UK Drive: Volvo’s revised XC90 makes a good package better

What is it?

There are few cars which has struck a chord with buyers quite as well as the Volvo XC90. Unashamedly family-focused, the seven-seater XC90 has been a mainstay of the Volvo range, with the second-generation car, introduced in 2014, facelifted numerous times to keep it running along.

Volvo has introduced another facelifted 2025 to prolong its life and keep it in competition with numerous rivals, but has this process worked? We’ve been behind the wheel.

What’s new?

From the outside, the new XC90 gets a somewhat sharper, sleeker design but it’s still very familiar to those who know this big seven-seater. More of the changes lie on the inside, where you’ll find a far larger infotainment screen than before, similar to the one fitted to Volvo’s new electric alternative to the XC90, the EX90.

The good news is that practicality hasn’t been changed in the slightest – and we didn’t want it to be. Even with all seats in place, you’ve got 262 litres of space, while with the rearmost row folded away, this jumps to a healthy 680 litres. The boot itself is nice and easy to access, while the doors open wide and give good entry and exit to the cabin.

What’s under the bonnet?

At present, there are only two engine options available for the XC90. The first is a 2.0-litre mild-hybrid – badged ‘B5’ – and the car we’re testing here, the plug-in hybrid ‘T8’. It’s the more powerful of the two, but does bump up XC90’s price. However, with a full charge, you can get up to 44 miles of electric-only running, so local journeys can be conducted without needing to trouble the engine whatsoever.

Volvo claims that you can get up to 217mpg, but this can only really be achieved when running on plug power for most of the time. However, low CO2 emissions of between 30 and 36g/km are impressive for a car of this size.

What’s it like to drive?

The XC90 has never been the sportiest of steers, and this new version is much the same. However, with its comfortable ride and high levels of refinement, the XC90 feels like a welcome change from other more dynamic-feeling SUVs. Travelling on electric power only heightens this feeling of quiet comfort, too, and while it is a large car, the XC90’s relatively light steering means it’s easier to pilot around town than you may expect.

As with the pre-facelift car, ask too much of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder under the bonnet and it can start to sound strained, but we found that the XC90 preferred a more unhurried approach. So take it easy and relax in the quiet of it all.

How does it look?

As we’ve touched upon, the facelifted XC90 is hardly night-and-day different to the car which came before it. Up front, the headlights are sharper than before and this tweak helps to give the whole car a more assertive look. While much of the XC90’s available colour choices reside around grey and blacks, there are some nice pops of jazziness in the form of ‘Mulberry Red’ and ‘Denim Blue’ for those who like something a little different.

‘Plus’ and ‘Plus Pro’ specifications introduced a number of blacked-out elements, but we’re quite big fans of the old-school silver finish applied to many of the other trim levels.

What’s it like inside?

If it’s space you want, then you’ll find it inside the Volvo XC90. Up front, there’s a bright and open view to the outside, while those in the middle row get a decent amount of room to stretch out. The rearmost chairs can best be described as ‘occasional’, but for kids they’ll be more than spacious enough. You fold them via handles – rather than electrically as in many of the Volvo’s rivals – but, you could argue, this means that there’s less to go wrong.

The fit-and-finish is great and all of the materials used inside are of a high quality. It’s got the built-to-last feel that we’ve come to expect from Volvo.

What’s the spec like?

We’re testing the XC90 out in high-spec Ultra guise and this gets upgrades such as massaging front seats and a high-performance Bowers & Wilkins sound system. However, it also means that this XC90 comes in at £84,945, which feels too high for a family SUV. The good news is that the standard XC90 comes absolutely loaded with equipment, including the redesigned 11.2-inch infotainment screen, a huge number of safety assistance systems and front and rear parking sensors. ]

The new infotainment system has Google’s Automotive services built in, too, which means you get popular functions such as Google Maps already pre-loaded and ready to go without the need to connect a smartphone.

Verdict

The new XC90 feels like an old friend that has been away for some cosmetic surgery. It’s familiar, but now looks and feels a little sharper. It’s still just as good practicality-wise as before, but the upgrades to the in-car technology as well as its comprehensive list of standard equipment ensure it’s just as competitive in the market as it has been previously.

While we’d steer clear of higher specifications as it bumps up the XC90’s price too high, the sheer level of included kit means there’s very little trade-off when picking an entry-level trim level and it’s those we’d recommend.