The XC90 is obviously Volvo’s flagship pride and joy and because no one can ever leave a good thing alone, they’ve gone ahead and updated it. The new XC90 is still a luxury sofa on wheels that’s so comfortable it could lull you to sleep—hopefully not while driving. It’s also still one of the safest cars around, because Volvo loves to keep you cozy and accident-free.
The facelifted XC90 will be available as a plug-in hybrid which means, that it’s got a green halo with over 70 km of electric range, so you can cruise around like an eco-warrior… until you need to switch to good ol’ petrol for those longer road trips. Yes, petrol, since the new XC90 is not gonna be available with any kind of a diesel engine anymore. And yes, it still got all-wheel drive because, you know, just in case you want to take this luxury bus off-roading.
NEW Interior and exterior? No, just updated.
The new XC90’s exterior design is not completely new, its just a facelift to keep up its confident look. It’s updated enough to remind you it’s still around while Volvo transitions toward electrification, borrowing a few design cues from their actual new, fully electric models.
The interior is not completely new either. The dashboard is very similar to the current XC90, it only has a more “horizontal” vibe and it’s decorated with new premium recycled materials. There is some extra storage area here and there, and if you’re into sound, the optional Bowers & Wilkins High Fidelity audio system will make you feel like you’re sitting in a concert hall, jazz club, or even on stage—minus the stage fright.
The most noticeable change is the bigger, 11.2-inch multimedia screen with 21% more pixels for a sharper display, as if that wasn’t already a thing in every other car. The main update of the system? The home screen now shows your most-used apps like maps, media, and phone, so fewer taps are needed to get to the features you most often use. So for example, when you want to change your music while following directions, you won’t have to leave Google Maps. Finally, a screen that can multitask—who would’ve thought? Plus, there is also a new contextual bar which changes what you see according to the situation and displays the recently used apps. Oh, and if you’re crawling through a parking lot, the camera icon appears automatically on the screen—thank goodness for that! To top of that, the “Pure” fully electric mode is just a tap away for quick access as well.
Yes, it’s still safe
The new XC90, like every Volvo, was designed with a big focus on safety. It’s got an advanced safety cage and a whole arsenal of active safety features designed to keep you, your family, and everyone else out there safe. With its radar and front camera, the XC90 will casually steer you back into your lane if you start wandering into oncoming traffic. It’ll also stop you from accidentally driving off the road, and it’s ready to jump in with brakes and steering to dodge cars, pedestrians, cyclists, or even a moose from Volvo’s homeland in Sweden. Because apparently, you never know when one of those appear in front of you!
Yes, it’s still comfortable (or it should be)
The ride in the XC90 should be smoother than ever thanks to the upgraded suspension. As standard, each damper can individually adjust itself to the road conditions to give you the perfect mix of comfort and stability—so you can glide through traffic like a zen master. Volvo doesn’t specify this at the moment, but I assume that the new XC90 will be available with electronically adjustable coilover shock absorbers as standard.
However the optional air suspension should be even better. This system, along with an active chassis that checks in on the car, road, and driver 500 times per second, is all about maximum comfort. Whether you need to effortlessly step in and out, want better aerodynamics at high speeds, or feel like taking on rough terrain, the XC90 can lower itself by 20mm or rise by 40mm on command.
To top of that, thanks to the additional sound insulation materials, the interior of the new XC90 should be more quiet than in the pre-facelift version.
Apart from the plug-in hybrid models you will be able to choose from two mild-hybrid petrol variants as well. Both of these B5 and B6 mild-hybrid versions are assisted by a 48v lithium-ion battery and an integrated starter/generator.
The production of the new XC90 will begin in late 2024, but it is already available to order.
