2025 Volvo EX90 review

Just as Matthew McConaughey went through the McConaissance, so too has Volvo been on a spectacular journey of reinvention. Once known as the builder of boxy (and possibly daggy) wagons, Volvo has since positioned itself as the maker of thoroughly modern and genuinely desirable premium SUVs to rival the very best from BMW, Audi and Mercedes – often for less money.

And now another key chapter in Volvo’s resurgence has arrived: the all-new, and all-electric, EX90. Essentially an electric evolution of Volvo’s ageing, but still excellent, XC90 large SUV, the EX90’s key difference is that it’s the first Volvo built on a dedicated EV platform.

This brings a host of benefits, such as greater cabin space, faster charging, a big leap in technology, and still more advanced active safety systems (impeccable safety credentials are a Volvo hallmark, after all). So does the seven-seat EX90 continue Volvo’s renaissance? And could it be the best electric premium SUV on sale right now? Let’s find out.

How much does the 2025 Volvo EX90 cost?

There are two versions of the EX90: the entry-level Plus, which retails for $124,990 before on-road costs, or the more powerful and better equipped flagship EX90 Ultra for $134,990. Both versions share the same core underpinnings: a large 111kW battery in the middle, two electric motors (one per axle), and three rows of seats as standard. Driving range is also identical across the range and is a respectable 570km on the WLTP cycle.

As you’d hope at this price point, standard equipment levels are generous across both models, so choosing which version to buy will largely come down to how fast you want your large family SUV to be. Plus versions produce 300kW and 770Nm, which is enough to propel the 2.8-tonne EX90 from 0-100km/h in a hot-hatch like 5.9 seconds.

Ultra versions, meanwhile, up the ante considerably to 380kW and 910Nm and boast a 0-100km/h dash of just 4.9 seconds. The Ultra also scores twin-chamber air suspension as standard, which improves both control and ride comfort, although this can be optioned on the base car for $2308.

No matter which version you choose, you’ll be scoring a lot of car for your money. Compared to its combustion-powered predecessor, the XC90, the EX90 is slightly longer at 5037mm (+87mm), a touch wider at 1964mm (+41mm) and a fraction lower at 1747mm (-27mm).

The result is a family car with an impressive amount of cabin and luggage space and, crucially, a third row of seats – something missing from all the EX90’s premium rivals. The Audi Q8 (from $180,200), BMW iX ($142,900) and Mercedes EQE ($136,600) are five-seaters only.

It means the EX90’s most logical electric rival is actually the Kia EV9, which costs between $97,000-$124,000. Like the Volvo, the EV9 is a seven seater as standard, although it has a longer wheelbase and wider form factor, meaning you score even more interior space. The Kia, however, can’t compete with the Volvo for interior quality, cabin refinement or driving dynamics.

Like all Volvos, the EX90 is covered by a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty. A key difference, however, is five years of free servicing within the purchase price for EX90 buyers. This also provides wear and tear coverage for consumables like filters and brake pads and should save owners thousands in maintenance costs.

What is the 2025 Volvo EX90 like inside?

In a word, beautiful. Volvo makes some of the best interiors in the business and the EX90 is no different thanks to its minimalist Scandi-cool design, excellent build quality, and rich mix of high-quality materials. Even better, though, while there’s a strong focus on luxury (especially in the front seats) it hasn’t come at the expense of the EX90’s main purpose: ferrying seven people about in supreme comfort.

Middle row passengers will find they have plenty of head, toe and knee room, and because they’re set on rails each of the middle seats can slide forward or back individually to liberate more luggage or passenger space.

Being built on a dedicated EV platform also means there’s no bulky transmission tunnel to contend with and every EX90 scores quad-zone climate control with dedicated air vents at the rear of the centre console and in the B-pillars. Volvo’s hallmark integrated booster seat also features in the middle seat. Vision is excellent and the cabin has a light and airy feel, helped in part by the enormous panoramic sunroof that comes as standard.

Access to the third row is easy (even while juggling shopping or a screaming toddler) and while the rearmost seats can feel a touch upright, there’s enough room for adults on short trips and plenty for kids over longer distances. Volvo says the third row is designed for passengers below 170cm and that feels about right.

Dedicated air vents and USB-C charging ports are included in the third row and when not in use the rearmost seats can be electrically lowered into the floor to liberate 655 litres of luggage space. With the third row up, that figure shrinks to 365 litres.

The best seats in the house, however, are at the front. Wow factor arrives in the form of a huge 14.5-inch centre touchscreen, sublimely comfortable seats, and tactile finishes such as pale wood inlays and (in models fitted with the powerful 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system) metal speaker grilles that look like Remington shavers.

A downside of the minimalist aesthetic is that many key functions are now buried in the centre touchscreen. This isn’t too much of an issue, because the screen itself is fast and responsive, but needing to dive into sub-menus to adjust your wing mirrors or other driving-related functions including the level of regenerative braking and suspension modes is needlessly fiddly and distracting.

Cabin storage is another area that’s good rather than great. While there’s plenty of room to place things in or under the centre console, the door pockets in both rows are on the skinny side and can only fit a 600ml water bottle. The middle row also only has cup holders in the centre armrest, so if all three seats are in use you’re fresh out of space to store a takeaway coffee or a kid’s water bottle.

What equipment does the 2025 Volvo EX90 come with?

