There is a large development in electrical SUVs proper now, and it most likely is not what you suppose. It is not an extended vary. It is no more superior battery development, super-fast charging and even NACS plugs. No, the true development in electrical SUVs is being delayed. Porsche’s electric Macan took its candy time going to manufacturing, as did its sibling the Audi Q6 E-Tron, which was additionally delayed for months.
Volvo’s EX90 has suffered from the identical destiny. Originally slated to be available on the market in 2023, it, plus its company cousin the Polestar 3, are solely now lastly beginning to stumble out of Volvo’s manufacturing facility close to Charleston, South Carolina. Lastly, Volvo let me behind the wheel of a pre-production mannequin on a check drive to see whether or not it was definitely worth the wait.
Was it? Sure and no, however I am joyful to say it is largely sure.
Let’s begin with what it’s. Because the identify implies, the EX90 is one thing of a battery-powered counterpart to the model’s XC90 SUV, the largest in its lineup. Just like the XC90, the EX90 is a three-row SUV with seating for six or seven, relying on configuration, an enormous, upright stance, and, in fact, extra security options than you possibly can shake a stick at.
However Volvo did not simply intestine an XC90 and slap an enormous battery pack in the place the engine, exhaust, and gas tank as soon as lived. This can be a devoted EV platform, an all-new one, designed from the get-go to be electrical. It homes a 111-kilowatt-hour battery pack (107 kWh usable) and has a pair of electrical motors, one on the rear and one on the entrance, delivering all-wheel drive.
Whether or not you go for the bottom, the $79,995 Plus, or the extra luxe $84,345 Extremely trim, you get the identical dual-motor configuration making 402 horsepower and 568 foot-pounds of torque. If that is not sufficient, you possibly can spend $5,000 extra for the Twin Motor Efficiency possibility, which turns the wick as much as 510 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque. Each variations are rated for as much as 310 miles of vary on the EPA check, relying on which choices you choose.
Curiously, although, the 2 fashions have precisely the identical motors and different associated {hardware}. What do you get with the additional $5,000 then? A distinct set of software program and a bit of white badge on the again that claims “TWIN PERFORMANCE.” Welcome to the long run.
Inside
At six toes tall, I might barely squeeze into that third row. There simply wasn’t wherever for my toes or knees to go. The second row was far more comfy, with loads of headroom, however I nonetheless would not name it spacious, with nothing just like the beneficiant legroom discovered within the second row of a BMW iX or perhaps a Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Fortunately, I spent most of my time within the entrance seats, that are wonderful. Volvo affords a pair of inside materials, Daybreak Quilted Nordico, which has a leather-like really feel, or Tailor-made Wool Mix, which looks like a higher-end woven upholstery. My favourite is the latter, by far. These seats supply beneficiant adjustment and a surprisingly complete therapeutic massage. Air flow is about the one factor lacking, and that may be a little bit of a disgrace.
The remainder of the inside is sort of stark and clear. The white trim over the charcoal material on the machine I drove appears improbable, as does the raised grain on the wood sprint insert, let down solely a bit by the unlucky bands of chrome operating round it.
The spotlight of the sprint, although, is the 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen that sits upright within the center. On it, you’ve got entry to the Android Automotive system that controls the whole lot of the person interface, together with the 9.0-inch gauge cluster behind the steering wheel and the projected heads-up show.
Volvo’s interface right here appears just like what they began providing about five years ago, however it’s a lot extra complete and responsive to make use of than earlier than. Google Maps operating natively is a superb expertise, as is having the ability to do issues like regulate automobile settings through voice with Google Assistant. The inevitable Gemini integration ought to solely make it extra highly effective.
Android Automotive additionally offers entry to quite a few media apps, together with Tidal, which affords Dolby Atmos streaming. For the primary time, Volvo has a sound system able to making the most of it. A brand new Bowers & Wilkins system with a whopping 25 audio system fills the cabin with wealthy, crisp sound. It is accessible as a part of the Extremely trim, which practically makes it definitely worth the improve value over the bottom EX90 by itself.
Drive time
The EX90 I check drove was outfitted with the corporate’s largest wheels, 22 inches, and people had been wrapped in sticky, European-spec summer season tires as a substitute of the extra reasonable all-season tires American EX90s will characteristic. Regardless of these two components, the EX90 affords very good trip high quality.
