Volvo EX90 review – a remarkable EV SUV, despite the price tag

Verdict – is the Volvo EX90 a good car?

The Volvo EX90 is a hugely impressive large electric SUV that feels well built and upmarket. It’s lavishly equipped with a beautiful interior that strikes a good balance between minimalism and usability and its large battery means it gets a decent range, but all that comes at a cost. We wish there were more affordable models aside from the Ultra trims that cost nearly £100,000 from launch. 

Volvo EX90 models, specs and alternatives

The Volvo EX90 is the next step in the Swedish marque’s push towards electrifying its lineup, and while it’s essentially the electric version of its long-standing XC90 large SUV, it’s based on a new electric-only underpinnings.

One look at the Volvo EX90 and it’s immediately clear that it’s the electric cousin of the combustion-engined XC90, because the brand has decided not to go for outlandish, quirky styling and has instead stuck with the same familiar silhouette. It’s unashamedly upright and boxy with a slightly tapered window line as it reaches the rear, and gets Volvo’s trademark ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights. While there’s no grille like the XC90 (the electric EX90 doesn’t need one), creases in the bodywork give the illusion of one, helping to maintain that family resemblance.

Top 10 best electric SUVs – the ones to buy in 2024

At the rear the EX90’s tail-lights are unique but still manage to echo those curvy units of the old XC90 – this time they’re split into distinct sections, with C-shaped elements joined by a full-width light bar lower down and vertical bar lights higher flanking the rear window higher up.

From launch, the Volvo EX90 is available with two power options – both of which get two motors providing four-wheel drive. The entry-level ‘Twin Motor’ produces 402bhp, but for added oomph there’s a ‘Twin Motor Performance’ model with 510bhp. The lineup is rather simple because you can only choose the EX90 in a sole ‘Ultra’ trim level – usually reserved for higher-spec versions of the brand’s cars – so that means it’s rather expensive, starting from just over £96,000. If you want the Performance model you’ll have to add over £4,000 to that figure. More affordable Core and Plus models could join the range later on.

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Large rival SUVs to the Volvo EX90 include premium alternatives such as the BMW iX, forthcoming Range Rover Electric, Tesla Model X and Mercedes EQS SUV. Less expensive seven-seater electric rivals include the Kia EV9 or even the Volkswagen ID.Buzz LWB.

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While the Volvo EX90 is designed as an electric model from the ground up, it’s quite heavy and big, so it’s not necessarily cheap to run. That said, every version has a large 111kWh battery (107kWh usable) so the EX90’s quoted range will be more than enough for most buyers, especially if you’re after a premium large electric SUV to use around town. Despite the extra power of the Twin Motor Performance, both models surprisingly have the same range figure of 375 miles.

Charging that battery can be done fairly quickly, with the Volvo EX90 capable of charging speeds up to 250kW. That means a 10-80% top up will take around half an hour, so despite the battery’s large size you won’t necessarily have to be left hanging around at a rest stop for too long.
 

How efficient is the Volvo EX90 in the real world?

The real-world range of electric vehicles is affected by the weather and temperature conditions, and that really is the case for the Volvo EX90. Volvo puts average efficiency at around 2.9 miles/kWh, but while we tested it in cold, wet weather in Berkshire in the UK, we achieved just 2.0miles/kWh. 

That’s despite the fact that the EX90 gets a heat pump fitted as standard to help keep the battery at optimum operating temperatures to preserve range. We found we got 170 miles from a 70% charge of our car, and activating dual-motor mode decreased this even further to just 140 miles, so be aware that exploiting the EX90’s full potential will make it much less efficient.

When we first tested the Volvo EX90 in favourable conditions on the west coast of the USA we achieved around 3.0miles/kWh which would have meant a range of around 320 miles. While that’s down on the official quoted range, it’s not terribly far off. 

What will the Volvo EX90 cost to insure?

Unfortunately the Volvo EX90 is a rather premium vehicle and it sits in the highest insurance group 50 out of 50 making it very expensive to insure. For reference, the BMW iX starts in group 47, while higher-spec models also sit in the top group 50 out of 50.

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From launch, the Volvo EX90 is solely available as a twin-motor model with all-wheel drive in two guises. Entry level cars are called Twin Motor, while a more powerful Twin Motor Performance model is also available. Volvo will be introducing a more affordable single-motor model – nothing is confirmed yet, but we suspect it could borrow the 295bhp motor from the Polestar 3.

The EX90 is a very heavy car, and as a result Volvo has developed a fancy system that juggles and distributes the power to the inside and outside wheels to make it feel nimbler and better at cornering. Adaptive suspension is standard and as a result the ride quality is very good, although one drawback to the massive 22-inch wheels is that it’s not quite as supple as it could be. We are splitting hairs here, though, because the EX90 doesn’t feel wallowy or fidgety, but nicely balanced.

