New Volvo XC90 revealed: seven-seat SUV gets new interior and tech
Updated version of posh seven-seater gets a new look inside and out, and new technology...
On sale Late 2024 | Price £70,000 (est)
As anyone with brothers or sisters will tell you, when a sibling has a big achievement to celebrate, sometimes you can feel overshadowed. And that might be exactly what the Volvo XC90 has been experiencing.
You see, its parent, Volvo, has been busy launching a new line-up of electric SUVs, and both the new EX30 and EX90 have been well received by our expert reviewers. The XC90 has remained in the background as an excellent choice for those who aren’t ready to go electric, and who have large families to cart from A to B, but it hasn’t been given the same spotlight as its electric siblings – until now.
This facelifted Volvo XC90 sports a new look designed to bring it in line with the EX30 and EX90, and features a new front grille with the car’s LED headlights incorporated at either side. There’s also a thinner lower grille, and upright side air intakes in place of the old car’s horizontal units. New LED lights also feature at the rear.
As is the case with today’s car, you’ll be able to buy this updated XC90 in mild or plug-in hybrid forms. In the case of the former, you’ll have the choice of two petrol engines, each of which receives small amounts of electrical assistance to help lower your fuel bills. It’s the 247bhp B5 version which we recommend in the current XC90, with this officially able to return up to 33.2mpg.
If you’d rather go for plug-in hybrid power, then the T8 version of the XC90 pairs a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, and is officially capable of driving for up to 44 miles on electric power alone. The rival Range Rover P440e and BMW X5 xDrive50e can both travel further, but neither is available with seven seats. And like its rivals, low C02 emissions make the XC90 T8 very cheap to run as a company car.
The low-speed ride in the old XC90 was a little firm, picking up on lumps and bumps more than rivals like the Audi Q7 would, but Volvo says it has tuned the car’s suspension to make it more comfortable. Or for the most comfortable experience, air suspension continues to be optional.
The biggest change with this facelifted XC90 comes inside, where the car now gets the same free-standing central infotainment touchscreen as the EX30 and EX90. While we found the similar setup in the EX90 to be quick to respond to our inputs, using the touchscreen on the move can be tricky. The rival BMW X5, as well as its larger sibling, the X7, both retain physical controllers for their infotainment systems.
Elsewhere, Volvo has added an extra cup holder to the car, and added more storage space for your odds and ends in the centre console. And for audiophiles, a Bowers & Wilkins stereo features on the options list.
While there’s slightly more space for your luggage, there’s no change in how much space the XC90 offers your occupants. And while that means children or small adults will be fine in the third row of seats, the BMW X7 or Land Rover Discovery are both better choices if seven-seat practicality is your primary concern.
Pricing for this updated XC90 has yet to be revealed, but we’d expect it to start from around £70,000 in mild hybrid form – rising to around £75,000 for the plug-in hybrid model. That’s substantially less than you’d pay for the fully electric EX90, and places the XC90 closer to its Q7 and X5 rivals.
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