There’s so much excitement around the new Volvo EX90 electric 3-row SUV and for the innovative but smaller, more affordable EX30, that even Volvo is having trouble limiting their enthusiasm.
So much that the car maker has taken some of the more exciting new features, from tech upgrades to sustainable materials, and added them to a refreshed version of the XC90 for 2025, or what Volvo is calling the 2025.5 model, a mid-year makeover.
Here’s what’s new, and what’s unchanged, for the new 2025, or rather, 2025.5 Volvo XC90.
Video: Here’s our first drive and all the details in the 2025 Volvo EX90
This story is 100% human researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. No AI was used.
Hello, Modernity: This is Volvo XC90’s New Face
While yes, there’s a lot of new tech inside (keep reading for more) this may be the most exciting part of the 2025.5 Volvo EX90: Its new face. Replacing the concave tuxedo-stripe vertical grille and Volvo Iron Mark logo is a modern take on the classic badge. Now, a contrasting angular chrome grille is anchored by the round Volvo logo; gone is the diagonal “Iron Mark.” The new grille is flanked by the Thor’s Hammer daytime running lights and is surrounded by a body-colored bumper and a lower horizontal grille. All together the look is fresh and modern.
This New Multimedia System Is a Pure Delight
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that Volvo added this new 11″ touchscreen multimedia system to the XC90, the first non-electric Volvo to have it. I’ve had the chance to test out this system on both the EX90 and the EX30 and it’s impressive.
First, there are static menu bars along the bottom that never change, so your key controls are right there any time you need them. Then, you have Google voice-activated assistance, and while that particular feature has been added to other Volvos in the lineup, it’s a great thing to have. Just ask for what you need—change the cabin temperature, set the radio station, turn on the heated seat—and the system obliges. It’s a great way to use the multimedia system without taking your eyes off the road.
Read: Volvo C40 Recharge Electric Car: Pure Power in a Stylish Package
Over the Air Updates Mean That All XC90 Owners Benefit, Too
This particular announcement simply made me smile: If you were one of the thousands who bought a brand new Volvo XC90 last month (or last year) and then were disappointed to find there’s a brand new model with new tech, you are not left behind. Volvo is rolling out this new system to all Volvo XC90 models with compatible hardware, some going back to the 2020 model, and those with the most recent hardware will see a new layout and screen look too.
Volvo is nicely committed to ensuring its owners feel cared for as a part of the Volvo universe and this update is part of that.
Read: Volvo XC90 Review: The Luxury SUV That Makes the Carpool Less Painful
Sustainable And Renewable Materials Are The Future of Volvo
Over the last few years we’ve seen Volvo bring a new aesthetic and approach to their interiors, using renewable plant-based and recycled materials and taking an artistic and fresh approach to design. You’ll see that in the 2025.5 Volvo XC90, which will have more options for plant-based fibers, innovative recycled materials—which you’d never guess are recycled or renewable— as well as the chrome and leather we’re used to.
The Same Powerful Volvo Hybrid Engines We’re Used To
As a refreshed rather than redesigned XC90, Volvo kept its existing powertrains. Buyers will still be able to choose between a 4-cylinder mild-hybrid turbo that generates 247 HP, a 4-cylinder turbo that generates 295 HP and a plug-in hybrid electric that generates 455 HP and delivers 33 miles of electric range.
Volvo’s Promising a Better Ride Quality
The overall size and stance of the 2025.5 Volvo XC90 won’t change; this is still a 6 or 7 passenger model, but it will offer a better ride quality with new dampers that will adjust to road conditions. This new damping system is being offered as a standard feature on all models, ensuring a more comfortable ride experience for everyone.
What Hasn’t Changed: Elegant Details and Volvo’s Dial Starter
Volvo left the center console mostly in tact for 2025.5, and we’re glad. The Orrefors crystal-topped gear shifter, which is now a standard feature rather than a top-end option, and the dial starter are iconic on the Volvo command center. While the EX90 and EX30 relocated the gear shifter and eliminated the need for a starter, we’re glad that Volvo didn’t rethink these features. They lend a feeling of control, and the Orrefors crystal adds a welcome bit of bling.
Will Center Row Captains Chairs Have Arm Rests?
Thankfully, yes! Volvo brought these back to the XC90, importing some design details from the EX90, which offers them too. This feature disappeared in the 2020 XC90 makeover, and to much discussion: Those who use the pass-through to get to the 3rd row find it easier without armrests on the center row seats narrowing the passage. But passengers missed them; these are captains chairs, after all.
And they get better for 2025: they have some nice design details and pop-out cup holders integrated into the ends of the arm rests, making them even more useful.
The 2025.5 Volvo XC90 Goes On Sale Soon
Volvo will soon start taking orders for the 2025.5 model, which will have a starting price of about $58,000 for the gas model and $73,000 for the plug-in hybrid, and customers should receive their orders in early 2025. Is it worth the wait for the new front face and tech? Possibly. But the chance to configure your interior with Volvo’s new materials? Definitely. And the opportunity to be part of the future of Volvo? Absolutely!
