2025 Volvo EX90 First Drive: The All Electric 3-Row SUV You’ve Been Waiting For

The EX90’s two trims are Twin Motor, priced at $79,995 and generating 402 HP, and Twin Motor Performance, priced at $84,995 and generating 510 HP. 

Each has standard all wheel drive, a by-product of the dual motor structure, and is available in Plus, which is the standard trim, or Ultra, a $4,350 upgrade. From there, there are only two options: Twin Motor models can upgrade to 21” or 22” wheels; the Performance model with the Ultra package can upgrade to Bowers & Wilkins audio and 22” wheels. All Volvo EX90s have a tow capacity of 4,850 lbs.

Both trims have a range of about 300 miles (up to 310 with the smaller wheel size) and have a quick-charging power system; the EX90 can charge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes at a DC fast charger. Read: Lucid Gravity SUV: A Most Thoughtfully Designed 3-Row Electric Haven

The first thing you’ll notice when getting into the Volvo EX90 its new design language, which takes a minimalist approach to luxury. It’s simple but thoroughly intentional, with wide swaths of leatherette and wood veneer (which is backlit, emitting a glowing graphic pattern at night), a floating center console with storage below, seating inspired by classic Swedish design. 

It can take a few minutes to find necessary functions and perhaps longer to get used to where things are. I call this the new-car learning curve, and if Volvo’s designers are correct, this will be a short curve of learning and a long tail of effortless use. But that short climb up the first hill may be frustrating, as Volvo re-thought the function of many controls in this car. 

Among the things that buyers will have to get used to is the lack of a stop/start button. Once in the car with the key fob—or a phone connected to the Volvo digital key system—just press the brake and the car powers up. Put it in gear and go. Once you put the car in park, just walk away with the key and it will power off and lock. Read: Volvo XC90 Review: The Luxury SUV That Makes the Carpool Less Painful

Another learning curve will come with the driver’s side window controls, which are controlled by a single button for both front and rear left windows, and a button for front and rear right windows. A button just below the window control allows the driver to select front or rear windows. It can be a bit confusing at first, and I can see where the sequence may take some getting used to; you have to look at the control to see which windows are active, the front or the rear, and then press the button to put the window down. 

But, the window controls, like many others in the car continue the modern and minimalist approach: Fewer controls, more beautiful surfaces. The idea takes the stress out of looking at a lot of buttons and dials and lets you focus your gaze on what matters: the road, the landscape, your companions. Read: Kia EV9 First Drive: The Family Electric SUV We’ve Been Waiting For

There is only one dial control in this car. A single dial for the radio sits on the center console. From there, controls on the steering wheel, a stalk gear selector and windshield wiper are attached to the steering column. There are door lock and window controls on the doors. 

Everything else is on the touch screen: Side mirror and steering wheel settings; headlights; drive modes; one-pedal driving; even the glove box opening is found on the touch screen. Some of these ‘set it and forget it’ controls are natural. But a new driver will need a quick tutorial to be able to set her mirrors and the level of the steering wheel. Read: 2025 Volvo EX 30 First Drive: The Electric SUV, Re-Thought, Luxury-Packed, Budget Friendly

Volvo really thought about what a driver needs to look at: speed, battery range, navigation, road signs. And to keep your eyes on the road, they went with a two-screen solution: A driver’s display that sits atop the steering wheel, and a head up display that puts all the information you need right in your field of vision on the windshield. Should you find that distracting, turn by turn directions, and even the entire map, are seen on the driver display. And to ensure you can always see it, it moves with the steering wheel, which can never block it.

If you find yourself hunting and pecking around the touch screen and are frustrated you can’t find what you need, you’re simply doing it wrong. Just say “Hey Volvo” and ask the system to make the adjustment for you: Turn on the head up display, lower the cabin temperature, navigate to Starbucks. The Google-operated system can do most things for you, leaving you free to keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

And if you find yourself wondering if you can fit something in Volvo EX90’s cargo area, which has nearly 30 cubic feet behind the 3rd row, just check the Will It Fit guide on the inside of the lift gate. It’ll tell you.

The seat controls on the Volvo EX90 are one of the more brilliant and simple things about this car. A single square control on the side of the front seats allows you to push the seat forward, or back, move it up or down and turn on seat massaging. Just push the center of the control and you’ll see the seat massage screen pop up on the display. 

Volvo’s commitment to safety extends to its Pilot Assist lidar, radar and camera technology that allows the EX90 to do the heavy driving on the highway. The EX90 comes standard with the full suite of features that include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring; you’ll see some of these sensors in a panel on the roof just over the center of the windshield. 

