You may well be familiar with the scene. Bags packed, exited children, a long weekend in the offing. It’s undoubtedly one of those what-if scenarios which has fuelled the explosion in popularity of SUVs. You can see why at these moments, too. Plenty of space, comfortable ride quality and a hint of isolation from the outside world. Electrification only amplifies these sensations. I was impressed with the Volvo XC90 in hybrid guise and suspected that an EV version would impress. All the ingredients that have made the XC90 so popular since its 2002 inception are here, just with the complete removal of an internal combustion engine. Does the Volvo EX90 continue the successful lineage of large Volvos?
The answer to that question will, ultimately, depend on your use case for it. The hybrid XC90 is still available, offering respectable EV-only range coupled with the long journey ease of an engine in hybrid guise. There’s also a mild hybrid still available. Then there’s always the question of cost. The price decreases roughly £10,000 as you move from EV to plug-in hybrid to mild hybrid (in top-spec). Of course, there are tax benefits to consider on top for some buyers.
The Volvo EX90, as tested here, comes in at £97,760 (a retractable towbar is the only option at £1,400). There’s no denying that that’s a fair chunk of change for a family SUV, bringing it inline with stiff competition from adversaries over at places such as Range Rover, BMW, Mercedes, Audi and even Porsche. So, it needs to be good…
What’s the Volvo EX90 like to live with?
To Centre Parcs, where the seven-seat configuration was put to the test along with the not so child-proof nature of a white, woollen interior. Four kids (not all mine), two adults and plenty of stuff were swallowed with consummate ease. With the kids shouting at each other in the back, you can relax up top with the massage seats and drown them out with the hugely impressive Bowers & Wilkins sound system.
One thing Volvo has always got right is its interiors and the EX90 is no different. Ergonomically, however, there are one or two foibles. Everything is in the centre screen, including adjusting your wing mirrors. It pays, therefore, to know where everything is. The cruise control is activated using the gear selector stalk, too, rather than via the cruise control-looking button on the steering wheel. Then the rear windows are activated by the driver by pressing a button in front of the window switches to toggle between front and rear. It’s just a slight over-complication from an unexpected source.
Otherwise, it’s all very Volvo. Which is to say, exceptional. The wool seats are supremely comfortable, the ride quality compliments them, even on 22” wheels, and it’s wonderfully hushed. On the commute to work, minus four kids, the Volvo EX90 was something of a sanctuary. The stereo really is top drawer, with all manner of adjustability to suit your sounds.
Whilst it’s a big car, manoeuvrability is no problem. The 360-degree camera is brilliant and there’s a self-park option as well. Then the air suspension is so good at times that it makes UK roads seem brilliantly put together. The Volvo EX90 is supremely talented when it comes to removing the stress from mundane driving scenarios.
What’s the Volvo EX90 like to drive?
I fear I may already have given away the answer to this section. Even on longer journeys, the Pilot Assist maintains speed and lane holding exceptionally well. On the motorway, too, there’s minimal disturbance from wind noise around the A-pillars.
Whist it’s not as sprightly as the T8 plug-in hybrid XC90, the Volvo EX90 is equipped with twin motors good to produce 408hp and 770Nm of torque. Whilst this is, clearly, a lot of power, there’s also a lot of mass to be shifted. At 2,555kg before anyone or anything has got in, you need that power. On a fully loaded Centre Parcs run, you’re looking at north of 3000kg.
0-62mph takes 5.9secs and the Volvo EX90 tops out at 112mph. The thing is, it never feels that brisk and nothing about it encourages you plant your right foot to the floor. That’s a good thing. Too often, especially with EVs, there’s an uncouth delivery of torque which confuses the character of the car. The smoother delivery works perfectly here, bringing the Volvo EX90 closer in character to a Range Rover than a Porsche Cayenne.
The steering is light but sharp enough. The brakes are easy to modulate, although I found it easier to drive without the one pedal setting switched on. Dive back into the screen to fiddle with that.
One other useful feature is the size of the battery. With 107kWh of usable battery, it’s one of the larger units available. The WLTP range of 375 miles will not, however, be realised. I achieved 2.6 miles p/kWh, meaning a real-world range of 278 miles. This means that you can spend more time on roads best suited to the Volvo EX90, where it makes for an exceptional long-distance cruiser.
Conclusion
The Volvo EX90 is everything that you expect it to be, which is its strongest selling point. The aesthetics and interior have all been subtly evolved over the years since the XC90 first emerged, but they still hit the right notes. It feels familiar yet contemporary. Perhaps only Porsche pulls off this trick better than Volvo.
The fact it comes as a seven-seater as standard carries significant appeal for larger families. That everything is so straightforward to use only broadens that appeal. The third row of seats is accessed at the push of a couple of buttons and you don’t need to be a contortionist to get in.
Then there’s the light, airy cabin, accentuated by the panoramic roof and bright interior. The minimalist layout furthers the aesthetic appeal, even if it comes at the cost of physical buttons in places where you might reasonably expect to find them.
Everything is just… relaxed. There’s no urgency to the responses and the calming silence afforded by battery propulsion does nothing to raise your pulse. Everything feels designed to take the stress out of driving. The over-reach of the central touchscreen being the only exception to this but even that, with ownership and more than a week with it, would quickly ease. The Volvo EX90 is a fantastic daily companion.
I thought electrification would suit the big Volvo and the EX90, unsurprisingly, proves this hunch right. No one has ever bought a Volvo because of outrageous 0-60 times or outlandish aesthetics. They’re practical, convenient and safe. The Volvo EX90 hits that trifecta and adds a brilliant interior. One final word for the Bowers & Wilkins stereo: tick the box if you’re getting one!