2025 Volvo EX90 Road Test and Review

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

The 2025 Volvo EX90 is a battery-electric three-row SUV that has a number of commonalities with its extremely popular sibling, the Volvo XC90. From exterior styling to interior design to its emphasis on advanced safety, the EX90 resembles its gasoline-fueled running mate in virtually every aspect. But in most areas, it takes the luxury-family SUV to the next level. Generally, that is a very good thing, but in some instances, as we’ll detail, you might wish for the solid familiarity of the XC90.

Battery-Electric Powertrains

At the heart of the Volvo EX90 is a dual-motor electric setup available in two closely related flavors — Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance. The former delivers 408 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque, while the Performance variant boosts output to an even more formidable 517 horsepower and 671 lb-ft of torque. Either one delivers satisfying acceleration despite the EX90’s three-ton curb weight.

Both configurations employ front and rear permanent magnet synchronous motors with intelligent torque vectoring to get the most out of their whirring rotors. During light driving, only the front motor engages to conserve energy, but hit the accelerator, and the rear motor kicks in for added punch. Drivers can opt for “Constant AWD” if full-time all-wheel drive is preferred, offering maximum grip in demanding weather or terrain. This advanced powertrain is regulated by real-time onboard computing that constantly analyzes grip, torque distribution, and efficiency. During our early test drive of the EX90, it worked just fine.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Performance and Efficiency

Despite its substantial mass, the EX90 moves with surprising agility. Thanks to the instant torque of its electric motors, the Performance model can hit 0–60 mph in under five seconds, impressive for a vehicle that comfortably seats seven.

Ride quality is another highlight. Volvo engineers tuned the suspension to deliver composed handling, with minimal body roll for an SUV of its size and height. When in use, the one-pedal drive mode enables smooth stops using regenerative braking and is tuned well enough to be used daily without it feeling jarring or “grabby.”

The EX90’s 111 kWh battery (107 kWh usable) enables up to 310 miles (EPA-estimated) on a full charge. With 21-inch wheels, both standard and Performance powertrains get 84 MPGe estimates from the EPA for combined driving. At 250kW DC fast-charging speeds, Volvo says drivers can go from a 10% charge to an 80% in just 30 minutes. In ideal conditions, you can add over 100 miles in under 10 minutes. Of course, real-world range and charging times will vary, but Volvo’s smart battery preconditioning, which preps the battery for fast charging based on navigation, helps keep things predictable.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Exterior Design

Let’s step back for a second and look at the EX90’s sleek exterior. One thing is obvious: Volvo hasn’t strayed from its design roots. The EX90 is clean, upright, and minimal, looking much like a refinement of the gasoline-powered XC90 that has won so many hearts and minds. The vehicle’s stance is wide and confident, with sculpted sides, a panoramic roof, and signature Thor’s Hammer headlights. The lidar unit is subtly mounted into the roofline, a nod to Volvo’s emphasis on form and function.

Interestingly, the EX90 features Volvo’s boxy SUV look while still managing to cheat the wind. The SUV’s aerodynamic profile (a drag coefficient around 0.29) helps boost range while giving the SUV a sleek yet commanding presence. Wheel sizes range from 20 to 22 inches, and there is precious little proclaiming the EX90 to be an electric vehicle.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Interior Design

Inside, the EX90 takes the next step in the brand’s tradition of quintessential Scandinavian luxury. The cabin is light, airy, and almost obsessively clean in design. Volvo’s commitment to sustainability is clear. Instead of leather, interiors use Nordico, a recycled, bio-based textile developed in-house. It’s soft, durable, and looks like leather.

The cabin feels expansive, thanks in part to the battery layout allowing for a flat floor. A long 117.5-inch wheelbase and smart packaging deliver good legroom in two of the three rows and reasonable legroom for third-row passengers. The panoramic glass roof floods the interior with natural light.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Cargo and Towing

Like its gasoline-powered sibling, the 2025 Volvo EX90 offers an impressive amount of versatile cargo area. It features 12.7 cubic feet of luggage space behind the third row, 34.1 cubic feet behind the second row with the third row folded, and a maximum of 67.6 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded flat. A hands-free liftgate and proximity key detection further ease daily usability.

