FIRST DRIVE: Volvo EX90 lays on electric luxury

The new all-electric Volvo EX90 has officially been revealed globally, and we travelled to California for the test and feel of what is the battery-powered version of the internal combustion engined XC90.

The XC90 luxury SUV did well for Volvo, recording 60,158 global sales in 2023. It is stylish, luxurious and drives sublimely. However, according to Volvo, the EX90 is even better and it’s the best Volvo ever made.

The SUV is unmistakably handsome. It features a closed-off grille area with dominant “Thor’s hammer” LED lights, which have the special ability to open up somewhat robotically to reveal the headlamps and close again when no longer needed.

The rear is also true to Volvo’s tail-light design, making the SUV recognisable while gearing towards a more modern and futuristic feel. If you have seen the smaller EX30, which launched recently in SA, you’ll realise how similar they are in design.

At the US launch, the seven-seater EX90, measuring 5,070mm in length and 1,744mm in height, was on offer. This large size makes it an ideal family car offering optimal space even in the third row, which we know is typically not for full-sized adults. The third row provided good leg room without having to sit sideways, and good head space as well.

With the seats up, you have 375l of boot space and a sizeable 1,010l with the rear seats folded.

In the front, the dash design and materials are clean, simple and speak to their Scandinavian design. A mixture of light-hued wood and white and grey upholstery contrasting with the black bits of the cabin looks good, and is familiar to Volvo.

Above the multifunctional steering wheel is a smaller digital screen for driver info and a 14.5-inch centred digital infotainment screen, which comes with Google apps and services built in. On launch, however, the system was without Apple CarPlay, but Volvo said it would soon be available after an “over-the-air” update.

Music can be streamed using the new Bowers & Wilkins audio system featuring Dolby Atmos as a Volvo first, which can be enjoyed even more on the headrest-integrated speakers, really giving the most immersive sound I’ve ever heard in any car.

The XC90’s crystal gear selector is replaced with a shifter behind the steering wheel in the EX90. The cabin lets in a lot of light from its large panoramic glass top but comes with no closing shutter and it can get a bit too hot in the cabin.

The EX90 comes with phone key technology as standard. The smartphone Volvo app serves as your car key and automatically unlocks the car and starts a personal welcoming sequence as you approach. We were able to use both the phone key with a key card, but it wasn’t always seamless as it would sometimes fail to recognise the key in the car. This is one of the things we hope Volvo will look into before the car is released for sales. Volvo did mention that this version of the software we have tested was not entirely customer-ready.

One need not start the ignition, simply engaging the gear into drive will start the car moving. We headed out on an hour-long drive to Callaway Winery, with the road showing off its mountainous beauty along the windy roads. The car handled the twisty roads quite well and felt agile. It is admittedly an urban car and not a corner chaser, but the ride proved engaging and held itself together on those twisties.

It felt smooth on the almost perfect Californian roads and quiet, as almost no road noise intruded into the cabin. The car does feel lighter than expected and has adaptive air suspension. Driver engagement is impressive with minimal body roll.

Power is ample from its initially available 111kWh battery, which powers two electric motors with a combined output of 380kW/910Nm, and a claimed 600km range. We will properly test this once we receive the model in SA, which is projected to be in the first quarter of 2025.

Two derivatives will be made available: the Twin Motor Ultra and the Twin Motor Performance Ultra, with local pricing to be announced closer to the time.

Our verdict? This is a thoroughly impressive car with tech galore, a spacious seven-seat cabin, looks to boot and overall elevated feel and driving capabilities.