All-New Volvo EX90 is a Fantastic Flagship SUV.
New Volvo EX90 is a Fantastic Flagship SUV.
The EX90 is a big, spacious and comfortable electric seven-seat SUV that is big on technology, but still retains its Scandinavian design in order to give it a unique presence in the premium SUV market. The EX90 is the flagship of Volvo’s extensive model range, and it is the electric counterpart to the hybrid powered XC90. As the Swedish manufacturer puts it, ‘it’s a statement for where we are – and where we’re going’, combining the brand’s own engineering advances with ‘the best technology from the world’s best technologists’.
Safety-First Ethos.
All future Volvo EV’s will be produced on the advanced SPA2 architecture, a platform already used by the Polestar 3, which shares the same drive system with the EX90. Essentially, it’s a software-driven dedicated electric vehicle platform which builds on the technologies offered by the first-generation Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform that underpins the still-current XC60 Series and XC90 Series ranges in Volvo’s lineup. It features a big battery pack sourced from CATL, and it offers a lot of sensors and assistance systems in line with Volvo’s safety-first ethos, as well as the brand’s latest 5G-connected infotainment with Nvidia computing power, and this will pave the way to a safer solution for fully autonomous driving. The car is built at the company’s US plant in Charleston- and will eventually be built at Chengdu in China too, with both plants rated carbon neutral.
Muscular Stance.
The EX90’s upright, muscular proportions, and large diameter wheels provide the striking SUV with a strong stance on the road. At the front, the brand’s ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlight signature frames an aero-friendly closed-over grille, while the unique daytime running lights split down the middle and open like a pair of eyes, revealing the dynamic headlights when required. The sharp rainbow-shaped creases in the body work side profile, and the sharp, upwards-flowing crease behind the rear wheels combine to shrink the large SUVs visual size. The EX90 is lower than the XC90, but it is longer and wider than its sibling, and with its large battery pack, it is substantially heavier, too. Weighing in at 2,513kg for the Single Motor and 2,689kg for Twin Motor versions, the EX90 is up to 394kg heavier than the most portly version of the XC90, the T8 plug-in hybrid. To counteract the extra weight, Volvo has fitted a new torque-vectoring system to distribute power between inside and outside wheels in corners, and Ultra models have adaptive air suspension with self-levelling as standard. To make it easy to live with, an automatic one-pedal driving mode is based on your driving habits, and is very easy to get used to. Alongside the one-pedal mode selection, the steering weight and suspension can be changed from ‘soft’ to ‘firm’ if and when required. There’s also a setting to de-couple the rear motor power in the Twin Motor car for better efficiency and a ‘Performance’ mode in the Performance trim to boost power.
Trim & Motor Options.
The EX90 is available in Single Motor, Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance guises, with the Single Motor model fitted with a 92kWh (usable) battery, with the Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance models utilising a substantial 106kWh (usable) power bank. There are two trim levels offered in the EX90 – Plus and Ultra – with an official WLTP range of 565km for the Single Motor model, and 609km for the Twin Motor & Twin Motor Performance models.
Luxurious, Airy Cabin.
Volvo is well-known for its bright, airy lounge-like cabins, and the interior designers have kept the EX90’s interior pretty much in line with that found in the XC90 rather than introducing potential customers to a completely different layout. The chunky upper dash and door trims have a familiar look and feel, as do the dashboard and the luxurious armchair-like seats. Overall build quality throughout the spacious cabin is terrific, and tactility is good too. In a similar fashion to the Polestar 3, the new EX90 features a pared-back approach to physical buttons and switches. Adjustment for the side mirrors and steering wheel requires you to access the necessary function through the touchscreen and then use steering wheel buttons to select your preferred settings. You also have to press a second button to toggle the rear windows as there’s only one actual switch on the front doors. In front of the driver is a slim 9.0-inch digital instrument binnacle that is shared with a number of Polestar models. It offers a flat and simplistic readout of key info, and has a couple of different views, including a Google Maps view. The front seats are typical Volvo in that they’re supremely shapely, utterly luxurious and superbly supportive, Electric seat adjustment and heating are standard, with ventilation and massage functionality available as an option or standard, depending on the trim grade chosen. Move across the leather-lined and sustainably sourced wood dash and there’s a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system front and centre, running the brand’s Google Built-in software interface and connected services. It offers native apps like Google Maps, and Google Assistant as well as access to the Google Play store. Additionally, it gets wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The display itself offers good clarity and resolution, with snappy responses to touch inputs as well as silky smooth loading animations.
Test Car Details.
My EX90 Twin Motor Performance Ultra test car was finished in Denim Blue metallic paint with contrasting 22-inch diamond-cut, bi-tone alloy wheels. The Twin Motor Performance powerplant produces a massive 670bhp and 870Nm of outright torque, propelling the large SUV from 0-100km/h in a supercar-rivalling 4.2-seconds, on its way to an electronically limited 180km/h top speed. The list of standard features in Ultra trim is simply amazing, and it is safe to say that Volvo has literally crammed their flagship model to the max with a comprehensive suite of standard comfort, convenience, safety, infotainment and tech features befitting of the premium Swedish brand. The EX90 is all about spaciousness too, with a cabin that can comfortably accommodate seven occupants, and a boot space that can range between 377-litres and 2,082-litres – depending on the number of seats in use. The lofty driving position provides a good view of the road around you, and there are numerous cameras and safety systems to safely guide you in and out of parking spaces. The EX90 really excels out on the open road, and there is no shortage of instant power available to get you up to speed on a slip road, or to effortlessly overtake slower-moving traffic. The superb suspension set-up leads to a magic-carpet ride quality, and wind and road noise levels are kept to an absolute minimum at higher speeds. Pilot Assist comes as standard, and it includes adaptive cruise control to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, and it can nudge the steering in order to keep you centred in your lane. With all-wheel-drive as standard on all versions of the EX90, there is no shortage of grip on offer at all times, and on all road surfaces. With a maximum charging rate of 350kW, it is possible to achieve a 10-80% charge in as little as 22 minutes (charger dependent), with a 0-100% charge at a 7kW home charger taking around 11 hours – ideal for an overnight charge.
Verdict & Price.
With its sumptuous, near-silent cabin, striking Scandinavian exterior design, and cutting-edge driver-assistance features, the EX90 proves that Volvo knows how to build a formidable flagship for the modern era. It is a premium, family-friendly SUV which offers something that very few other electric SUVs currently have: seven seats. It is surprisingly good to drive for a vehicle of its size and weight, and it is a deserving winner of the prestigious title of ‘Irish Premium Car of the Year 2026’ in association with Continental Tyres. The EX90 is priced from €99,895 (ex-delivery), with my test car specification priced from €124,895 (ex-delivery).
Visit www.volvocars.com for further information.
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