I sometimes wonder if it’s a bit of a waste for me to drive and review a seven-seater car. After all, I spend most of my time driving alone, and I don’t really have large groups of friends or family to ferry around.
Nevertheless, work still needs to be done, and I do appreciate seven-seaters for the space and versatility that they offer. And arguably one of the best modern seven-seater SUVs has got to be the Volvo XC90, widely regarded as an almost perfect car for the family thanks to its well-thought-out design and practicality.
It Is inevitable then that, in this current age, an electric version would come along eventually. The new EX90 is effectively an XC90 EV, taking all the good bits of Volvo’s popular SUV and fitting it with an electric drivetrain, in line with the electrification movement that is sweeping across the automotive industry right now.
At first look, the EX90 is unmistakably Volvo. It shares the same basic silhouette as the XC90, with its chunky and blocky design that emphasises practicality above all else. However, there are also enough visual differences that mark out this electric version from its ICE sibling.
Up front, the biggest tell-tale sign is the blanked-out front end in place of the traditional Volvo grille, a design theme that has been ever-present across all of Volvo’s electric models thus far. At the back, the EX90 eschews the XC90’s iconic vertical taillights for slim claw-shaped items on the boot lid, although there are still hints of it via the hidden LED lights on the C-pillar.
Similarly, the interior is instantly familiar, bearing the same clean minimalist look of the brand’s recent offerings (as well as its electric spinoff Polestar for that matter). The dashboard is dominated by the large 14.5-inch touchscreen set in portrait orientation, although disappointingly Volvo has opted to follow the Chinese EV route by dispensing with physical buttons, save for a single audio control knob beside the cupholders.
That said, it does feel like quite a nice place to be in. The materials used seem rather thoughtful, with the plush Nappa leather seats offering plenty of comfort for your rear end. There’s also a good mix of high quality soft-touch plastics with cool-looking wood and metal finishes that really elevates the ambience somewhat.
That sense of thoughtfulness extends to the toys too, with most of the fancy features being truly functional instead of gimmicky like the Chinese brands tend to do. The Google-based infotainment system is fairly straightforward to use, and the high-end Bowers & Wilkins sound system, with no less than 25 speakers, is truly spectacular, and delivers a real delightful experience for audiophiles.
But the real strength of a car like the EX90 is obviously its practicality, and it absolutely positively excels in this aspect. The second row offers plenty of legroom and headroom, and there’s even an integrated child booster seat in the centre seat. There’s also four-zone climate control so that everyone can stay cool without an argument breaking out.
Space in the third row is a bit tighter, but it can still handle full-sized adults, at least for short journeys. It’s really more for kids to be honest, which explains the somewhat small opening that makes access slightly tricky. At least there are air con vents back there tough, and the seats are also power-operated so folding them away for more cargo space is an effortless affair.
With all the seats up, you get 384 litres of boot space, which is decent though not massive. Fold down the third row and you get an extremely generous 1,057 litres, which is plenty for an average family outing. That space more than doubles if you fold the second row as well, going up to 2,135 litres, more than enough to accommodate a couple of bicycles at least. If that’s not enough, you also get a frunk compartment with an additional 47 litres of space, a benefit of the EX90’s EV status.
But the real draw of a car like this going electric is really its drive. The lack of an engine means that the EX90 is exceptionally smooth and quiet while on the go, which is always a definite boon for a family-oriented SUV.
The top-spec Ultra variant tested here comes with adjustable active air suspension, which gives the car an utterly cosseting ride over any road surface. Some may lament that it may come access as overly soft, but by and large it is relatively well-controlled.
The trade-off is a car that does display noticeable pitch and roll if you get a bit too excited in the corners, but the EX90 is not made for exuberant driving anyway. If you use it for its intended purpose as a large people carrier, then the EX90 fulfils its brief excellently indeed.
Opting for the Ultra model also gets you a dual-motor setup, with a total output of 456bhp and 670Nm of torque. Those are figures not to be sniffed at, and it enables the car to go from 0-100km/h in a brisk 5.5 seconds, enough to trouble more than a few hot hatches at the traffic lights.
Not that you will notice though, because the power is delivered in a linear and effortless fashion. The EX90 is a car that is perfectly ideal for traversing across vast miles of highway in complete comfort, and it will take you to your destination with no fuss and remarkable refinement.
You’ll get there with little worry too, as Volvo claims a driving range of up to 624km on a full charge with the Ultra model’s 106kWh battery. That does sound impressive, although in the real world you’ll probably get somewhere close to the mid to high 500s, especially if you have a full load on board. Still nothing to be sniffed at though, and definitely enough for a jaunt up North with few issues.
Ultimately though, the EX90 builds an extremely strong case for families who want a large premium seven-seater SUV while seeking to jump on the electric bandwagon. Because what Volvo has essentially done is take a winning formula with the XC90 and retain almost all of the qualities that make it great in the pivot towards electrification. It goes a long way towards making the transition much more palatable, and for that, Volvo deserves our plaudits indeed.
