Now and again, I get the chance of a second test week in a car. It’s a great way of sizing-up a model against rivals that I have driven in the intervening period.
I always find something is better than I thought first time around.
And invariably, there is something that wasn’t as good as I deemed it to have been.
That is certainly the case with the new, upgraded Volvo EX 90 electric 7-seater SUV.
It is timely too, as newcomers such as the new Hyundai IONIQ 9, not to mention the established KIA EV9 and Tesla Model X, keep up the pressure.
At first glance, the Volvo revisions don’t appear to be all that extensive.
Yet in many small ways, they come to a reasonable payload of technical extras and improvements.
The changes cater for hardware and software.
The new 800v system means the car can charge faster; it can also power a central upgrade to improve safety performance – in collision avoidance, for example.
Other new systems include alerts for slippery roads and/or hazardous patches, and if there has been an accident ahead.
The Emergency Stop Assist (ESA) is now integrated and designed to slow a vehicle to a halt, safely and in its lane. Then if it doesn’t get a driver’s response to hands-off (the steering wheel) warnings, it will call an emergency centre linked to Volvo.
Also upgraded is the facility for the car to steer in emergency mode in darkness.
The upgrade of several new advances, especially those at the core of the system, enables computing power of a trillion operations a second.
The 800v system and quicker response upgrades all safety aspects of the car.
And there is good news for current owners. If you bought an EX90 in 2025 you will get the benefit of the new tech for free as it will be transferred on a once-off basis during a scheduled visit to your Volvo outlet.
Better or worse the second time around?
Not for better is the price of the SUV tested: €124,895. It’s an awful lot of money. The psychological barrier of breaching the €100,000 mark was, I suspect, a step too far for many potential buyers. So, the €99,895 tag on the Single Motor Model, is a bit more bearable but it will top the €100,000 line when you pay for delivery and related charges.
The tested car, the Twin Motor Performance Electric Ultra, pushed out a torrent of power (517hp) for the lengthy drives.
The Active Four-C Chassis gave tremendous grip, confidence and solidity as well as keeping the body as upright as is possible with a big tall SUV – thanks to the four-corner adaptive dampers with electronic air suspension.
This also has self-levelling, speed linked ride-height adjustment and rear lowering). If that doesn’t keep you safely on the road then I don’t know what will.
The WLTP experts who arrive (somehow) at the so-called real-world conditions came up with the promise of a 620km drive between empty and full.
But as is now written every time one drives an EV, the warning is always made that such an amount should be regarded as a ballpark figure and is subject to how you drive, load on board, road, weather conditions etc. It’s a good rule of thumb to knock 10per cent even 15per cent off the official (WLTP) distance.
An 111kWh lithium-ion battery powered the Volvo’s large body around; there’s a heat pump to keep things war, or cool, if you need it. And there’s a 3-phase on-board charger – 11kW. Home charging is limited to 7.2kW).
I know I criticised the pricing of the EX 90. But the automaker, no doubt, would point to the shed load of load of tech and spec as at least part explanation for the heavy bottom line.
Let’s take a look at some of the stuff on board. There is roof mounted lidar, long-range front facing radar, front and rear corner radars, front facing camera and side camera sensors.
The driver understanding system (eye tracking and hands on steering wheel detection) worked a little too often for me but it was on the ball as I was a wee bit tired. So, I had a tea and chocolate bar at the Kinnegad plaza.
Also in there are Pilot Assist, Park Pilot Assist (automatic steering and forward/reverse).
The one-pedal drive means you can accelerate or slow to a stop by using only the accelerator. Due to powerful regenerative braking on the likes of the EX90, if you lift your foot the system reverses the motor, thereby charging the battery. It’s nothing major but the car companies like to highlight it. I’m not pushed one way or the other.
My test car had 22ins alloys, 265/40 (front) and 295/35 (rear) tyres with sealant kit and compressor to cope with a variety of road, while the high-definition headlights, with 1.3 mega pixel active high beam and cornering function, were a tremendous boon on a well and windy night.
The EX 90 has seven individual seats: with the third – vitally – folding electronically. The up and downing of the second and third row of seats was simple. Electric front seats had side support; and there was a multi-directional lumbar support for the driver.
My car also had birch wood inlays, front seat massage, integrated child seat for centre seat second row.
And of course this being a Volvo, there is the WHIPS whiplash protection with the front seats.
ISOFIX attachments are on the outer second row as well as being in both third-row seats.
And still there’s more: SIPS (Side Impact Protection System – how long is that around?), lane keeping aid, run-off road mitigation and a barrow load of call safety items (ADAS) to keep incidents to a minimum..
To entertain and inform you there is a 14.5ins centre console portrait touchscreen, DAB (Digital radio), voice controls and Apple CarPlay (wireless). You can tune in to the Bowers & Wilkins audio system with Advanced 3D sound processing by Dolby. There are 25 speakers, including those in the front headrest.
That’s enough now, but I hope it balances the books a little – not too much – by giving an insight into how and why this Volvo cost, €120,000 or so.
No, it’s still too pricey for me. But it is a hell of a package.
