Often the dinner dialog at a first-drive occasion consists of journalists speaking about their favourite options of the brand new mannequin, what it’s prefer to drive or how they assume it stacks up in opposition to the competitors. However following our drive of the 2025 Volvo EX90, the model’s new flagship SUV that’s an electrical equal to the XC90, all we might speak about was how rattling quiet it’s.
The EX90 is genuinely one of many quietest automobiles I’ve ever been in — should you had been blindfolded, you’d be forgiven for pondering you had been using in a Rolls-Royce. That quietness extends to the EX90’s total philosophy, from its exterior design to the buttonless cabin structure and the way in which it drives. That is an especially good SUV that, regardless of some software program issues at launch, is already a standout within the luxurious EV area.
Full disclosure: Volvo invited me to drive all the way down to Newport Seaside to expertise the EX90. I used to be put up in a pleasant lodge for 2 nights and fed good meals, together with some glorious elote.
All of it begins with the EX90’s new SPA2 platform, which is shared with the Polestar 3. A 111-kWh battery pack (of which 107 kWh is usable) sits low within the flooring, and each model of the EX90, at the very least at first, could have an electrical motor at every axle for traditional all-wheel drive. The entry-level Twin Motor mannequin has 402 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, however on the drive occasion within the mountains east of Newport Seaside we solely get to pattern the Twin Motor Efficiency mannequin that has 510 hp and 671 lb-ft — rather a lot for a Volvo.
The Efficiency mannequin will hit 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, a full second faster than the fundamental Twin Motor, and whereas the EX90 actually feels fast, acceleration is a serene expertise. It doesn’t have the identical gut-punching instant torque off the road, as a substitute extra steadily constructing preliminary pace even when I put my foot down. There’s no electrical motor noise or pretend engine sounds right here, as a substitute simply complete quietness whilst I attain quick freeway speeds. Barely any wind, tire or highway noise will get into the EX90’s cabin. It actually is awfully quiet inside, to a degree that I used to be actually not anticipating, particularly not from a automobile that prices below $100,000.
Including to the EX90’s serenity is its glorious trip high quality. Extremely trim ranges just like the one I’m in get four-corner air suspension with twin chambers and electronically managed shocks that mechanically modify 500 occasions per second. 21-inch wheels are commonplace on the Extremely (20s on the bottom Plus trim) however my check automobile has the non-obligatory 22s carrying Pirelli Scorpion all-season tires; even with these massive wheels the EX90 glides over bumps and tough pavement, by no means getting unsettled or permitting any dangerous shudders by. Although not a sporty SUV by any means, the EX90 has properly weighted steering and stays flat by corners, and you may put the all-wheel-drive system right into a Efficiency mode to provide it a extra rear-biased setup.
Whereas nothing to write down house about in 2024, the EX90’s vary, charging and total effectivity are fairly aggressive too. With the 20- and 22-inch wheels, each powertrain variants could have an EPA score of 300 miles, whereas EX90s with 21s are rated at 310 miles. In the true world that determine appears simple to realize over a day of combined metropolis and freeway driving. The EX90 might be fast-charged at as much as 250 kW, adequate for a 10-to-80-percent cost in half-hour and may add 111 miles of vary in simply ten minutes. It’ll even be the primary Volvo to supply bi-directional charging, which can be utilized to energy units or ship power again to your own home or the grid.
Among the finest elements about driving the EX90 is the regenerative braking. Not like most different EVs which have one-pedal driving, lifting off the accelerator ends in gradual, linear deceleration as a substitute of sharp, instant deceleration. At first the regen doesn’t appear robust sufficient to return to a whole cease within the period of time or distance I’m used to from an EV, but it surely’s completely calibrated — just like the acceleration, it’s only a completely different curve than most different electrical vehicles, once more carried out for the pursuit of serenity. You may put the regen right into a center setting or flip it off fully, however I by no means would.
The EX90 is the primary manufacturing automobile to have a Lidar sensor, a Luminar unit positioned in a delicate hump on the high of the windshield, however Volvo isn’t benefiting from its performance but. The motive force-assist suite consists of 16 ultrasonic sensors, eight cameras and 5 radars, ultimately permitting for hands-free driving and a lot of superior security options, however for now you’re caught with pretty typical adaptive cruise management that has lane-keeping and steering help however nonetheless requires you to have a lightweight contact of the wheel. A primary for Volvo is computerized lane modifications, however you continue to need to provoke the transfer your self and preserve your fingers on the wheel, and the system is much more delicate than in vehicles like BMW and Mercedes that supply comparable options. Nonetheless, the EX90’s driver-assist programs work properly, if overly cautious as you would possibly anticipate from the security aware model.
Volvo went with an nearly fully buttonless strategy to the inside design and consumer expertise, which I discover to be fairly profitable. Within the middle of the sprint is a vertically oriented 14.5-inch touchscreen operating a google-based infotainment system, augmented by a slim display screen in entrance of the driving force. A row of local weather controls is at all times current on the backside of the middle display screen, with buttons and widgets above them which are customizable and mechanically show ceaselessly used or related features. The system is an enchancment over those in current Volvos, each higher to take a look at and simpler to make use of even whereas in movement. Some features are buried inside submenus, however often these objects are issues that house owners received’t recurrently want to make use of anyway. The native Google Maps navigation is superb, although it’s going to require a knowledge bundle to work, which is free for the primary 4 years. The 360-degree digital camera high quality is surprisingly mid, although.
