Volvo is on the edge for ride comfort, being slightly harder than I'd like, but for the most part it is just fine. If I can find 18" wheels that look OK compared to the 19" ones on the car, I may switch. The Mercedes dealers get an arm and a leg cost wise for service, and don't mind asking for it when you bring it in for service. I will see how I'm treated by the Volvo dealer when I go in for the first service visit......

 

I think that you will find the same obtains at the Volvo dealership - example:

60,000 mile service - oil & filter change, new plugs (4) new cabin air filter + walk-around inspection* - $600!

*This included measuring the brake pad thickness which might have required removing & replacing wheels

 

I expect as much, I did buy the maintenance plan (Volvo's) which is "supposed" to cover everything, but I'm old enough to know the dealer always finds thing to charge for!

 

Here's an update on my V90 vs E450 review. Two days ago, my wife and I conducted a 2 hour test drive of the E450. I tried to get a loaner from the dealer, but this was the best I could get. An MB saleman sat in the back seat while I drove the E. Initially, I didn't want this but, due to all of the (for me) new technology, the person helped me to access and use a lot of the tech features while we were driving. Today, I'll be stopping by the Volvo dealer who promised to throw me the keys to a 2019 V90 customer loaner car. They're letting me use the car for 24 hours. Once I've completed my test drive with the V90, I write my comparison of both cars. To those in this forum who have responded so far, thank you for your feedback and advice.

 

To all, just a quick update. I've been looking at the Volvo V90 and Benz E450 wagons, as you know. During the past week, I test drove the V90 over a 24 hour period (approx. 5 hours seat time, 220 miles). No car is perfect, but I have to admit the V90 is a pretty good car. I feel pretty confident, based on the extended test drive, that I know the V90's strengths and weaknesses, relative to what I need from the car. I complained to the Benz dealer that, unless they provide me with a car for a 24 hour test drive, I won't be able to even consider the E450. The Benz dealer agreed to give me a car this coming week for a 24 hour test drive. Once I complete this, I'll post my test drive results for both cars and state which I've selected for purchase, for those who may be interested. I realize that this is a Volvo forum, but it doesn't hurt to know what's in the marketplace, IMO.

 

Looking forward to reading your decision

 

My final decision. Hello to everyone who responded to this thread. Thank you for your feedback. I finally completed test drives of a 2019 V90 estate wagon and a 2020 Benz E450 sedan (a wagon was not available). It's worth restating here. My goals in acquiring a full-size wagon were to obtain a vehicle with adequate rear storage room to transport my wife's wheelchair, luggage and packages, provide a comfortable and safe ride, and help reduce driver fatigue during my frequent long distance trips. Due to my wife's small height and back issues, higher step-up SUV's and other "lifted" (all-road) wagon versions were not considered.

The vehicles provided by the dealers were fully loaded and quite close to what I plan to include in my factory order. Each dealer gave me their car for a 24 hour period, which I used for identical 200+ mile test drives on interstate highway and country roads, travelling up to 80 mph. Although the Volvo had an in-line 4 cylinder engine, versus the Benz's V6, based on my leisurely driving style, I found both to be adequate for my needs. Regarding safety, IMO the Volvo and Benz are comparable, although the Benz's options and packages tended to have safety features that were a little more extensive (I guess you pay for what you get, in this case). Considering that the Benz comes with an out-the-door cost premium of $16K (based on my build sheet, with NJ sales tax, and quotes from numerous dealers), I would expect nothing less. In spite of this, Volvo's safety features (all of which are standard, except for the 360 camera and full LED headlamps), and its excellent/very comfortable front seats, lower purchase cost, and first three years of free maintenance, make for a very compelling value argument.

Which car did I decide to order, and why? .... I've chosen to order the 2020 E450 estate wagon. While my wife and I found the Volvo front passenger seats to be extremely comfortable, the E450's weren't far behind. The factors that prompted me to select the Benz were as follows:

Rear usable storage space: While I preferred the appearance of the slope-back style of the Volvo over the Benz, the Benz's boxy roof line and more vertical back lift hatch provided considerably more usable storage space. I occasionally need to transport my wife's wheelchair, in addition to luggage and packages. When I placed the wheelchair in the Volvo, the room left for the other items we normally travel with was less than desired. For me, this was the most significant factor in choosing the Benz over the Volvo.

