Volvo EX90 review: Is it ahead of BMW, Mercedes and Audi?
For a long time, the XC90 was the only seven-seat car in Volvo's range.
When the first generation model came out in 2003, it became a very popular car with families looking for something safe, practical and pretty reliable. Then, when the second generation car came out, it continued that same legacy with more technology, new engines and different styling.
Now, however, there is a new seven-seat Volvo for customers to try. It's called the EX90, and it’s an electric SUV that ushers in a host of new technology that you can expect to see on Volvos for many years to come.
But is this latest car from the Swedish firm good enough to stand up to increasingly efficient competition? And can it really be a true successor to the hugely successful XC90 whilst standing up against the EV9? Read on to find out...
Sitting on a bespoke new platform called SPA2, all versions of the new EX90 use a 111kWh (107kWh usable) floor-mounted battery that is good for 374 miles of range. In the Performance variant, you get two permanent magnet synchronous motors - one on the front axle and one on the rear - producing a total of 510bhp and 671lb ft.
That means that this 2712kg SUV can go from 0-62mph in 4.9sec and on to a top speed of 112mph. More importantly, however, is the fact that its efficiency is set at 2.9mpkWh, which is more than the Kia EV9 and about the same as the BMW iX.
More sedate versions will become available in time. For example, the standard model will offer 402bhp and a 0-62mph time of 5.9sec, which is still pretty quick.
Notably, the battery is able to charge at speeds of up to 250kW, which means you should be able to charge it from 10% to 80% in around half an hour.
The ride is also quite good. Even when fitted with 22in alloys (which come as standard), the EX90 is very supple at high speeds which makes it a great car for longer journeys.
Of course, a couple of reasons for this are its dual-chamber air suspension and its ability to offer the driver different settings for both the dampers and steering. You can either have a 'soft' or 'firm' option, and if you keep both in the 'soft' setting, you will get the best out of the EX90.
The drivetrain also only gets two settings - standard or performance. Standard mode keeps it more comfortable and relaxing, whereas performance significantly sharpens up the throttle response.
With 510bhp at your disposal, the acceleration is, shall we say, brisk; almost too brisk for a car of this size and weight. Even the standard 402bhp version will be fast enough without becoming unpleasant when you put your foot down.
How about handling? Well, if you do put it in performance mode and you decide you want to give the steering a work out on a twisty road, the EX90 corners remarkably well for a car of its size.
Its body roll is tightly controlled, there is a lot of grip and, even though it isn't the most involving or engaging car, you respect what it can do considering its size.
With respect to its size, it is 5037mm long, 2039mm wide and 1747mm tall. This makes it slightly bigger than the BMW iX and Kia EV9, but thanks to its clever styling it actually looks smaller than it is.
How does it stack up against its main rivals, then? Specifically, the Kia EV9, which is one of our favourite electric SUVs. The Kia immediately scores one point because of its price - it is available from around £73,000 (€86,000) in twin motor form, whereas the EX90 costs around £100,000 (€120,000).
Inside, it is easy to get comfortable in any row. The rearmost seats are a bit cramped and so can only be used for shorter journeys, but children should be fine.
The Kia is also a bit more spacious inside and makes better use of its space, with more cup holders and cubby holes than you are likely to need.
The fact is that the price gap between the two is significant, which means that the Volvo is going to have to work very hard in order to win favour over customers.
Its on-board technology should help it with this, because its large, 14.5in touchscreen has the ability to receive over-the-air updates and its satellite navigation uses a Google-based operating system, which means it is quite intuitive to use.
You also get a digital instrument display and a head-up display to make it easier to read your speed, electric range and charge state.
One problem with the system, however, is that a lot of basic functions are accessed via menus buried in the touchscreen. These include the glovebox release and steering wheel adjustment, which is irritating.
Overall, though, there is plenty to like about the new EX90. It has some great new features - some dictated by software and some not - that make it quite compelling, but it also has some shortcomings that need to be ironed out.
Once they are, though, this electric SUV will eventually become a very nice replacement for the beloved XC90.
