Volvo EX90 review

Is the Volvo EX90 a good car? 

It seems ludicrous to give a £100k electric SUV such a strong score, but if you disregard the more mainstream Kia EV9, the Volvo EX90 exists, for now, in a class of one. Of course, that’s not enough to justify the positive rating; the pricey electric SUV is an exceptional car in its own right. Classy, spacious, decent to drive and exceptionally refined, the EX90 is a fitting flagship for the Swedish brand.

How much does the Volvo EX90 cost?

The Volvo EX90 is an expensive car, with prices starting at a whisker under £100,000. But while that’s a lot, the big electric SUV doesn’t actually have that many rivals, which may bolster its appeal. Neither Audi nor BMW offers an EV with seven seats, and the Mercedes EQS SUV is £30k more – and nowhere near as accomplished as the Volvo.

Granted, the Volvo is currently only available in Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance guises, with single-motor models coming later down the line. Those will offer more modest performance, with a lower price – and could easily be the pick of the range. If straight-line speed isn’t a priority, they could be worth waiting for.

There aren’t really any trim levels to speak of at the moment – just a single EX90 Ultra variant, which comes loaded to the gunwales with kit, including a 14.5-inch central display, nine-inch instrument binnacle, front and rear heated seats, a 25-speaker Bowers and Wilkins stereo, and wireless phone charging. There’s stuff like pixel-LED lights, 22-inch wheels and a heat pump, plus – this being a Volvo – loads of safety equipment.

Speaking of safety kit – some of the EX90’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) won’t be active at launch, and nor will the car come with key features such as Apple CarPlay. We’re assured, however, that these will be added via over the air (OTA) updates soon.

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On the road, the Volvo EX90 is comfortable and remarkably refined. So refined, in fact, you’ll feel the inexplicable need to turn the volume down on the world when you step out of the car. Indeed, during our test, we came to a stop next to a postal delivery van, and only when we lowered the window did we notice the heavy metal blaring from our noisy neighbour. Close everything up and you feel cocooned; along with the light-coloured materials and clean dashboard, the EX90 is a relaxing place to while away the miles.

Yes, the 22-inch wheels and wide tyres give off a distant hum at motorway speeds, and there’s a little whistle from around the door mirrors. But all-in, the big Volvo is very civilised. The ride isn’t flawless (again, probably due to those wheels) but the EX90 doesn’t fidget, and tends to feel pretty tied down given its size and weight.

However, no amount of electronic trickery can completely disguise the 2.7-tonne kerb weight, which is noticeable in the bends. That’s not to say it rolls around uncontrollably – the standard-fit air suspension puts paid to that – but there’s always a sense that you’re carrying significant heft into tight corners.

But so long as you manage to scrub the speed sufficiently (there’s an intuitive one-pedal drive mode, and strong brakes) then you’ll have no trouble slingshotting out the other side. We’ve only driven the flagship dual-motor car so far, but even the base model will do 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds (4.9 seconds for the Twin Performance). That’s seriously quick, but it’s the prodigious torque (770-910Nm depending on spec) that makes this seven-seat EV feel so sprightly; even on the motorway you can put your foot down and launch the car at the horizon.

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At more than 2.7 tonnes, you can’t expect the Volvo EX90 to be a frugal car or cheap to run. However, we managed almost 3.0mi/kWh during favourable conditions on the west coast of America, resulting in a range of a touch more than 320 miles – slightly (but not significantly) down on the official quoted range of 374 miles. Every version gets a 111kWh (107kWh usable) battery.

While a typical UK winter might cause that test figure to drop slightly, even 2.5mi/kWh would return a real-world range of almost 270 miles. The standard heat pump should mitigate those losses somewhat, but we’ll have to revisit that when we get a car back in the UK later in the year.

Not only does the EX90 return a respectable range, it’ll also recharge at up to 250kW – even without the trick 800-volt architecture that underpins several Audi and Porsche products. That, Volvo claims, makes the EX90 good for a 10-80 per cent charge in around half an hour.

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Building on the successful second-generation XC90, which launched the best part of a decade ago, the all-electric EX90 gets a cleaner front end with an evolutionary take on that car’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ daytime running lights. These are set into pixel-like segments and are animated – giving the car a unique ‘welcome’ signature when you lock or unlock the car. The rear end is typical Volvo, too, with a set of LED tail-lights that stretch right up to the roofline.

The cabin looks and feels minimalist, but not at the expense of functionality, with Volvo opting to fit a set of digital instruments and a head-up display in addition to the large 14.5-inch central screen. Suffice it to say, the smaller EX30’s failings (no dials or HUD) are fixed in the EX90, with a much more intuitive user experience.