It was clean, quiet, and cozy over each separation joint on the freeway and the few damaged bits of asphalt I might discover. Solely a touch of wind noise on the freeway pace betrayed the truth that I used to be transferring by means of house and time and never simply the latter. All that conspires to make it a good higher soundscape for every of these 25 audio system.
The suspension is tuned for compliance, and the EX90 tends to drift a bit after placing bigger bumps or the like. However, regardless of that, it was nonetheless fairly partaking on tighter, twistier canyon roads. I would not say it was sharp or essentially sporty, however it was genuinely enjoyable.
It turns effectively and has minimal physique roll for such a tall factor, thanks partly to situating that large battery pack down within the flooring. And, sure, it has loads of acceleration. Maybe an excessive amount of, really. The throttle pedal is a bit sharp, which can have rear-seat passengers with delicate stomachs turning inexperienced. Maybe another excuse to skip the white inside, beautiful as it’s.
The one-pedal driving mode is likewise fairly sharp, promptly bringing the EX90 down to a whole cease. If that is to not your liking, you possibly can disable it. When off, the EX90 is joyful to coast alongside. There is a third possibility, too: Computerized. Right here, the automobile coasts more often than not, but when there is a automobile forward, it’s going to extra aggressively apply regen to keep up distance.
That is only one side of the automobile’s superior driver programs, which had been a bit hit-or-miss.
Large sensors
Probably the most fascinating styling cue of the EX90, an SUV that could be very good and complex trying however slightly understated, is the sensor pod perched above the windscreen. Inside lives a Luminar Lidar pod, scanning the highway forward and producing a 3D level map of each impediment. Or, no less than, it is going to.
Proper now, that little little bit of roof decor is simply that. However Volvo mentioned they will gentle that sensor up and begin gathering knowledge through software program replace subsequent yr. In some unspecified time in the future sooner or later, it’s going to begin integrating higher into the automobile’s adaptive security system, mainly appearing as one other level of reference to reinforce the opposite sensors.
What’s in there now feels kind of like Volvo’s present machines. The Pilot Help system supplies complete lively lane-keep help, that means it’s going to hold the automobile centered within the lane. Volvo has additionally added an computerized lane-change characteristic, however you continue to have to set off it manually with a full press of the flip stalk. It is all adequate, however a determined step behind the hands-off programs accessible from Ford, Normal Motors, and BMW. I additionally had some points throughout my drive, with the lane-centering system refusing to have interaction on secondary roads.
There have been different issues, too. The automobile makes use of UWB (ultra-wide band) connectivity with smartphones to work and not using a key, however our automobile struggled to detect the telephone, leaving me caught for a couple of minutes of annoying fiddling each time I bought out of the automobile. It additionally struggled to detect that my fingers had been on the wheel, going as far as to disable the lively steering system at one level as a result of it thought I wasn’t paying consideration. (I used to be.)Lastly, all the lively security suite threw errors twice, as soon as requiring a technician with a laptop computer to repair.
Wrap-up
After all of the delays for the machine, I’ve to confess I used to be anticipating a extra polished expertise. That mentioned, I might recommend not holding that towards the EX90. I am assured Volvo’s engineers can repair these points earlier than the SUVs begin exhibiting up at dealerships, which Volvo says will occur someday earlier than the tip of the yr.
That the lively security suite lags behind the competitors is a bit unlucky, however absolutely Volvo has greater plans for the EX90. The corporate did not throw that Lidar sensor on the roof only for appears. These issues are costly.
Which brings us to the worth. Once more, the EX90 begins at $79,995 for a dual-motor model with as much as 310 miles of vary, which places it in the identical ballpark because the Rivian R1S or the Tesla Mannequin X, two different premium three-row SUVs. Nevertheless, the upcoming Polestar 3, constructed on the identical platform however missing the Lidar sensor on the roof and the third row of seats out again, begins at $5,000 much less.
Is the Volvo price the additional value? We’ll have to attend till we get some seat time in its company cousin till we are able to say for positive. Keep tuned for that.
Replace, September 3 2024, 6:01PM ET: This story has been up to date to take away two paragraphs that inaccurately described the scale of the EX90 as a consequence of a conversion error.
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