The EX90 is easy to drive, too – it gets full one-pedal driving which means you can simply release the accelerator and it will activate regenerative braking automatically to bring you to a complete stop, and put some kinetic energy back into the battery.

There’s a small amount of road noise when riding on the large 22-inch wheels, but it really only amounts to a distant murmur at motorway speeds. Wind noise is kept to a minimum, too, with just a slight whistle from the wing mirrors.

Is the Volvo EX90 good to drive in town?

The Volvo EX90’s electric powertrain means it’s great for driving around town because it’s quiet and civilised. Despite its large size, the EX90 is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre in tighter environments; it’s helped by its predictable, boxy shape and plenty of gadgets and sensors to help with parking. At slower speeds the EX90’s ride can suffer from some fidgeting over potholes and other imperfections exacerbated by its large 22-inch alloys, so we hope the future more affordable models might get smaller wheels to mitigate this.

Is the Volvo EX90 good to drive on long journeys?

The Volvo EX90 will be well suited to long journeys thanks to the well-insulated serene atmosphere inside the cabin. With all that power, both the Twin Motor and Twin Motor performance cars are great cars to confidently overtake on the motorway, and the suspension does a great job of ironing out those road imperfections at higher speeds.

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Is the Volvo EX90 good to drive on B-roads?

The Volvo EX90 is a heavy car and there’s no getting around that. Weaving the large SUV through tight bends can reveal this fact – it doesn’t roll terribly and does feel composed, but it does feel hefty from behind the wheel. The standard-fit air suspension does a great job of keeping the EX90 composed and comfortable at the same time, however, and you might be surprised at how well it performs for a large unassuming SUV. 

Carbuyer notes

“The driving dynamics of the EX90 are much better than you might imagine and probably more competent than it needs to be if it’s to go after traditional buyers of XC90s.”  Alastair Crooks, Senior News Reporter

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Volvo’s interior aesthetic has long been about Swedish minimalism, and the EX90 builds on this theme without compromising too much on usability. Unlike the Volvo EX30, the brand has included a driver’s display rather than everything being shown on the central infotainment, which we’re glad to see and makes for a more intuitive experience.

While the steering wheel buttons are touch-sensitive, we’re happy to report that they’re good and intuitive to use. One thing we don’t like, however, are the three-button window switches – one is used to toggle between front or rear, and the other two then control the right or left side. We much prefer the conventional four-button layout.

The quality of the cabin feels top-notch – as it should for a car pushing almost £100,000. It’s well built and the materials used, such as the leather and wool upholstery, both feel very upmarket. The seats are very comfortable to sit in whilst still providing lots of support for when you’re on the move.

Is the Volvo EX90’s infotainment and navigation system easy to use?

The EX90’s digital dials and head-up display are easy to read and we appreciate that all the information isn’t crammed onto one central display like in a Tesla or the Volvo EX30. 

The main infotainment screen runs Android Automotive software (not to be confused with Android Auto) and is very responsive and snappy. We like the fact that Volvo has moved to this system because it includes Google Maps as standard which includes very up-to-date traffic information and can be routed to include charge stops. Once you set a route, the navigation is also shown in the instrument cluster so you don’t have to take your eyes too far off the road.

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Is the Volvo EX90 well equipped?

The Volvo EX90 is very well equipped, but as a very high-end large SUV currently only available in a sole Ultra trim level – the top-spec trim for other cars in the brand’s lineup – it should be. It gets a heat pump as standard, which should help preserve range in the winter months by conditioning the battery to optimal temperatures. On the inside, there’s four-zone climate control so even the rear-most passengers in the third row get air conditioning.

The Bowers and Wilkins stereo with Dolby Atmos is a particular highlight, and we like the sheer amount of USB-C ports dotted around the cabin, meaning all occupants are well catered for to charge their devices.

Launch models don’t currently come with Apple CarPlay and some of the advanced driver assistance systems are absent, but they will be added later free of charge via an over-the-air (OTA) update. It’s possible Volvo will introduce Core and Plus trims below the Ultra for a more affordable option, but the Volvo EX90 is and always will be a premium car.

What options should you choose on the Volvo EX90?

Volvo includes some optional extras for the Volvo EX90 including a dog gate if you need to transport around your four-legged friend, for £860, neck cushions for added comfort, each costing £40 or even a three-year subscription to Vodafone’s Vehicle Tracking System S5 for added peace of mind from theft.

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The Volvo EX90 is a very large car – wider and longer, in fact, than the Volvo XC90. The Volvo EX90 can seat up to seven people, with luxurious levels of space to stretch out in the front row and loads of headroom in the middle row, although legroom could be better – slide the middle row back, however, and you free up more foot space at the expense of the rear-most row. In reality the rearmost two seats are best for children – in fact, Volvo has included ISOFIX points right back there, which is impressive in a seven-seater. There are even cupholders on that furthest row, while middle-row occupants have to fold down the central armrest to store their drinks.

