Scandinavian winters are long, with short, gray days. Against the gray sky, the verdant greens, grays and browns of the landscape stand out along the roadside. It's this landscape that has inspired Volvo design, color palette options and safety mission.
For the 2025 model year, Volvo has significantly refreshed its XC90 three-row SUV. It's not all new, but it's new in very significant ways: the powertrain has been updated, styling revised, and technology improved. Plus, there's a new grille and headlight design that is quite fetching.
Two days of driving the vehicle in Denmark and Sweden revealed that the SUV is far more improved than it claims to be on paper, especially in the plug-in hybrid version.
While the smooth roads of the two counties were hardly a formidable foe for the car's suspension system, a portion of rather unexpected trail driving (thanks to a wrong turn near Växjö) and plenty of time driving in the twisties on back roads allowed it to shine. The cabin is tremendously more stable than before, and the steering offering a more connected feel so roundabouts are less of a chore.
All-wheel drive comes standard on all XC90s, which was especially helpful on slick backroads that were sometimes covered with rain-drenched leaves.
There is also significantly more noise in the cabin of the hybrid XC90 (B5 or B6 variants) than the XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), this despite the company saying that they have added more sound deadening material than in the previous generation. That alone would be enough for me to want the PHEV over the hybrid.
The XC90 T8's 455-horsepower powertrain has been refined to make it less clunky, though at times when getting off the line it wants to slingshot you ahead when running on its electrons only.
Regenerating or saving all-electric range is as easy as pushing a few times on the touchscreen and then driving as normal. This allows drivers to choose to use their EV miles in the city or while sitting in traffic rather than while cruising down the highway.
Riding around on those roads, passing giant piles of potatoes for miles and miles on end, was a comfortable experience thanks to Volvo's heralded seat design. As a driver and passenger it was easy to find a comfortable seating position even as we approached six hours on our backsides.
Ingress (with a cup of hot cocoa from respected chocolate shop Österlen Choklad in Skåne-Tranås, Sweden) was easy thanks to the XC90's air suspension which made putting the cup in the cupholder ahead of fully entering the car a possibility. That air suspension also makes egress less of a hop for those of us that are vertically challenged.
Thanks to predictably wet weather in Sweden this time of year, we were able to give the windshield wipers a thorough test and I can confirm that they worked with aplomb whether it was simply spitting or in the pouring rain.
Volvo has replaced its old style dashboard design in the XC90 with a new one that is sleeker and incorporates the SUV's large, tablet-like touchscreen display. The new look is appealing and simplistic in a sophisticated, typically Scandinavian way.
The tablet operates on the Android Auto platform, wearing a Volvo skin. The interface has been improved for this new model and now mirrors the Volvo EX30's. While I'm usually a fan of more buttons and knobs rather than touchscreen interfaces, in the Volvo I'm less partial to the physical controls. This is a big nod to the Volvo design team, who has made it rather effortless to perform daily driver tasks while on the go.
Usefulness of other components has also been upgraded as part of the interior revisions. The SUV's center console is much more usable with two cupholders and an additional storage space.
The wireless photo charger position has also been changed to the be near the cupholders rather than in closed console storage for convenience. That charger adds power rapidly but made my iPhone rather toasty to the touch.
Not tested during the journey but worth noting is Volvo's commitment to safety. The automaker offers a good amount of driver assistance and safety technologies while prioritizing things that make a difference during the design of the vehicle, such as the metals used to protect the vehicle occupants in the event of a collision.
The new Volvo XC90 is a pleasant place to spend a day. Road trips are a relative breeze with the Volvo bringing a heaping helping of comfort, style and confidence-inspiring handling. All that's left to figure out is how efficient and emissions-free you want that journey to be.
Pricing for the new XC90 starts at $58,450. It tops out at $80,700. While there are many other six- and seven-passenger luxury SUV choices under $60,000, as you move up closer to the $80,000, the number of offerings worth the money wanes.
The 2025 Volvo XC90 is an elegant, efficient choice that delivers at the heart of the premium market. It's the SUV that knows what it is and doesn't try to offer you more.
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