Volvo gives seven-seat XC90 SUV a second nip-and-tuck to keep it going into the late 2020s
The radiator grille will catch your eye most
With car manufacturers increasingly having to keep models alive for extended periods, as we await the full transition to electric power, we’re seeing more and more of something previously unheard of in the automotive industry — the second facelift. And the latest to undergo this life-prolonging treatment is the Volvo XC90.
Still one of the best big seven-seat SUVs out there, the current XC90 has nevertheless been with us since 2015, and has already been treated to one round of visual and tech updates, in 2019.
But with the pure-electric EX90 (reviewed here) on the way, there’s little inclination for the Swedish firm to produce an entirely new combustion-powered XC90, so instead it is attempting to revitalise the current model in an effort to stay relevant for a few more years.
Screen time
Inside, it takes inspiration from that EX90, as it now has the same 11.2in freestanding infotainment display as seen in the company’s electric SUVs, including the smaller EX30.
Not only is this screen larger than the one it replaces in the older XC90s, but Volvo says it has a greater resolution and is more responsive to touch inputs.
Elsewhere, the centre console has been redesigned with more cupholders – including one for a skinny drinks can – and a handier placement of the wireless smartphone charging pad, while the air vents have a new design.
There’s also now the choice of two “bio-attributed”, responsibly sourced interior finishes for the XC90, which are called Nordico and Navy Herringbone Weave.
Happy with hybrids
The updated XC90 range, to keep it distinct from the EX90, will continue to come exclusively with hybrid power.
The 247bhp B5 and the 296bhp B6 are both mild-hybrid petrols, but those wanting more electric-driving capability can go for the mighty 449bhp T8 plug-in hybrid flagship.
It has a battery pack with a capacity of 14.7kWh, which is good for an official zero-emission range of 39 miles and blesses the XC90 T8 with 166.2-235.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 30-36g/km. Of course, these will vary enormously in the real world, according to conditions and driving style.
For those who want to wring its neck, expect 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds from the B5 XC90, with the T8 achieving the same run in a rather more impressive 5.4 seconds.
Every model in the range is four-wheel drive and they are all equipped with eight-speed automatic transmissions.
They also all use the same 2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, albeit in different states of tune; for instance, the B5 is just turbocharged, but the B6 has both a turbo and a supercharger.
Volvo has added frequency selective dampers (FSDs) to the standard suspension set-up in order to make the XC90 ride quality even silkier than before — which was pretty good, to be fair to it — but fully adaptive and self-levelling air suspension, which can scan the road ahead 500 times a second to ensure it is primed to deal with whatever the wheels are about to encounter on the surface, is still going to be the upgrade option.
The Swedish outfit also claims it has managed to cram more sound-deadening into the hidden voids of the seven-seat SUV’s body, to make it even quieter when it is on the move.
Fashionable grille
Although the exterior looks are largely the same, you’ll probably most easily be able to identify one of these newer XC90s thanks to the radiator grille.
Featuring what the company says is a “distinctive interpretation of the iconic Volvo diagonal motif”, we can’t help but think of a wrap-over top when looking at it.
Either side of that are fresh iterations of the Thor’s hammer daytime running lights, which now form an outline of the shape instead of a solid “T”, while additional alloy wheel designs, a new bonnet and front wings, a reshaped charging port for the T8 and an extra body colour — called Mulberry Red — are all added to the XC90’s repertoire for 2025 and beyond.
Full UK prices and specs for the updated Volvo XC90 range will be revealed ahead of the car going on sale in November of this year.
Related articles
- If you found news on the updated Volvo XC90 interesting, you may want to read our review of the updated Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge
- Looking for electric options instead? Here are the top 10 longest-range electric cars
- Read how the EX90 aims to be the safest Volvo yet
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