Quality is very good, as you’d hope and expect on a car costing the best part of £100,000. Everything is tightly screwed together, and both the leather trim and more sustainable wool alternative feel high-end. The seats are supportive and comfortable, and ergonomically, everything seems to fit and fall to hand really nicely.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

We’d love to say the brand learned from mistakes made on the smaller Volvo EX30, but the EX90 was designed first, so that’s not strictly true. Still, it’s good to see the maker’s flagship EV fitted with a set of easy-to-read digital dials and a head-up display – rather than channelling all that essential info through the main central screen.

It makes everything much easier to navigate. The main display runs Android Automotive (not to be confused with the car’s Android Auto smartphone tech) and is super slick and responsive. The inclusion of Google Maps (other apps are available) means you can search for near enough anything and it’ll effortlessly direct you to your destination, updating along the way to avoid traffic or include charge stops. Turn-by-turn mapping can be replicated in the instrument cluster, too.

Unfortunately, launch models won’t be delivered with Apple CarPlay, as well as some of the car’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), due to the fact they’re not ready yet. These will be added free of charge over the air (OTA) at a later date, hopefully not too far into the future.

Elsewhere, the incredible Bowers and Wilkins stereo with Dolby Atmos needs to be heard to be believed, while the USB-C ports dotted around the cabin should ensure the family can keep their devices topped up.

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The EX90 seats seven, while measuring over five metres long and two metres wide. This is a big car car, even if it doesn’t feel as cumbersome as a Kia EV9.

The benefit, of course, is a huge cabin with space for the whole family – regardless of whether you choose to prioritise people or luggage. With all seven seats in the place there’s 310 litres of boot space – that’s as much as most modern superminis, and more than enough room to squeeze in a few soft bags. 

The rearmost row folds into the floor at the touch of a button. Doing so frees up 655 litres to the windowline – or even more if you’re prepared to sacrifice your view out the back. In two-seat mode, there’s a van-rivalling 1,915 litres; officially down on the Mercedes EQS SUV, but you may find the Volvo’s more upright rear end makes it the more practical car outright. 

There’s room under the floor to put stuff out of sight, and there’s a frunk capable of keeping a charge cable or two. Annoyingly, it’s opened via a lever in the front footwell; Volvo isn’t alone in restricting access in this way, but we’d prefer a button on the key.

If you’re more interested in how spacious the seats are, then it’s mixed news. Those up front are treated to a first-class experience, with supportive leather (or wool)-lined chairs and loads of room to stretch out. Move to the middle row and despite the tiered, theatre-style seating, there’s certainly plenty of headroom. Legroom could be better, however, and while this is improved by sliding the seats rearward, that luxury comes at the expense of those in the very back.

The two rearmost seats, therefore, are best reserved for children. Especially as these chairs both come with ISOFIX points – a bizarre rarity in seven-seat cars. Those in the third row also get their own cupholders; passengers in row two are forced to use the central armrest to store their drinks, which is useless if you’re sitting three abreast.

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It goes almost without saying that Volvo’s safety record is second to none. And while the EX90 hasn’t yet been tested by Euro NCAP, we can only assume the maker will be aiming for a suite of class-leading scores across each of the main categories.

To help with this, the new EX90 comes absolutely stacked with safety features, including side-impact protection, whiplash protection and run-off-road protection. That’s in addition to countless airbags and systems such as cross-traffic alert with autobrake and blind-spot warning with steering assist. 

The car even comes with eye-tracking technology with steering assist, which sounds an alarm if it thinks you’re getting distracted. Thankfully, it’s not particularly intrusive, and in our experience only really activates in extreme circumstances.

Equally, it’s too early to say how reliable the EX90 will be. Only one Volvo appeared in this year’s Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, with the ageing XC40 finishing just below mid-table (in 32nd spot); Volvo itself slotted in at 16th (out of 32) – ahead of Audi and Mercedes, but just behind BMW. That said, premium makers often suffer in these surveys, due to the higher expectations of owners.

Volvo EX90 alternatives

The Volvo EX90 stands in a bit of a no man’s land. At almost £100,000, it sits slap bang in between high-spec electric SUVs like the Mercedes EQE, and the larger (seven-seat) EQS. We think the Volvo is more accomplished than either; if you need those extra seats then the Swedish SUV is a no brainer.

Especially so if you look further afield. Neither Audi nor BMW has a comparable model. The BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron are cheaper to buy but they’re both five-seat only. The spacious Tesla Model X is no longer sold in the UK – not even in left-hand drive.

The Kia EV9 is definitely worth considering, however. It’s quite a bit cheaper to buy, with a comparable range and plenty of tech. It’s probably not quite as luxurious inside, however, and the Korean logo doesn’t hold the premium appeal of a Volvo badge.

So there you have it – if you’re after a practical, luxurious, electric SUV, the Volvo EX90 is our top pick.