Volvo EX90 review: Impressive but pricey seven-seat electric SUV

Volvo doesn’t release big SUVs often. The first XC90 was launched in 2002, the current model arrived in 2014 (although it’s being refreshed this year) and now the all-electric EX90 is here – late, by Volvo’s own admission. And it’s another great, practical, beautifully built SUV with some seriously impressive tech, all linked into core computers that are powered by Nvidia, with other top tech partners on board, too.

However, not all of the tech will work for the first year it’s on sale – like the lidar safety system that relies on the odd-looking ‘peaked cap’ at the top of the windscreen.

If that doesn’t worry you – and Volvo is being very transparent about it with new owners – you’ll own a comfortable and spacious seven-seater, although there’s marginally less headroom in the third row of seats than in the XC90. The style and quality inside is superb, while the giant 14.5-inch touchscreen is Google powered, but some might find some of the controls a couple of taps away from the home screen frustrating.

On the road the EX90 is comfortable and quiet, creating the perfect environment to enjoy the sensational 25-speaker Dolby Atmos sound system by British hi-fi experts Bowers & Wilkins.

My first drive of the EX90 was in California on the international launch. As well as driving on the highways and twistier stuff up in the hills east of LA, I made sure I tested the car in all seven seats and even took it to a shopping mall to see how easy it was to park.

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Independent rating: 6/10

A big car (and this five-meter car is over 2.5 tonnes) needs plenty of power, and the EX90 gets a 111kWh battery with twin motors; one at the front and one at the back.

Initially there will be a standard 403bhp version and the 510bhp Performance model we drove, both offering an identical claimed range of 374 miles and the more powerful and more expensive version managing to crack 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds (the other model is only a second slower). Although you can play around with the settings, you’re best to leave the EX90 in its most comfort-orientated mode where the ride is pretty comfortable, but super-quiet.

Cameras help with manoeuvring and the door mirrors are usefully large and you sit with an imperious view of the road ahead, although the front windscreen does feel a little shallow.

Thankfully with the big battery, fast charging is available with a 250kW fast charger taking the car from 10 to 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes.

Volvo’s design team have produced a stunningly simplistic interior that’s cool and contemporary, using high-quality sustainable materials.

It’s bright, too, thanks to the enormous panoramic sunroof, while there are plenty of cup holders, USB charging points and storage spaces dotted around.

The third row seats offer okay space for kids – an adult can clamber back and would be okay on shorter journeys, especially if those in the second row pulled their seat forward slightly. And Volvo’s brilliant integrated child booster seat pops out of the armrest in the centre of the middle row, too.

There’s actually decent luggage space with all seats in place – at 310 litres it’s about the same as you’d get in a supermini like a Ford Fiesta. The two rear seats fold or rise electrically and with them down you get 655 litres of space. With all five rear seats folded, there’s a huge 1,915 litres of space.

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The stary attraction inside the EX90 is the standard 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system featuring Dolby Atmos surround sound – it’s truly sensational. There’ll also be a clever Bowers & Wilkins app (via another over-the-air software download next year) that you can use to replicate the famous Abbey Road studios.

Like pretty much everything else on the EX90, it’s controlled via the 14.5-inch touchscreen which also takes care of navigation and phone controls, and you even need to use it to adjust the door mirrors and steering wheel position or open the glovebox.

Some might feel you need to use the touchscreen for too many things, but as it’s Google powered, voice control works well. We would like to be able to personalise some of the options on the screen to avoid having to do too many taps to get to some of the functions, while Apple CarPlay is another piece of tech that will come with software updates next year.

This is an expensive Volvo. The model we tested costs over £100,000 – seeing that many zeroes alongside the word Volvo takes some getting used to. As is usually the case, the most expensive cars are launched first for the early adopters who, in this case, won’t get all the functionality they might expect until next year.

At some stage, single motor (ie not four-wheel drive) versions will come along, which will drop the price considerably, possibly down to around £80,000. We reckon one of those, when all the tech is working properly and with a Bowers & Wilkins audio system, will be the sweet spot of the range.

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On a 250kW fast charger, you’ll get from 10 to 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes

The only two versions on sale now cost £96,000 and over £100,000. Expensive for a Volvo? You be the judge, but it made us gulp. Slightly cheaper versions will come, apparently

The batteries are covered by an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

There’s no doubt the EX90 is an impressive EV – and one of only a few with seven seats. The interior is lovely, it’s relaxing to be in and drive, and has the best audio system in a car I’ve ever experienced.

But only the more expensive models are on sale currently, and the first owners will have to wait for a software update in 2025 for some of the most exciting tech to start working.