A lot of folks each on the launch and on-line have complained concerning the window switches, that are just like the panned ones within the Volkswagen ID 4, however I don’t discover them to be that annoying. As a substitute of 4 separate switches, there are simply two, with a contact button to change between controlling the entrance or rear home windows. It’s a fairly apparent cost-cutting measure, however they’re not that troublesome to make use of, and I’m probably not an all-windows-down individual anyway. How usually are you actually needing to roll down all of your home windows tremendous rapidly?
There are some real teething points. Whereas I didn’t expertise any software program issues with the EX90s I drove, some others on this system encountered glitches and different minor points with the infotainment system and driver-assist options. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will include a future software program replace, however you may’t even get the programs by a wired connection but. Different options lacking at launch embody the sensible charging operate, and Volvo has stated the automobile will expertise a battery drainage concern that shall be mounted with an replace. It’s disappointing for a automobile that’s already popping out later than initially deliberate, however on the identical time I’ve seen new EVs from different manufacturers get rapidly, massively improved with OTA updates in methods past simply fixing bugs.
What was a giant drawback for me was the phone-as-key performance. Volvo had an iPhone for every automobile as a substitute of a bodily keyfob (which it’s important to pay additional for), however as a substitute of a fleshed-out app like what you get from BMW or Rivian, it’s only a card within the Apple Pockets that may lock or unlock the EX90. It solely unlocked on the primary strive perhaps a 3rd of the time, and the automobile ceaselessly didn’t acknowledge when the “key” was within the automobile, so it wasn’t in a position to activate even after I attempted utilizing the NFC connection within the middle console. There’s no begin/cease button within the EX90, so this meant on a number of events I used to be sitting within the automobile unable to drive it till the telephone was lastly acknowledged.
At the very least the remainder of the inside is so freakin’ good regardless of how a lot of a luddite you’re. The EX90 I spend probably the most time in has the non-obligatory Tailor-made Wool Mix upholstery, which is completely fantastic. Volvo is understood for making among the greatest seats within the enterprise and the EX90 hits that mark too, and the plush wool makes them even higher. It feels actually luxurious and particular, although I want you might get the remainder of the inside to be calmly coloured as a substitute of black. You will get the usual Nordico vegan leather-based in a lightweight Daybreak coloration scheme that’s discovered on the decrease sprint, door playing cards, armrests and different elements of the inside, which actually provides to the ethereal Scandinavian design. A set panoramic roof is commonplace, and regardless of the dearth of a sunshade I didn’t discover it to let in an excessive amount of gentle or warmth.
I actually love the Mild Ash wooden trim on the sprint, doorways and middle console, and at night time the ambient lighting is illuminated by the skinny wooden panels. All the metallic bits feel and look good too, however whereas the Nordico feels fairly good in some spots, elements of the cabin might do with extra padding, and the steering wheel feels fairly low cost. A premium inside possibility with a extra liberal use of high-end supplies could be welcome, however the EX90 does really feel price its pricetag. One other inside standout is the non-obligatory $3,200 Bowers & Wilkins sound system that has 1,610 watts of energy and 25 audio system, together with a tweeter within the sprint and audio system within the headrests, plus Dolby Atmos functionality. It’s a really nice system that’s amplified in its greatness by how quiet the automobile is.
Taking a look at it as a sensible three-row SUV the EX90 is successful, which actually is probably the most essential half. It has a ton of space for storing beneath the middle display screen, a well-placed wi-fi charger and large-enough cupholders within the middle console. The door playing cards have a very good quantity of area, The again seat is spacious and straightforward to step out and in of, and it’s a breeze to slip, recline or fold the second row of seats to get into the third row.
My 5-foot-9 self suits properly within the third row, regardless of the seat bases being mounted a lot increased than the second row’s, and there are USB-C chargers, local weather vents, cupholders and extra storage cubbies. A 3-across bench is commonplace, however for an additional $500 you may go for a pair of captain’s chairs within the second row, which get adjustable armrests that function among the coolest cupholders I’ve seen shortly.
Even with the third row up the EX90 has 10.9 cubic ft of cargo area, with 2.2 cubic ft accessible below the load flooring. There are buttons within the rear to rapidly fold the second and third rows up or down, which creates a very flat load flooring. The EX90 has 23.1 cubic ft of area behind the second row and 67.6 cubic ft behind the primary row. I have to put a disclaimer on these specs, although — Volvo says all of those cargo area figures are “below the load cowl,” as a substitute of measuring the entire accessible area, so I can’t give a correct comparability to different vehicles, but it surely actually felt comparable sufficient to the Rivian R1S and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. There’s a frunk, but it surely solely has 1.2 cubic ft of irregularly formed area.
The EX90 Plus begins at $81,290 together with vacation spot, getting you options like a head-up show, Bose sound system, a cabin air air purifier, four-zone local weather management, a warmth pump and all of Volvo’s security tech. The Extremely trim prices $85,640, including issues like fantastic massaging seats, soft-close doorways, laminated rear home windows and the air suspension. On each trims, the Efficiency powertrain is $5,000. That makes the EX90 barely pricier than the Rivian R1S, which isn’t as good to spend time in, and rather a lot cheaper than the Mercedes EQS, which is bigger and much more tech-heavy. Kia’s EV9 is extra inexpensive and spacious, however the EX90 simply has it beat on the luxe entrance.
Volvo already began manufacturing of the EX90 at its plant in South Carolina, which suggests it’ll keep away from any EV tariffs, although it’s too costly to get the federal tax credit score. That manufacturing facility at the moment additionally builds the S60, and Volvo says it has a capability of as much as 150,000 vehicles per 12 months. Hopefully Volvo actually can work out the EX90’s software program issues rapidly, however even in its present state the EX90 is without doubt one of the nicest luxurious SUVs on the market, electrical or not.
