Volvo is going on an all-out product offensive, with the Swedish automaker planning 13 new models between now and 2030. Naturally, we expect most of them to be SUVs—the company has already said as much. But sedans and wagons clearly aren't off the table.
Look closely at Volvo's presentation, and you'll find a few interesting clues. On two slides, the company outlines plans for "new low & high body types." "Low," in this case, almost certainly means sedans and station wagons, although we’ll keep dreaming of a Volvo sports car.
And no, these cars won't be just for China.
Volvo specifically mentions seven new models for "Western" markets, including the "low cars" referenced in the presentation. The plan also calls for a second vehicle based on the company's SPA3 electric architecture, which currently underpins the EX60, as well as larger vehicles with a mix of powertrains.
What Kind Of 'Low Cars,' Exactly?
Volvo hasn't given us much to work with yet, but there are some clues.
Previous reports have suggested the company could bring both a sedan and a station wagon back to the US. In July, the company indicated that a model in each body style was already in development for Europe.
That lines up with comments from CEO Håkan Samuelsson earlier this year. He told Motor1 that Volvo may have gone “a bit too far into a single SUV market” in the US and that he'd like to see more "lower cars" here.
Volvo already sells the electric ES90 in markets such as Europe, although the company currently has no plans to bring the luxury sedan to the US. So whatever these new low cars turn out to be, they likely won't simply be an American version of the ES90.
There could also be an opportunity for Volvo to fill some of the space left behind by Polestar. With the 2 and 5 models gone, Volvo could use its expanded lineup to offer more traditional cars to fill in the gaps.
Volvo's New Lineup Should Be More Diverse
It won't be all about sedans and wagons, either.
Volvo says its Western lineup will also include larger vehicles with multiple powertrain options. The XC90 and EX90 currently sit at the top of the company's SUV lineup, but Volvo executives have suggested the brand could accommodate something even larger. Think: Cadillac Escalade rival.
Of course, there are still too many unanswered questions. We don't know exactly what the “low cars” will look like, which ones will come to the US, or whether either a sedan or wagon will actually make it into production here.
But by the end of the decade, Volvo’s lineup could look considerably different from the SUV-heavy range we see today.
Motor1’s Take: Volvo clearly knows it went too SUV-heavy. The good news is that it seems willing to do something about it. A lineup with sedans, wagons, SUVs, and multiple powertrain options would feel a lot more like the Volvo many of us remember.