We used the system on the highway and while it’s very good, it still requires the driver to keep hands on the wheel and eyes on the road; this is not a hands-free driving system. But with all the technology in place in the EX90, it would not be a surprise to see an over-the-air update that enables hands-free driving soon.

This is Volvo’s happy place in electric cars: delivering more than enough power, all wheel drive and a great drive experience. Even in comfort mode, the EX90 had plenty of power in our Twin Motor Performance model, though in Performance mode I felt even more in command of the road. The instant acceleration is great, but so is the tighter steering and suspension that handled the curvy roads on our drive like a champ. 

What I really loved, though, was one pedal driving. I had to go into the touch screen to toggle on One Pedal Driving (the other choices are Auto and Off), which delivers maximum regenerative braking to save battery power. I love this feature in electric cars, especially on curvy roads. As traffic slowed, I just eased off the accelerator without having to move my foot to the brake. In city traffic one pedal driving is quite forceful, quickly slowing us when I let off the accelerator. 

We didn’t have an opportunity to drive the 402 HP Twin Motor model but I have no doubt it’s good, if not excellent. Volvo’s powertrains have never disappointed.

We were able to spend time in both the 7-passenger bench seat version of the EX90 and the 6-passenger captains chairs model, which is my preference if you don’t need the bench. There are four full sets of LATCHes, two in the center row and two in the 3rd row, so installing car seats with lower anchors is an option. 

The center bench, which is ideal for families with 3 kids in car seats, has slide and tilt outboard center row seats so in theory, the 3rd row can be accessed with a forward facing car seat installed. And, 3 seats across the center bench should work; I measured and found that the outboard seats are about 18” wide and the middle seat is 14” wide. Also, the floor is completely flat, so there’s room for totes or feet, whichever you need to put there.

For rear facing car seats, I measured the space between the front seat in the Volvo EX90 set for me, and I’m 5’8” and the shoulder of the center row seat; it measured 29”, which is about the minimum for a rear facing child car seat. With a bench seat it’s possible to install a rear facing car seat in the center seat and behind the front passenger to allow flexibility for the driver. 

One big YAY in the 6-passenger versions of the EX90 is that the center row captains chairs have arm rests. Volvo eliminated these in the XC90 a few years ago and it was a big point of discussion; they can make getting into the 3rd row a bit more challenging but sitting in a captains chair without an arm rest?Not very captain-y. Clearly, everyone thought they needed to be added, so Volvo did; these have slide out cup holders and still offer a nice wide pass-through to the 3rd row. 

I also had the chance to sit in the 3rd row, which is tight. Thankfully, center row seats slide forward, which is necessary to seat anyone taller than a fifth grader.

It’s hard to know where to start in when it comes to the luxury features in the 2025 Volvo EX90. There are so many features. In fact, almost everything you can think of is included and standard in the Plus trims of the Twin Motor ($79,995) an Twin Motor Performance ($84,995):

• A choice of sustainable Nordico leatherette or wool blend upholstery
• Volvo’s full suite of driver assist and safety features
• Parking assistance
• 360 degree camera 
• Integrated child booster cushion 
• Digital phone as key
• Panoramic sunroof 
• Wood trim with backlighting 
• 3 zone climate with air vents in all rows
• Premium Bose audio
• Head up display
• Heated second row outboard seats
• 6 USB ports and a wireless phone charger
• 20” wheels 

The Ultra upgrade is $4,350 and adds:

• Air suspension
• Soft close doors
• Massaging front seats
• Puddle lights 
• 21” wheels 

Volvo has thought to include nearly everything they could think of, with one exception: No vented front seats. They are heated, but not vented or cooled.

The EX90 is built in South Carolina and so, qualifies for tax incentives. However, only the entry level Twin Motor model without any upgrades (but, do you really need more?) qualifies since it falls under the $80,000 limit. The other models don’t qualify because they are priced too high. But for buyers who really want that tax incentive and really want an EX90, there is a good option. 

After my test drive I headed home still intoxicated by the Volvo EX90. The backlit wood veneer trim; the white leatherette with pillow-like head rests; the under console storage; the easy-to-use multimedia system. The pop-out door handles that greet you. The effortless get-in-and-go process that an EV affords. One pedal driving. Sustainable and renewable materials. There’s a lot to learn in this car, and some learning curves to get over, but once you do, you’ll be glad. You’ll get to drive the Volvo EX90 every day.