The Volvo EX90 is set to make its local debut come April time, with a ballpark price tag of RM 450,000.
So a little while ago, Volvo Car Malaysia had hosted an exclusive media preview of the EX90, offering an early look at the Swedish automaker’s latest all-electric flagship SUV. And with its official debut just around the corner, here’s Automacha’s take on what to expect from this seven-seater behemoth.
Now the first thing that immediately stands out upon seeing the EX90 in the metal is the sheer size of it. Measuring in at 5,037 mm in length (compared to the XC90’s 4,950 mm), 1,964 mm in width (vs 1,923 mm), and standing 1,747 mm tall (vs 1,776 mm), this Swedish SUV is undeniably large, and it certainly looks the part in person.
Despite the Sand Dune colour of this preview unit being in a shade that could best be described as diluted teh ais too, the EX90 still nevertheless embodies the distinctly clean and modern Volvo design. Its styling can best be described as a slightly boxier XC90, with front and rear elements inspired by the EX30 — an aesthetic that, in all honesty, works rather well.
Moving on within now and talking practicality for a bit, all that largeness on the outside does handily translate to a more-than-decent amount of space inside. There remains a decently sized boot in the EX90, even with the rear rows of seats up. There is also a quite deep compartment beneath the boot floor for even more storage space, not to mention a wide, if somewhat shallow, frunk up front.
Passenger space is equally impressive in the EX90, with acres of headroom in the cabin. And this sense of spaciousness is only further amplified too by an expansive panoramic glass roof, though its lack of a physical shade might prove problematic under Malaysia’s sizzling sun…
Legroom in the second row is more than adequate in the EX90, with individual sliding seats allowing for extra space in the third row. Unfortunately however, those above six feet will struggle somewhat for headroom all the way at the back, owing to the fact that the panoramic roof doesn’t extend that far rearwards in the cabin.
As for how everything looks and feels inside the EX90, it’s all decidedly Volvo-y with that minimalist yet premium quality to its interior appointments. The seats are somewhat softer than expected for a Volvo, but still nevertheless have that Volvo sort of comfort and support to them.
Rather fittingly for a premium SUV also, the rear-most row of seats fold up/away electronically at a push of a button (located on either side of the rear door pillars and in the boot). Ingress and egress into the third row however is a tad tight, as the second row of seats only tilt forward slightly for access.
Due to time constraints with this preview, there was unfortunately not much time to have a proper play with the infotainment system. That said, blessed be Volvo for including a physical volume knob on the centre console, though its climate controls remain embedded within the touchscreen.
Speaking of screens, the central touchscreen is still also the only way to access what is a pathetically small glovebox, though this does allow the front passenger to enjoy a vast footwell.
Another quirk that Volvo has annoyingly carried over from the EX30 into the EX90 is the absence of individual window switches for each window on the driver’s door panel. Instead, there are only two switches and a separate button to toggle between the front and rear windows. Because apparently, adding dedicated switches for each window is too costly, huh, Volvo?
With this being a static preview, no comments could be provided thus far as to how the EX90 drives, nor how it is like to live with over here. But that should change soon enough, as this fully electric seven-seater SUV is set to make its official debut here alongside the newly-updated XC90 PHEV in just a few weeks’ time.
For those curious about its tech specs, the EX90 is currently to be available internationally in two all-wheel drive configurations: Twin Motor and Twin Motor Performance. The former outputs an already-impressive 408 PS and 770 Nm, while the latter ups the ante further with 517 PS and 910 Nm.
Regardless of the chosen variant, both are powered by a 111 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery pack, offering a WLTP range of 600 km (Twin Motor) and 590 km (Twin Motor Performance). Charging-wise, the EX90 supports up to 11 kW AC charging (full charge in 10 hours) and 250 kW DC fast charging, which can replenish 10-80% of the battery in just 30 minutes.
The Volvo EX90 and its newly-updated XC90 PHEV counterpart are incidentally available for pre-orders over here right now, with those wishing to put their name on either of these large SUVs able to do so through the link here. Both these massive Swedish SUVs are currently estimated to land locally wearing a price tag that is within the ballpark of RM 450,000.