Ease of driving: I found the Benz's adaptive cruise control to better suited for my needs. While both the Volvo and Benz did a good job of keeping a safe distance from other vehicles, and slowing down and stopping, when needed, the Benz also automatically resumed forward motion from a full stop once the traffic started to move again. The Volvo does not have this resume feature from a full stop. To some, this might be trivial. However, based on where I typically travel, it's often that I encounter long stretches (50 miles or more) of stop-and-go driving, just due to traffic volume (or more if a traffic accident occurs). The Benz's adaptive cruise control, for me, should help to address my desire to reduce driving fatigue.

Info/nav system: I preferred the wider/larger horizontal presentation of the Benz's info/nav system versus the Apple ipad-like Volvo approach. Specifically, I found the Benz's larger screen and more vibrant display easier to view. Regarding the Volvo's screen, when I used the nav map, approximately 1/3 of the top screen was consumed by other functions, thereby diminishing the map size. While the Volvo's setup was adequate, at least for me, I preferred the Benz design.

Although not key factors in my buying decision, the following are some additional thoughts I have from my test drives:

Engine: While the V90 comes with an in-line 4 versus the E450's V6, Volvo's use of a turbo and supercharger provided very good off-the-line acceleration. Although the V90's engine made some clattering noise at idle, while the E450's was silent, at speed both engines were very quiet.

Suspension: Both cars offered a comfortable ride, although the Volvo, possibly due to its more low-profile 19" tires, translated more bumps to the passenger area. I found the Benz's steering to be more direct and to have much less corning lean. Also, the Benz had a much smaller turning circle.

Road noise: While the Benz was extremely quiet, at speed, the Volvo allowed a little more noise to enter the cabin area, primarily from the tires.

Gas mileage: On my identical test drive with both vehicles, the Volvo's gas mileage was 32.0 mpg versus the Benz's 29.5 mpg. Per the dealers, the Volvo uses mid-range (plus) gas, while the Benz uses high-test. It should be noted that I typically drive at a leisurely pace and, when on interstate highways, at approximately 10 mpg over the posted speed limit.

Driving range: The Volvo has a 15.9 gallon tank, while the Benz has a 21.1 gallon tank. Based on my test drive experience, this translates into a 100+ mile between-fill-up advantage for the Benz.

Tires: The Volvo comes with non-run-flat tires, along with a donut spare. The Benz comes with run-flat tires and no spare. People have a preference for one over the other, which I won't get into here. Just an observation.

 

I also compared the Benz with the V90 and I understand your choices, but I disagree with the cruise control observation. My V 90 T6 has the auto resume feature in stop and go traffic, use it fairly often. The gas tank size is a pain on occasion, especially since I came from a Mercedes Diesel which allowed over 650 miles between fill-ups. The lower price for an equal car made the choice for me. Oh, and the Volvo seats were more comfortable, for us anyway.

 

Very interesting analysis - I have enjoyed following it. One comment re road noise. It is often very much a function of tire tread design and could change depending on your choice when it is time to replace the original fitment.

Good lick and enjoy your new car!

 

Hi, GRock. During my test drive, I did ask the dealer about the functionality of the cruise control. When I test drove the Benz E450, with control active, if the car came to a complete stop because of up-front traffic, the Benz automatically resumed moving forward once the traffic started to move. In my test drive of the Volvo V90, once the car came to a complete stop, it did not resume forward motion on its own. I specifically asked the Volvo salesperson if this is the way the V90 was supposed to act. Here's what he said: "Our vehicle will go forward in stop and go traffic as long as the vehicle is not at 0 mph for more then 5 seconds." I guess I didn't encounter the 5 second timing limitation during my test drive, as the V90 never resumed forward motion from a full stop, on its own.

NOTE: I looked at the V90 owners manual and didn't see anything about this "5 second" limitation, nor did I see anything about it resuming speed on its own. I live in the USA. My guess, since you mentioned your car had a diesel, is that you may reside in Europe. Perhaps the V90 in America is set up differently. Regarding the Benz, per the owner's manual, it resumes forward motion from a full stop as long as the up-front vehicle has not been stopped for longer than 30 seconds.

PS: I agree with your seat comfort comment.

 

Hi, GRock. I agree. The V90 is an excellent car, and based on its front seat comfort and lower price, I would have much preferred to purchase it. However, IMO, while the V90 and E450 estate wagons are similar, the E450's rear storage area, behind the back seat, offers more usable storage space and best suits my storage/transport needs. If it wasn't for this factor, I have would have selected the V90.

