Volvo EX90

Seven-seat electric flagship goes big on range, technology and... most other things On sale Late 2024 Price from £96,255

- Doug Revolta

BIG CITIES, big personalities, big portions; America does things big. It's an appropriate place to build the new Volvo EX90, then.

If you're unfamiliar with the name, the EX90 is Volvo's new flagship seven-seat electric SUV, which will sit above the petrol-powered XC90 in the Swedish firm's line-up as an electric alternative. It's quite a big beast at just over five metres long; it's 84mm longer than the XC90.

Unsurprisingly, it comes with a considerable price tag, too, which means it will be mixing with the likes of the five-seat Audi Q8 e-tron and BMW iX, as well as seven-seat versions of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. Plus, there are cheaper seven-seat electric SUVs, such as the Kia EV9 and Peugeot e-5008, to consider.

What's it like to drive?

There are two versions of the EX90: the Twin Motor and the Twin Motor Performance. Both use the same four-wheel drive set-up with two electric motors, one on each axle.

The Twin Motor has 402bhp and can officially cover the 0-60mph sprint in 5.7sec, while the Twin Motor Performance ups the power to 510bhp and drops the 0-60mph time down to 4.7sec. We've driven the Performance model so far, and it feels very quick indeed, yet it's easy to meter out as much power as you need. There's no spikiness in the accelerator response at low speeds, so driving smoothly comes naturally.

Likewise, the EX90 has direct, well-weighted steering, so it's no effort to calmly ease this vast SUV around town or along the motorway. All models have enormous, 22in alloy wheels and air suspension as standard, with two modes: Sport and Comfort. However, being tall and tipping the scales at a chunky 2700kg (the battery alone is around 600kg), the EX90 does lean noticeably in corners, even in Sport mode. You're unlikely to be looking at this car if you're after B-road thrills, but the Q8 e-tron is tidier in the twisties.