Befitting a car costing upwards of $130k, the EX90 is armed with a high level of standard equipment. Highlights on the entry-level Plus include 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, four-zone climate control, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, an expansive panoramic sunroof that filters out 95 per cent of harmful UV light, and a powered tailgate.

A head-up display is also standard, as is wireless phone charging, and Volvo’s infotainment software is powered by Google, meaning built-in functionality for apps like Google Maps and Google Assistant. Over-the-air updates are also included to ensure owners can upgrade to the latest software and active safety systems without needing to visit a dealer.

Paying an extra $10,000 for the EX90 Ultra brings matrix headlight technology that can mask out oncoming traffic, larger 22-inch alloys with air suspension and adaptive dampers, ventilated seats with massage function, and it also replaces the base car’s Bose sound system with a more powerful, and hugely impressive, Bowers & Wilkins unit with 25 speakers.

Alternatively, you can option air suspension and the B&W sound system on a base EX90 Plus for $2308 each, which would bring the total to $129,606 before on-roads and be our pick for value and the best possible ride quality given the Plus’s smaller 20-inch alloys.

Eight exterior colours are available and each is included for no additional cost, which is a nice touch.

How safe is the 2025 Volvo EX90?

Volvo execs didn’t pull any punches when it came to describing the EX90’s safety credentials. “The EX90 is designed to be the safest Volvo ever,” proclaimed business program manager Marten Wahlstedt at the Australian launch. “And with over-the-air updates, you can evolve the [many active safety] systems over time.”

As well as a plethora of airbags (dual front, curtain for all rows, driver’s knee), the EX90 uses an array of 12 ultrasonic sensors, eight cameras, five radars and one lidar scanner to build a 360-degree view of the world around the car in order to spot and react to (or even predict) potential hazards.

Of course, technology is only as good as its calibration, and this is where Volvo’s long-standing focus on safety comes to the fore. Rather than beep and bong incessantly at perceived threats (like many new cars entering the market), our EX90 was remarkably calm and quiet during our time behind the wheel, only intervening gently when required. Exactly as a safety system should.

The Volvo EX90 is yet to receive an official crash rating either from ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but we’d be beyond surprised if it received anything lower than five stars.

What is the 2025 Volvo EX90 like to drive?

The first thing that strikes you is just how quiet it is. And not just because there isn’t a petrol engine to disturb the peace. The EX90 rides on an all-new EV platform that is 50 per cent stiffer than a regular XC90’s and one of its key benefits is fewer noise and vibration pathways into the cabin.

The result is a big family SUV that’s whisper quiet on the highway at 110km/h, even on 20- or 22-inch wheels shod with rubber wide enough to make a Porsche 911 blush.

Outright performance is another strong suit. While the 300kW/770Nm Plus is what we’d call swift rather than fast, it’s certainly powerful enough to make decisive overtakes a breeze, but in the 380kW/910Nm Ultra you have enough grunt at your disposal to pin yourself (and your startled/laughing passengers) back in your seat under hard acceleration.

Perhaps wary of the amount of performance on tap, Volvo has given the EX90 a relaxed throttle calibration, meaning it eases on its performance in the initial part of the travel rather than giving you everything all at once.

One-pedal driving is available (there are no levels of regen to play with; it’s either on or off) but it’s how the EX90 tackles a twisty road that’s really surprising. Volvo has resisted the temptation to give its big family SUV sporty pretensions, instead focusing on a chassis set-up that prioritises comfort over agility.

Plus versions use a nicely judged steel spring and passive damper setup to filter out all but the nastiest bumps, but it’s the dual-chamber air suspension in the higher spec Ultra that delivers a waftier and more relaxing ride. Our pick? Go for a Plus on the smaller 20-inch alloys but tick the option for the air springs.

No matter the set-up, Volvo’s focus on suspension comfort hasn’t come at the expense of control. Far from feeling wallowy and softly sprung, the EX90 is calm and composed on quick back roads, delivering a level of accuracy and surety that belies its 2.8-tonne heft.

In typical Volvo fashion the steering is light to the point of being lifeless, but it is unwaveringly accurate and while the EX90 never actively encourages you to drive it hard, it more than holds its own dynamically when you do.

As for efficiency, our 150km test loop saw us return 24kWh/100km suggesting a real-world range of around 450km. The EX90 accepts up to 250kW DC fast charging, which can provide a 10-80 per cent top up in 30 minutes.

Open Road’s take on the 2025 Volvo EX90

Safe, handsome, roomy, quiet and fun to drive: it’s easy to mount an argument that the EX90 isn’t just the best electric seven-seat SUV you can buy right now, but perhaps the best premium SUV full stop, regardless of whether it’s powered by petrol, diesel or electricity.

It’s not perfect – some of the touchscreen functionality isn’t ideal and interior storage isn’t as generous as we expected – and you might also wonder if the exterior styling evolves Volvo’s design language enough.

But as a large family SUV the EX90 is impressively convincing. It feels well engineered, with a level of attention to detail and thoughtfulness missing from many of its rivals. The renaissance continues.

What we liked:

• Impeccable safety credentials
• Impressively quiet and comfortable
• Cabin is luxurious, roomy and well equipped

What could be better:

• Too many functions buried in the centre screen
• Cabin storage could be better
• Is the exterior styling a touch derivative?