 

Hmm, I know for a fact that it resumes while in Cruise Control mode, i used it on Monday, and it restarted several times. I don't recall how long we were stopped, but was certainly longer than 5 seconds. I live in Virginia, not in Europe. The Mercedes was an E250 Diesel and was fantastic except for the seats, which are just too hard, at least for my wife. On the Mercedes forums this was a continuing topic of discussion and ways to soften them were discussed many times. In fairness, the newer E class sedans had more comfortable seats. Mine was a 2015, and several owners found that the newer models had redesigned seats, and for the price of a Mercedes, I would certainly hope so. What I have found is that unless you wait for a very specifically ordered model, you can only get a Mercedes or Volvo equipped the way you would prefer. The only E Class wagons I could find in Richmond were all white, not my desired color. The Volvo V90 Cross Country I wanted was in a dark blue, and I ended up buying it from a dealer in Maryland, my local dealer wasn't very helpful or responsive, so they lost the sale. The interior color wasn't my first choice, it came in an ivory color, i wanted the saddle leather color or burgundy, but numerous searches did not find any in the blue with that interior. On the upside, the light interior color has been beneficial in the hot sun, it is much more comfortable than the black color in the Mercedes, plus they are ventilated which really helps in the summer. The more I drive the Volvo, the more I like it, but if I could have found and equivalently configured Mercedes, I would have been very tempted. I hope you enjoy yours.

 

Thanks, GRock. Didn't realize you lived in Va. So does my son. Small world! Nice state.

Regarding the cruise control, based on your comments, perhaps it was malfunctioning in the car I test drove. However, as I mentioned, when I questioned how this worked with the Volvo salesperson, he stated there was a 5 second time limit. I have no reason to doubt what you said, and appreciate your feedback.
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PS: I'm supposed to go to the MB dealer this Friday to place a factory order. Even with this said, I still can't get it out of my mind how comfortable the Volvo seats were in my test drive. It's also on my wife's mind, as well. While she's supportive of my MB decision, she also has some hesitancy because of this issue. I really wish I could put the Volvo seats in the MB, along with Volvo's non-run-flat tires and donut spare. To me, that would be the perfect station wagon! While my head tells me to go with the MB, based on my complete assessment, my heart is telling me that the more comfortable seats will help me forget the Volvo's deficiencies. Until I actually get to the dealership to order and sign the papers, I think I'll be wrestling with this decision.

PPS: I'm retired. This will, very likely, be the last new car I purchase. As such, I plan to factory order whichever car I get to my exact specifications. I can wait the (up to) 3 months for delivery, if needed.

 

It may have been the issue of having automatic brake application enabled, that may have prevented it from starting up after a stop, but that is only a guess. I'd be curious to know how long it takes form time of order to delivery it will take for MB. Have you considered taking delivery in Germany and having it shipped home after a vacation there? If I recall, the savings will pay for the trip. As for the Volvo salesman, I always recall someone telling me many years ago "How do you tell if a salesman is lying? If his lips are moving!"

Enjoy your MB.

 

I have no dog in this fight - and am not a Volvo/ dealer employee but just a thought: The seats are something that come into play every time you use the car - the absolute cargo capacity less so. I have owned a series of station wagons. The largest was a 1967 Chrysler. That was followed by a 1976 Volvo 265, a 2003 V70, a 2008 V70 and my current 2015 V60. The last is the smallest of the lot. Now, no longer a house owner, my trips to Home Depot for lumber, large trash cans etc. are a thing of the past and I have found that with a bit of planning and a few adjustments, the carrying capacity exceeds the amount of "stuff" that I want to haul out, load and then unload. In addition, while I have and can do so, I don't like to utilize the full capacity of the rear compartment which forces me to rely solely on outside mirrors for rear view thus the sloping roofline is not an issue.

For me, the "run-flat" tires would be a deal breaker. Two reasons: They're OK for a normal puncture but a blown sidewall - like hitting a bad pothole at highway speeds and you are SOL. In addition to being more expensive (not a big issue - I'm a tire nut and buy the best I can find) your choices of mfg. and tread pattern are limited and the tire's performance is limited by the run flat feature.

Incidentally, I am also retired and the V60 may well be my last car in part because I don't like touch screen controls.