Preserve to fast first impressions of the 2025 Volvo EX90 and also you would possibly get the incorrect concept.
In one of many many inherently Swedish points of this next-generation electrical SUV, it doesn’t flaunt the longer term on the surface, nevertheless it actually wears it properly inside.
The outside of the Volvo EX90 is what it must be—an evolution from the XC90. Alternatively, its cabin embraces an excessive minimalist method, cozies as much as a touchscreen for practically every thing, and syncs up with a software-defined-vehicle future.
In a latest day of up-close time with the South Carolina-made EX90, set to reach this fall, Volvo was large on the latter time period, and its platform’s origin story rooted in international expertise partnerships with Google, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Luminar. However with the angle of a number of hours of driving time, I used to be reminded that Volvo hasn’t forgotten within the EX90 about what it does finest—making individuals really feel comfy, protected, and pampered, with out overtly flaunting it.
2025 Volvo EX90
Touchscreen’s the important thing touchpoint
There’s no shying away from the 14.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen system once you get into the 2025 EX90, and also you’ll get conversant in it shortly. Whereas a 9.0-inch gauge cluster and head-up show assist maintain observe of every thing, the touchscreen is the hub for every thing and, prefer it or not, you’ll have to toggle by way of screen-based tabs to regulate the mirrors, steering wheel, and seats—though the seats have a middle button to click on by way of the points of energy adjustability.
For newbies like me, it’s merely not as simple as precise adjustment switches. Whereas we’re at it, the directional buttons on the Volvo steering wheel merely don’t provide the sort of high quality precision in adjustment that Tesla’s tactile thumbwheels do.
However drivers could realistically solely want to do that as soon as, and Volvo says that its system is a step forward. Driver profiles correspond to every identified smartphone, together with Cellphone as Key expertise, and as somebody approaches the car, pings from 4 to 6 ultra-wideband sensors across the car decide which telephone is coming into on the driver’s door. If this all goes in accordance with plan, the driving force enters the car with seats, mirrors, steering wheel, presets, and preferences all set to their liking. If by some probability the automotive guesses incorrect, Volvo says you possibly can choose these profiles manually. That is one I really stay up for placing to the check with a household of units.
That introduction apart, Volvo’s newest display expertise within the EX90 will really feel acquainted to nearly anybody, with a tablet-like interface that locks local weather controls. On the backside of the display is a locked row of icons that present a fast navigation to a house display, apps, settings, and local weather management particulars. Above it’s a row of contextual icons that may change relying on the present use, whereas above that widgets (for telephone or audio) present a fast take a look at what’s taking part in or obtainable. The overwhelming majority of the display is used for navigation—with a transparent, vertically oriented map show that’s simple to look at shortly (however you can even add it to the instrument panel). It’s more likely to evolve and a lifetime of auto updates are coming, and Volvo says it can maintain knowledge for navigation and over-the-air updates reside even when clients let their 5G knowledge subscription for apps and streaming lapse.
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
Volvo EX90 is environment friendly, nimble, and quiet
I spent the day with two totally different Twin Motor Efficiency variations of the SUV, within the prime Extremely trim, each bearing the identical $93,345 sticker value, in a spec that may . One in every of them supplied a Sand Dune exterior (a really gentle tan) with a Daybreak Quilted Nordico inside, the opposite a tailor-made wool mix inside and Vapour Gray exterior. Each of them wore 22-inch 5 spoke aero wheels.
That is the heaviest, most luxurious EX90 within the lineup, at greater than 6,000 kilos by international-market specs, and this introduced three nice surprises within the driving expertise.
Firstly, by early indications, the EX90 could be very environment friendly for an enormous three-row SUV. I averaged 2.7 miles per kwh on a 146-mile loop together with some stop-and-go boulevard driving in Orange County, up and down a demanding mountain highway, and a few high-speed cruising at a really quick clip. Then on a loop of about 40 miles that included extra boulevard driving and a few denser afternoon visitors—slower-moving in all probability being the important thing time period—I averaged greater than 2.9 miles per kwh.
The EX90’s battery pack makes use of lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt cells and provides as much as a gross 111 kwh. Volvo has mentioned that usable capability is as much as 107 kwh, so primarily based on what we noticed that quantities to a real-world vary proper round 300 miles, with out driving notably slowly or gently.
Volvo’s official EPA rankings for the EX90 are 310 miles with the 21-inch wheels and 300 miles for fashions with the 20- and 22-inch wheels.
The second very nice shock is how gentle and nimble the EX90 drives, contemplating these three rows and 6,000+ kilos. Extremely variations—the one one we drove at this occasion—embrace the air suspension in addition to semi-active (multi-stage) dampers. These further suspension bits aren’t included in additional reasonably priced Plus variations, so we’ll have to report again sooner or later on whether or not they can preserve such prowess within the corners. Within the Extremely, you possibly can choose from smooth or agency for the steering and suspension, independently, however I settled on smooth for each as with that the steering centered extra neatly and the suspension nonetheless firmed up when wanted in tight corners.
The third takeaway, which left me fairly awestruck, was merely how quietly the EX90 rides, whether or not accelerating quickly, touring at excessive velocity, or using on the roughest highway we discovered alongside our route in principally clean Orange County. Hannes Veen, Volvo’s senior supervisor for propulsion programs, mentioned that the group didn’t use any sort of lively noise cancellation or sound manipulation; as an alternative Volvo merely paid quite a lot of consideration to noise insulation and bushings, together with fluid-filled bushings for the motor models.
