Back in 2001, when Nokia 3310s ruled pockets and “diesel” wasn’t a dirty word, Volvo launched its 9400 series in India and basically redefined what “luxury bus travel” meant. Fast forward to 2025, and we now have the fourth generation Volvo 9600, a coach so suave that even airplanes might start feeling insecure.
This 9600 is the new face of Swedish sophistication meeting Indian resilience — and yes, it only drinks diesel (no fancy hybrid excuses here). Prices start at ₹1.52 crore and stretch to ₹1.80 crore (ex-showroom), depending on how many axles, passengers, and bragging rights you want.
🚍 The Bus That Thinks It’s a Jetliner
The one you’re seeing here is the tri-axle 15-metre top variant, a 55-seater intercity coach that also has a 40-berth sleeper sibling for those who prefer snoring to sightseeing. It’s assembled in Bangalore, but don’t mistake it for an arranged marriage — this beauty is based on the Volvo 9700, fine-tuned for Indian roads, potholes, and chai stops.
It officially replaces the legendary 9400, like a Bollywood sequel that somehow got better acting, sharper looks, and more horsepower. Built on the B8R chassis, the 9600 shares DNA with the B8RLE, 8900, 9500, and 9700. The chassis itself has seen the world — assembled in Sweden, Brazil, the Philippines, India, and Vietnam — but this particular one clearly grew up on a steady diet of Mysore filter coffee.
Volvo’s next-gen BZR chassis is waiting in the wings, and when it lands in India, expect this coach to become even smoother, smarter, and possibly sarcastic.
✨ Exterior: Swedish Design With Indian Drama
The 9600 is 15 metres long, 2.6 metres wide, and 3.8 metres tall — taller if you pick the sleeper variant (4 metres). It weighs a respectable 22,200 kg, has a 12-metre turning radius, and a 209 mm ground clearance (so it can climb over speed breakers taller than your neighbour’s ego).
There are 12.2 m and 13.5 m versions too, for operators who don’t believe in “size matters.”
The V-shaped LED headlights with DRLs look like they came straight off a spaceship. The LED route display ensures your passengers never “accidentally” board the wrong bus again. Heated, electrically adjustable mirrors keep visibility crystal clear even if the driver just emerged from a foggy Himachal morning.
It rolls on 22.5-inch steel wheels wrapped in Michelin Xmulti 295/80 R22.5 tubeless tyres, and yes — there are air disc brakes at both ends because Swedish engineers believe stopping is just as important as going.
Oh, and if green isn’t your vibe, you can order it in blue, orange, white, yellow, red, black, or purple — or go full “filmy” and paint it whatever shade your heart desires.
The galvanised tubular structure is coated with anti-corrosive paint, so even the salty winds of Kochi or Kutch won’t dare.
🛋️ Interior: Living Room on Wheels
Step inside through the pneumatic inswing door, and it’s instantly clear — this is less of a bus, more of a rolling Scandinavian spa.
The 2×2 seat layout uses UNO Minda’s plush leatherette-fabric combo seats, all with push-back recline. Each passenger gets individual USB charging, reading lights, and personal AC vents, because democracy is alive and well in Volvo’s air conditioning system.
There’s a roof hatch (for emergency or curiosity), and a curved dashboard that looks more spaceship than bus. The sun visor is retractable full-length — great for drivers who want to feel like pilots.
The conductor seat is placed with a commanding view of humanity boarding, snacks in hand.
🏎️ Under the Hood: The Diesel Gentle Giant
Meet the D8K6350, a 7.7-litre inline-6 diesel with common rail direct injection, a turbocharger, intercooler, and an overhead camshaft. It belts out 346 horsepower and a massive 1,350 Nm of torque — numbers that would make even a Fortuner blush.
Transmission duties are handled by Volvo’s 12-speed I-Shift AMT (with 4 reverse gears), while the smaller variants get a 6-speed manual.
Performance? Smooth as silk. Efficiency? Around 2 km/l, which sounds bad until you realize it’s carrying an entire cricket team, their luggage, and their emotional baggage.
Fuel tank? 540 litres, plus a 50-litre AdBlue tank for clean conscience travel.
Engine dry weight: 732 kg — about as heavy as two Harley-Davidsons, but way quieter.
If you’re opting for the shorter 12.2m or 13.5m versions, you’ll get the D8K6300 (296 hp, 1,200 Nm) and 3 km/l mileage — good enough to make transport managers dance.
🧳 Luggage & Practicality
Boot space? 15,100 litres in the seater variant — enough to fit 150 suitcases, 10 hopes, and 3 regrets. The sleeper variant still offers a generous 8,500 litres. And yes, it’s illuminated, because losing a bag in the dark is not very premium.
⚙️ Tech, Safety & Smarts
Volvo doesn’t play around with safety. The 9600 packs:
- ABS
- Electronic Vehicle Stability Control
- Hill Start Assist
- Hydrodynamic Retarder
- Fire Detection & Suppression System (FDSS)
- Rear View Camera
- Emergency exits and roof hatches
- Panic buttons
- Illuminated emergency stickers
- Electronic Braking System (EBS)
It’s basically a five-star hotel that also doubles as a fortress.
There’s a telematics system for operators — you can monitor everything from driver behaviour to fuel usage right on your smartphone. Volvo even trains drivers for eco-driving, comfort handling, and how not to scare sleeping passengers.
🌍 On the Road & Across the States
From Kerala SRTC’s green fleets to KSRTC Karnataka, GSRTC, and OSRTC, the Volvo 9600 is already the darling of state transport corporations. Because when you’re moving ministers or midnight travellers, nothing less than Swedish steel will do.
Its aerodynamic tall-boy European design reduces drag, increases stability, and adds just enough swagger to overtake anything slower — which, let’s be honest, is everything else.
The reinforced front structure can absorb higher impact angles and collisions better — another reason it’s coach of the year, multiple times over.
🎖️ Final Verdict: The King of Comfort, The Sultan of Safety
The Volvo 9600 isn’t just a bus — it’s an experience in punctuality, politeness, and piston perfection. It’s what happens when Sweden builds something to survive India’s highways and still look like it belongs in a Bond movie.
If you see one on the road, salute it. Because that’s not public transport — that’s public luxury.
