Volvo EX90 review

Let’s concentrate on passengers first, as that’s probably why you’re interested in the EX90. For starters the front seats have been put on plinths, so there’s space for middle row occupants to slot feet underneath. As a result legroom is properly generous. And so is headroom (top-spec Ultra models come with a full length panoramic roof).

But it’s how easily the middle row tilts or folds that really sets the EX90 apart. One hand is all you need, either on the seat shoulder to tilt and slide it for access to the third row, or under the base to fold it. This means your other arm can be carrying a sleepy child and makes the whole process that much simpler. The rear seats fold electrically via buttons.

Probably just as well – bet the boot is small with seven seats in place.

Wrong. It’s not just passenger space in every row that’s impressive, but boot space, too. Even with all the seats raised there’s 310 litres. Fold them and the landing pad sized area is 655 litres even if you’re only measuring to the window line. Fold the middle row, measure to the roof and that’s 1,915 litres. The front passenger chair also folds if you really need to carry large stuff. Neat touch: a handy logo inside the raised boot door shows you what items fit in which boot layout. No need to measure up before the Ikea shop now.

There’s also a 34-litre frunk. Just shove the charging cables in there. You don’t have to because there’s also a very useful (and large) storage compartment under the boot floor, but you don’t want to be unloading gear just to pull the cables out.

It's one of those cars – and they’re vanishingly rare these days – that you look at it from outside and wonder how on earth Volvo’s designers have carved out so much space. Maybe, as we said earlier, it has to do with the clever styling, but more likely it’s that Volvo is just good at this stuff and by-and-large other firms aren’t so bothered.

What about this cupholder issue?

Right, Volvo should have done more with the door pockets, liberated enough space for cups there. Instead those are too narrow and miserly. The actual cupholders are in the central armrest built into the middle seat, but of course if that seat is occupied, no cupholders. It’s a genuine oversight for a family car. There are USB sockets though, about half a dozen of them around the cabin, and four zone climate control with air vents for every row. 

How’s life up front?

The basics are delightful. You get in and sink into plump, soft yet supportive seats. The design is fresh and modern, there’s lots of storage, the driving position is great, the steering wheel is small and not too thick-rimmed, which helps the driving experience follow suit and the quality and materials give everything a lift. It’s a real step on from the XC90, more akin to something from Range Rover. There’s a simplicity to the design and layout.

Until you get to the screen?

Well no, because by the standards of these things, it’s a very good one with large-ish icons and very quick reactions. It’s pretty easy to navigate and Google Maps is so well integrated and fast to use that we didn’t find ourselves automatically reaching for Apple CarPlay and Waze. The menus are pretty logical, too.

But. It’s still a touchscreen. It’s not like you’re able to operate it without taking your eyes off the road. So for all Volvo’s claims of enhanced safety, it’s clear they’re also not willing to buck the touchscreen trend. There is a clickwheel on the console, but its functionality is limited. And of course there’s voice control via Google. But it’s pretty inept.

And as we said earlier, everything is in the screen, from the steering wheel adjustment to the boot opening. And all of it takes longer to find and operate. Volvo claims you’ll set it once and leave it, but as anyone who’s needed to lower a mirror when reversing knows, that’s simply not the case. And having to press a button to select whether the single pair of physical window switches operate the fronts or the rears is plain idiotic. This doesn’t seem a penny-pinching car, but we can think of no other explanation.

Can you relax then?

Yes, because for 90 per cent of the time none of this affects you and a general sense of effortless wellbeing permeates the cabin (provided other occupants aren’t kicking off). And, in Ultra trim at least, you’ve got truly wonderful massage seats to get their firm, stubby pseudo-thumbs into your knotty parental back.