Whereas that is certainly Volvo’s first home-grown “software-defined car,” it’s additionally home-grown in an engineering sense, with the overwhelming majority of growth completed across the automaker’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
EX90 has fast, satisfying efficiency—with one exception
In its top-trim Twin Motor Efficiency Extremely type, the EX90 could be very fast and, as is usually the case in bigger EVs, it felt even faster from the entrance seats than its 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds would possibly counsel. Whereas motor models themselves are the identical throughout the EX90 lineup, Twin Motor fashions make 402 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque, mixed, whereas Twin Motor Efficiency variations provide 510 hp and 571 lb-ft. The EX90 favors the entrance motor in regular cruising and far of the time, saving the rear motor for fast launches and traction wants. However a Efficiency AWD mode will entry a continuing (however nonetheless variable) energy move to the rear wheels at 19 to 81 mph, accessing extra balanced dynamics. I couldn’t really feel a lot of a distinction, or detect the seamless transition because the EX90 brings its rear motor out and in by way of a clutch.
The accelerator and steering inputs have an excellent precision to them, however there was one factor lacking within the EX90’s in any other case finely fettled dynamics. Volvo has opted to supply simply three modes for regenerative braking: off, auto, and on—and the brake-pedal really feel in our check automobiles was downright spongy at a standstill, to the purpose the place it was onerous to inform when the friction pads have been or weren’t making contact.
The “on” setting is a true one-pedal mode—aggressive sufficient the place you could solely have to press the brake pedal for unanticipated stops—whereas “off” brings a coasting/gliding conduct that dials all of the regen out and is like Impartial in a gasoline mannequin. The “auto” setting applies a situational method, counting on sensors, however I merely didn’t have sufficient drive time to get a way of that and what I actually was left wanting was a center setting for regenerative braking—one that may progressively scrub velocity off extra like a gasoline car in Drive or one gear down.
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90 has luxurious seats and house
Between the 2 automobiles I used to be in, I received to pattern Volvo’s two high-end upholstery decisions for the EX90. Whereas certainly one of them had the Nordico artificial, which mixes in plant merchandise and appears a bit of simpler to scrub, my favourite of the 2 was the tailor-made wool mix, which mixes in recycled polyester and borrowed the comfy but breathable really feel of an outdoorsy wool sweater.
It’s simply a straightforward, comfy house general. A variety of heights and sizes will discover no challenge becoming into the primary two rows of seating, and the second features a built-in booster seat for smaller children. The third row is a pinch for taller individuals to get into and out of, however we discovered that 6-footers might match behind two successive 6-footers within the first and second rows. Entrance-seat house itself is huge, and the passenger aspect has an prolonged footwell that impresses as a ledge for sneakers (although Volvo informed me it’s there for security).
Cargo house isn’t but out in U.S. phrases, nevertheless it feels decidedly bigger on this space than the XC90, with the power-folding third row simply tapping into 50.2 inches of cargo ground from the again of the second row and probably greater than 80 inches for lengthy gadgets if you happen to fold the second row. Volvo teases with the thought of a frunk underneath the lengthy hood, and whereas it covers a large space it’s shallow and too divided-up by hard-plastic partitions to be all that helpful.
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
2025 Volvo EX90
Lidar, Pilot Help, V2X: A lot to make your world higher
Volvo’s security suite incorporates a lidar sensor for the primary time within the EX90, and it provides its active-safety programs an extended, extra correct look of the highway forward. Volvo says that it might assist reduce extreme accidents by 20%.
Pilot Help is Volvo’s appropriately named driver-assistance system supposed to assist with freeway driving, and it employs all the car’s security sensors round whereas on the lookout for the driving force’s arms on the wheel with capacitive sensors. However as of but, it takes a conservative method. Partaking it requires a tip down on the shift lever—to the place the “B” setting could be on some automobiles. Drivers can solely take their arms off the wheel for 14 seconds, and whereas one hand will be on the wheel whereas cruising alongside each arms have to be on the wheel earlier than it gives an assisted lane change. That type of defeats the aim, I discovered, and it’s very, very cautious about it so it’s merely not a function you’ll be utilizing in visitors.
Bidirectional charging is coming, by the way in which, within the type of a DC unit from Volvo companion dcbel that may function at as much as 25 kw relying on the scenario and is able to backing up the house, peak-shaving, or sending energy again to the grid. Extra particulars are coming quickly.
Now the onerous half: The EX90, as I examined it in Extremely trim, with the non-obligatory Bowers & Wilkins audio and 22-inch wheels, prices $94,640, together with the $1,295 vacation spot price. The beginning value for the EX90 is $81,290. That’s about $6,000 greater than the top-spec, all-wheel-drive Kia EV9 GT-Line, one other three-row SUV that helps bidirectional charging. And it seems that it’s going to not qualify for the EV tax credit score, at the least initially.
Finally it seems like Volvo has stored its priorities straight. The EX90 is a very new sort of car on the within and innovates in a protracted checklist of considerate methods. Those that get it received’t really feel a have to shout that out.
Volvo paid for journey bills in order that we might carry you this check drive overview.