Does the Volvo EX90 have a big boot?

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As you’d expect from such a large car, the EX90 sports an impressively large boot. Even with all seats folded up you get a supermini-rivalling 310 litres of boot space. Fold the third row down at the touch of a button and you free up 655 litres of space to the windowline or even more if you’re happy to stack items to the roof at the cost of rear visibility. Fold down the middle and rearmost row and you get a whopping 1,915 litres of space. The Mercedes EQS SUV does boast a little more space in official figures, but the EX90’s upright stance means it’s arguably more practical. The Tesla Model X is even more practical, however, with a cavernous boot in the back and even a frunk with a further 183 litres of space.
 

Is the Volvo EX90 a good tow car?

The Volvo EX90 is capable of towing a braked weight of up to 2,200kg. That should be more than enough to pull a small caravan, but be aware that the EX90’s range will be significantly reduced by towing.

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Volvo as a brand comes smack bang in the middle of the pack when it comes to customer satisfaction, with the brand ranked in 16th out of 32 manufacturers that featured in our 2024 Driver Power survey. Buyers love the brand’s interiors, comfort and legroom as well as the fit and finish of its cars. Buyers are less impressed with the engines, running costs and value for money of Volvo’s cars. In terms of reliability, 26% of owners reported having an issue with their Volvo in the first year of ownership, which is slightly worse than average.
 

How safe is the Volvo EX90?

Volvo is a name synonymous with safety, so as you’d expect, there’s loads of safety kit on the Volvo EX90. Euro NCAP itself has not yet tested the Volvo EX90, but you can bet Volvo itself has, so it will be expecting to receive a five-star rating once tested independently. The EX90 gets side-impact protection, whiplash protection and run-off-road protection technology. Cross-traffic alert will warn you and even brake for you if you’re about to drive into the path of traffic, while there’s also a blind-spot warning and steering assist function. The car also monitors your attention and warns if you’re distracted, but we found the system was thankfully not overly intrusive.

What are the Volvo EX90 service intervals?

Volvo recommends getting your car serviced every year or every 10,000 miles, whichever comes first. Volvo says as part of its Volvo Service Promise, your car will receive 12 months’ complimentary Volvo Roadside Assistance and a car wash.

What is the warranty on the Volvo EX90?

Every new Volvo comes with a warranty covering you for up to three years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Paintwork is covered for up to three years with no mileage limit, and the EX90’s battery will be covered for eight years of 100,000 miles. These are not particularly impressive warranties and are about the industry standard. Other luxury brands like Lexus continue your warranty for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles so long as you service your car at a main dealer every year or 10,000 miles, which speaks volumes about the trust that brand puts into its cars.

Should you buy a Volvo EX90?

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The Volvo EX90 is an impressive seven-seater large electric SUV. It’s an incredibly serene car to travel, feeling very civilised and insulated from the world outside. The interior is minimalist, yet the car’s functions are intuitive to use. There’s plenty of space for seven passengers, though children would be best suited to the rearmost row of seats.

The EX90 feels very powerful in either guise, making motorway cruising and overtaking a breeze. Despite the impressive power figures, though, the Volvo EX90 is best suited to leisurely driving because there’s no getting away from its hefty weight through more challenging corners.

We think the official range of around 374 miles to a charge is impressive for a car of this size and weight, and that should prove enough for most buyers. The only problem with the EX90 really is its high price tag – the entry-level Twin Motor almost breaches the £100,000 and it wouldn’t be hard to pass that once you’ve chosen a colour and some options. It may be a lot of money to spend, but the EX90 is one of the best upmarket electric SUVs on sale.

What is the Carbuyer pick of the Volvo EX90 range?

Although the Twin Motor Performance model packs an extra 108bhp, we’d stick to the 402bhp Twin Motor model; it’s more than enough for the EX90 and it’s a car that’s best suited to calmer driving anyway. The power provided on the Twin Motor entry-level car is good enough for motorway cruising and overtaking, and we couldn’t justify moving up to the more potent Performance.

Volvo EX90 alternatives

There are some direct premium electric SUV rivals to the EX90 including the Tesla Model X, Mercedes EQS SUV and BMW iX, though the latter of those doesn’t come with a seven-seat option. If the priority is seven-seat practicality and you’re not as bothered about having an upmarket edge, the Kia EV9 is a great option as well as the Peugeot E-5008.

• Tesla Model X
• Mercedes EQS SUV
• BMW iX
• Kia EV9
• Peugeot E-5008

How we tested the Volvo EX90

We tested the Volvo EX90 in Berkshire, UK in December 2024 in cold, wet conditions and on the west coast of USA in August 2024 in favourable weather conditions.