Volvo’s new flagship, the EX90 wears its size with grace. The styling is clean and modern, with smooth lines and flush surfaces. There is no pretending here, this is clearly an electric SUV, right down to the blanked-off grille and aerodynamic wheels. Yet, it maintains a familiar Volvo silhouette that fans of the XC90 will recognise and appreciate.
The EX90’s interior is where the design truly shines. It is an oasis of calm and clarity. The cabin is light, spacious, and flooded with natural light from the panoramic roof. Sustainable materials dominate the surfaces, including responsibly sourced wood, recycled textiles, and synthetic fabrics made from bio-based sources.
The layout is elegant. Physical buttons are almost entirely absent, replaced by a central 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen and a streamlined digital driver display. The dash is free from clutter, allowing the high-quality materials and clean lines to speak for themselves.
The cabin feels sophisticated and sustainable.
The EX90 is a full seven-seater, but it avoids the usual compromises. The second row is genuinely comfortable for adults, and even the third row is suitable for occasional grown-up use, as opposed to emergency child duty, for example. Access to the rearmost seats is made easy through wide-opening doors and seat mechanisms.
With all seats in place, boot space is sufficient for a family’s daily needs. Once the third row of seats are folded down then the boot space becomes more than ample.
The Google-powered infotainment system is responsive and intuitive. Google Maps, Assistant, and the Play Store are integrated into the interface, giving the functionality of a smartphone without the distraction. However, it does require a complete login.
A head-up display projects key information directly into the driver’s line of sight, while the digital cluster remains minimalist and easy to interpret. The EX90 includes a steering wheel that can sense the driver’s hand position to support upcoming autonomous features.
No discussion of a Volvo would be complete without mentioning safety, and the EX90 takes things to an entirely new level. Standard offerings include adaptive cruise control with steering support (Pilot Assist), a 360-degree camera, Lane Keeping Aid, Park Pilot Assist, Run-off Road Mitigation, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert, Collision Avoidance and Mitigation, Intersection Autobrake, Road Sign Information.
A roof-mounted LiDAR scanner sits above the windscreen, detecting objects hundreds of metres ahead, even in the dark. This is paired with a suite of sensors, cameras, and radar to enable advanced driver assistance and future-ready autonomous functionality.
The ride is comfortable, quiet and calm. The range depends on how the vehicle is driven. Volvo claim the following range: up to 751 km in urban driving and 604 km on the combined cycle. I cannot verify this as my schedule did not allow for a long-distance drive in this vehicle during the review period.
*Pricing for the Volvo EX90 starts at R2,650,000. This includes a three-year/60,000 km maintenance plan, a five-year/100,000 km warranty, an eight-year battery warranty, and five-year/unlimited mileage roadside assistance.
* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.