The MotorTrend garage had a 2016 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD in top Inscription trim, and we loved it. The clean design, natural walnut wood inlays, tiny Swedish flags sewn into the Nappa leather seats. It was premium and soothing, modern yet cozy, replete with all the technology Volvo is known for as a safety leader. You never felt in peril, even in snow and ice. That SUV had a way of calming whoever was driving it.
A decade later, I’m sharing chaperone duties on the 2026 Volvo EX90, another three-row from the Swedish automaker but with a major difference: This is a pure EV, and while we are excited to learn more about living with a powertrain that still represents the future, I am also slightly terrified, having never lived with an electric SUV before. I do long road trips in somewhat desolate areas, and I am about to learn just how good—or bad—the charging infrastructure is in Michigan, including the less populated Upper Peninsula.
Our new long-term EX90 is a six-passenger SUV with twin front and rear motors (giving it all-wheel drive), a 102-kWh lithium-ion battery, and shift-by-wire single-speed transmissions. The output: 670 horsepower and 642 lb-ft of torque, so this is no slouch. It also has one-pedal drive.
The look is also new and modern. Our Ultra trim in Mulberry Red rides on 22-inch glossy black diamond-cut wheels and has Thor’s Hammer LED headlights, an electrochromic panoramic roof promising instant shade with the push of a button, and soft-close doors.
Inside, our EX90 has lovely wool-blend cloth seats—still with small Swedish flags—that give it a fresh and airy feel. The first two rows are heated, the front seats have a massage function, and the third row has power-folding seats
There is a new 14.5-inch center screen in addition to the 9.0-inch driver display. Past Volvos have had infotainment systems that are slow to load and glitchy. Volvo now uses a dual Nvidia Drive AGX Orin-based core computer with a crazy amount of computing power. The hope is that the software snafus that plagued Volvo before have been resolved.
The EX90 is the first true software-defined vehicle for Volvo, and the automaker says it has learned a lot since its launch as it continues to make upgrades to improve quality and add features. We expect we will see a number of over-the-air upgrades in our time with the vehicle.
Our EX90 Ultra comes with the Bowers & Wilkins premium sound system with the Abbey Road Studios mode, which we’re excited to sample. It also comes with Volvo Car Connect and Google built-in services including maps and assistant, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay.
For a comfortable ride, the EX90 has air suspension and an active chassis. It has an advanced driver assistance system with adaptive cruise control. Being a safety leader, the EX90 has the latest connected safety features that include alerts for hazards, slippery roads, and accidents ahead, and the car will alert responders in an emergency.
The EX90 is Volvo’s flagship electric vehicle, a family SUV that plays an important role in Volvo’s transition to electrification, especially in Europe, which has been quicker to embrace pure EVs. The 2026 EX90 has a new 800-volt electrical system, which will make DC fast charging even faster. Volvo says it can add up to 155 miles of range in about 10 minutes, a claim we will work to verify.
The EX90 is assembled in the U.S. at the Volvo plant in Charleston, South Carolina. The Ultra trim starts at $91,240, and our fancy wheels and sound system bring the sticker to $96,240. That’s a lot of coin. Our year with the EX90 will strive to see if it is worth it.
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