08-08-2025
Volvo EX90 hides brilliance behind veil of quirks
My interaction with the new Volvo EX90 started on the wrong foot. That may have had something do with the haphazard and unceremonious way in which the handlers representing the manufacturer opted to launch the flagship.
It was a strange affair, with more time allocated to frivolities rather than detailed presentations and ample driving opportunities, at odds with expectations one had for such a significant model.
My biggest takeaway from the 5km encounter behind the wheel was the vehicle amplified frustrations about its smaller sibling, the EX30, which ushered in a foreign user experience.
Since that event, some things have changed in the Volvo SA ecosystem. For starters, the brand has a new MD. Grant Locke has taken over, with the aim of driving the growth of the brand, particularly as it transitions into its electric chapter.
The agency handling the PR for the Swedish manufacturer has also brought back a seasoned hand in Astrid de la Rey, a respected motor industry professional who played a major role as media relations manager for Volvo when the brand enjoyed a resurgence in the late 2000s into the mid 2010s.
Last week an example of the EX90 arrived for testing. It afforded time to explore beyond surface level irritations discovered at launch, such as having the mirrors and steering wheel adjustment dials buried behind a maze in the digital interface.
Perhaps we should get the gripes out of the way before we move on to the aspects that make the newcomer quite brilliant.
The move to delete most physical switchgear is something that many are going to find radical. So is the lack of an on-off switch. Even the key fob has no buttons to speak of. It's a dainty rectangle about the size of a bedtime chocolate and feels just as durable. The glossy black finish wears poorly and our car's fob already looked weathered. Makes you yearn for the chunky, leather-lined, weighted block that used to come with the former XC90.
There are also known issues related to the wireless key. A colleague who had an EX90 on Test earlier this year found himself locked outside the vehicle when its fob stopped communicating with the car. The fleet agent who delivered our Test unit reminded us to charge the key on the wireless pad in the vehicle at frequent intervals. We did that and there were no hassles.
Then there is the hypersensitive driver alertness monitor with its audible warning and written instruction to keep eyes ahead. You find it works overtime, purely because the huge and complicated infotainment screen in which all the features are hidden is distracting to operate while moving.
Thankfully, unlike the compact EX30, the EX90 has a digital instrument cluster in front of the driver, obviating the need to avert eyes left to keep tabs on speed and other details.
A lack of backlighting for the steering wheel and surrounding elements is puzzling, so is the manually operated folding sunshade, out of place in a car costing R2.65m.
On to the good stuff. Volvo has long been known for having the cushiest seats in the business and the front pews of the EX90 are textbook examples.
Wide berthed, generously padded and with heating elements that could sear a T-bone, they are a reminder of a proud brand hallmark. Add to that massage functionality which gets into those lingering knots.
For all its complexity, some features in the Volvo are remarkably simple to access. Such as the semi-autonomous driving mode. Pilot Assist in Volvo-speak.
Activating the steering assist is done via a clearly marked button. Tip the right side stalk down once on the go to engage the adaptive cruise control. Then prepare to be impressed by how clever and well-adapted the set-up is to local roads. The sophisticated light detection and ranging (Lidar) technology of the EX90 delivers a semi-autonomous driving experience that may be the best in the business.
You could fold your arms or eat a sandwich while the vehicle tackles freeway miles, steering around bends, staying safely within the lines, negotiating varying traffic dynamics. Even in conditions where road markings were poor, the EX90 was not easily flummoxed. While it will brake for obstacles and change lanes, it will not dodge potholes on your behalf.
Stay attentive, because a mindful driver is required for the system to remain engaged. It will instruct you to put your hands back on the wheel after a short period of no contact, and should the driver disobey, the system will disengage.
From the outside, sharp observers will notice the Lidar hardware integrated into the roof of the vehicle. Safe to look at but best not to point your smartphone at the element while it is active. It has been known to fry smartphone cameras.
With the massaging seats helping you reach your weekly self-care goals and the self-driving technologies in effect, you realise the EX90 is right for the times. Most motorists in South Africa seem to multitask while behind the wheel, so the benefit of having an intelligent car that removes some of mental effort from driving a vehicle is an undeniable luxury.
Aside from the finicky aspect of housing certain controls, technologically haughty buyers will appreciate the luxury (and novelty factor) of that expansive infotainment set-up.
Though data-intensive, the Google-based interface is compelling not only for its clarity and richness of display but also for its diversity of applications. In-car Spotify, YouTube and Chrome are game-changers for mobile entertainment and more serious work-related pursuits.
The cherry atop the EX90 is its tremendous acceleration. Armed with two electric motors it defies belief that a vehicle weighing 2,787kg could hustle from standstill to 100km/h in under five seconds. Volvo claims 4.9 and it feels that urgent in the real world.
Driving the car in its regular, default setting, the accelerator calibration has an intentional delay worked in, yielding a characteristic typical of internal combustion engine vehicles. But pressing the circular Performance icon on the screen dials in the usual immediacy associated with an electric car: flex your big toe and the large Scandinavian scoots. The outputs are impressive at 310kW and 910Nm.
Automatically adjusting air suspension works well at suppressing pitching motions under heavy braking and lurching when you hot-foot it from a set of traffic lights. The ride is creamy, but those huge 22" wheels on low-profile rubber (265/40 front, 295/35 rear) are caught out by road imperfections.
As it has a large battery size (111kWh), the Volvo has one of the longest claimed ranges in the business at 616km. With gratuitous use of the heater, heated seats and heated steering wheel, in addition to generous deployment of that power pedal, my real world range was about 410km. Driven conservatively, the 600km+ is not unrealistic. Claimed electricity consumption is 20.7kWh/100km.
Visually, the EX90 is a far more handsome contender than the toothy BMW iX or blob-shaped Mercedes-Benz EQS. It also has the benefit of a third seating row. But the Germans pip the Volvo in overall user-friendliness and conventionality
Looking beneath the quirks though, the Swedish fighter has an excellent powertrain, incredible semi-autonomous capability and soothing cushiness that lives up to the traditional Volvo reputation.
One major sweetener that might seal the deal for prospective buyers is the inclusion of two years' free public charging as well as 10GB of in-car data (monthly) for three years. In addition, buyers get a GridCars wallbox installed at their homes.
