VOLVO EX90

Is electric sibling of seven-seat XC90 flagship a worthy new torchbearer?

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As you might have read in our news pages recently (Autocar, 1 October), the Volvo EX90 is in line for some key upgrades in 2026. Principally, an 800V electrical architecture delivering faster charging and better efficiency.

It's an unusual situation for a car that's only been in the hands of UK owners for about a year and that, not so long ago, looked like a totem of Volvo's bold electric future.

After a delayed start at its US production base in Ridgeville, South Carolina, the car's commercial success has yet to really take off on our side of the pond. Year-to-date UK registrations for 2025 make it less than half as popular as the related Polestar 3 and a fifth as successful as the BMW iX.

Nevertheless, the EX90's status at the top of Volvo's UK model range is not in any doubt. This is our first chance to fully road test any version of the car, and to take Autocar's usual closely scrutinised, carefully considered view on it, which we're basing on a Twin Motor Ultra model.

DESIGN & ENGINEERING

PROS Smart, clean, familiar design; plenty of choice in terms of motors and layout

CONS Heavier than key rivals

The EX90 is the electric sister car of Volvo's seven-seat flagship SUV: the XC90. It is about 90mm longer than the XC90, putting it at a little over five metres at the kerb. Unlike many EVs that strike out into clear white space in design terms, this one was always clearly intended to modernise rather than reinvent its predecessor's image, which it does rather well.