Volvo EX90 Twin Motor Ultra review: 400bhp is more than enough, thanks

BRING ME THANOS!

Of course, of course, it’s a Volvo, which means Thor and Mjölnir and Scandi mythos and all that jazz. Though, the force contained within this mighty seven-seat EX90 wouldn’t trouble that Asgardian golden boy. More on that later.

Does it… aim for the head?

It does. And perhaps the heart too. We drove it extensively in the States last year and came back suitably impressed enough to award it our 2024 Luxury Family Car of the Year. So, yeah, it went for the head.

But now it’s almost 2026 and the electric car landscape is shifting still. And away from California’s sun-kissed topography and Hollywood gaze, can Volvo’s posh, expensive SUV impress when faced with the harsh, mostly grey mizzle that covers our sceptred isle for much of the year?

And more importantly, can it cope with an armada of potholes and that Golf R driver right up your chuff? Time to find out.

I bet from inside that thing, everyone else seems so petty… and tiny.

You certainly won't care about said Golf R driver inside here, because... It is vast. Gargantuan. And immensely serene. A quick recap for those that missed the post-credit sting: the EX90 sits on a version of Volvo’s SPA platform built purely to accommodate many electricities – this is not parent company Geely’s handiwork. Our EX90s are also built in South Carolina, not China.

Into this platform comes a 111kWh battery – of which you can actually use 107kWh – able to power a pair of electric motors (one on the front, one on the back) to the tune of 402bhp and 568lb ft of torque. At least in this guise.

Have at thee!

Indeed. When you’ve deployed Full (Thor’s) Hammer, Volvo claims 0-62mph in 5.9s and a limited top speed of 112mph. Put the hammer down, mind, and Volvo also claims up to 375 miles of range.

However. Top Gear’s test took place in the deep of winter when the weather was officially Really Very Cold Indeed, so we did not get a claimed up to 375 miles of range. More like just over 300 miles. At least, that’s what the on-board computer calculated our range to be.

Charging’s pretty quick, mind. The EX90 can accommodate a 250kW hose, which takes you from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Longer on an 11kW wall box, of course (10 hours plus).

What if I need to transport my… friends from work?

It’s tall, which gives you lots of headroom, and this Ultra spec comes with a pano roof, so it feels super airy. There’s lots of legroom across all three rows – heck, even the rear pews offer good space and can be accessed/folded down with utmost ease.

Plus, all the seats are comfortable, supportive, and enveloping. Massaging fronts in this spec, too. And it’s a good massage. Volvo has always pared back its interiors to offer something a little more relaxing, and so it follows in this EX90: though there is a small clickwheel, everything is handled via its screen. For better and worse.

Material quality is top-notch and the touchpoints feel luxurious. But having to dive into that screen to do everything is not… ideal.

And what about when you want to do what heroes do?

It never feels neck-snappingly fast, and that’s a bit of a blessed relief in a car of this size (2.7 tonnes!) and packing this much comfort. It’s still quick but offers up its performance less like a bolt of lightning from Mjölnir, and more like a strong, reassuring and friendly arm ushering you along. There's a healthy overtaking shove for when you need to fly back to Asgard pronto because your brother's being a pain, too. Basically: 400 horsies in a big, posh family car is plenty, thank you very much.

It never feels heavy or bulky – though it really, really is – and while the steering and ride can be adjusted, it suits the car’s nature best when everything’s slackened off and you’re coasting along gently and with a literal light touch. It’s so, so easy to manoeuvre this big lug, and it offers up sublime ride quality that only really gets troublesome on the very worst bits of our roads.

Should you decide to chuck it around, you’ll notice a bit of pitch and roll. Don’t, and you’ll be just fine.

Does it get help?

It does. There's an armada of technology watching the road, watching other motorists, and of course, watching (and silently judging) you. Cameras. Sensors. Norse gods. Volvo's stuffed the EX90 full of tech.

This Volvo, I like it! Another!

Well, if electric’s not your bag, there’s the regular Volvo XC90 – recently refreshed, still brilliant – but this EX feels like a slightly different proposition. An expensive one, too: though the range starts at £82,660 for the single motor Plus, this twin motor Ultra starts from £96,360. Tick a few options and you’re into a hundred grand Volvo.

But then it beats – just – its rivals, which right now are the seven seat Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 siblings. Elsewhere, it’s more desirable than something like a Model X or BMW iX. And none of them can claim to have Thor’s hammer in their headlights.