The cargo area benefits from a flat floor due to the underfloor battery placement, which also allows for additional storage beneath the load surface. The EX90 is rated to tow up to 4,850 pounds when properly equipped, making it capable of handling small trailers, boats, or personal watercraft.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Uncommon Safety

Volvo’s renowned safety legacy gets its most advanced expression in the EX90. The vehicle is fitted with more sensors than sunbathers at Coney Island in August — five radars, eight cameras, 16 ultrasonic sensors, and a roof-mounted lidar system. These work in harmony with Nvidia’s Orin supercomputer to scan, predict, and react in real time.

Lidar allows the EX90 to detect objects like pedestrians and road debris hundreds of yards away, even at night. It’s a step toward future autonomous driving, but in the 2025 EX90, it’s used to significantly reduce crash risk by giving the vehicle a clearer picture of its surroundings than any human driver could perceive.

Inside, the spookily named Driver Understanding System watches for signs of distraction or fatigue using two cameras and sensors in the steering wheel. If it senses the driver is a problem, it issues increasingly assertive warnings. And should the driver remain unresponsive, the car can safely come to a stop and activate hazard lights.

Also on the spooky side, an interior radar system also scans the entire cabin, including the cargo area, to prevent leaving behind pets or children. If it detects movement, the car won’t lock and will alert the driver via screen and app. It can even keep the climate system running to prevent heatstroke or hypothermia.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Infotainment and Controls

The EX90 is upfront about tech. Front and center is the 14.5-inch vertical touchscreen backed by a Google-based operating system. Navigation, climate, media, and vehicle controls all mimic familiar Google apps, and all are within easy reach of the driver and front-seat passenger.

The infotainment system is clean, responsive, and smart. Google Maps serves as the native navigation, with live charger availability and range-based routing included among its many superpowers. The Google Assistant lets you control functions with your voice without trying to learn the awkward phrasing required by earlier voice-control systems. In most instances, all this works well, but here is where the irritations can arise.

In an extreme effort to keep the interior “clean” and deliver a forward-looking experience, the design minimizes the use of physical buttons and controls. Instead, many everyday functions are contained (or should we say hidden?) in the touchscreen. While the theory behind this tactic might be laudable, it makes the EX90 harder to use. And it also has negative safety implications, since a physical knob is much easier to locate when underway than an icon on a touchscreen.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Sound System and Connectivity

Audiophiles will applaud the EX90’s 14-speaker Bose sound system, and they’ll be blown away by the 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system with Dolby Atmos. With speakers embedded in the headrests and ceiling, the up-level audio system’s sound is immersive and cinema-grade. It adds $3,200 to the bottom line as well.

Connectivity includes 5G for faster downloads and app updates, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Over-the-air (OTA) updates are supported, and Volvo has committed to rolling out feature upgrades over time. A head-up display and driver alerts enhance safety without heavy distraction, reinforcing Volvo’s philosophy of simplifying complexity.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Convenience Features

On the convenience front, the Volvo Cars app enables you to control everything from cabin temperature to battery preconditioning and remote lock/unlock. You can plan trips with effective charging stops, locate your car, and even schedule over-the-air software updates. The phone-as-key feature turns your smartphone into a key and allows you to share access digitally with friends or family. UWB (Ultra Wideband) compatibility ensures secure entry across device types.

Bidirectional charging is one of the most future-ready features. It enables the car to power your home (V2H), charge devices or other EVs (V2L, V2V), and potentially even return power to the grid (V2G).

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo

Pricing and Value

Unlike some battery-electrics, the 2025 Volvo EX90 won’t dazzle you with lightning-fast acceleration or wow you with shock-and-awe features. Instead, it offers the time-tested Volvo attribute of confidence in a battery-electric vehicle. Not only is the EX90 Volvo’s new flagship, it is also priced like the flagship. Base pricing starts at $81,290 for the Plus trim Twin Motor variant. The Twin Motor Performance in the Ultra trim can easily exceed a list price of $90,000 and might creep near $100,000 if you check a lot of options boxes.

The EX90 competes in a cauldron of high-end electric SUVs, vying directly with the BMW iX, Tesla Model X, Rivian R1S, and Mercedes EQE SUV. While those are impressive competitors, the EX90 brings with it a refreshing Scandinavian ethos that combines efficiency, safety, and attractively minimalist design. While some competitors in the segment are overwrought, the Volvo EX90 is not. It feels thoughtfully engineered for families, not tech enthusiasts.

2025 Volvo EX90 ・ Photo by Volvo