Volvo XC90 T8 | Test Drive

Words Marco Mancino / Photos Gian Romero

If your priority is having plenty of space — including the option to load up to seven people — but you are not yet ready for the inevitable compromises that come with an all-electric vehicle, Volvo may be your solution, courtesy of the motherly embrace of the XC90. Almost 25 years after the first generation made its debut, it remains faithful to the squared-off lines that have always distinguished it as the flagship of a design philosophy that is as understated and clean as it is elegant and sophisticated. The latest update, after all, brings a series of small but significant styling revisions that continue to secure its place high up in Volvo’s increasingly substantial line-up.

With its fully electric sister, the EX90, it shares little more than the numerical suffix, whose sole purpose is to categorise the upper end of Volvo’s range. The dimensions reflect the enormous amount of space available to the five traditional occupants, while the third row no longer sacrifices too much legroom or headroom. The luggage compartment is generous regardless of the seating configuration and features a large underfloor storage area where the emergency kit and charging cables can be stowed. Yes, because at the top of the range sits the T8, which is a plug-in hybrid.

Volvo claims that the XC90 can travel up to around 72 kilometers in fully electric mode, but it is more realistic to expect predominantly combined use, allowing the electric motor and its 18.8-kWh battery (14.7 kWh usable) to reduce consumption coasting, while also providing an extra surge of power the moment you press your right foot down on the gas. The combustion engine, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit, and the electric motor connected to the rear axle deliver a maximum output of 455 hp and 709 Nm of torque. These are serious figures, enough to mask much of the XC90’s weight and bulk. The car measures 4.95 meters in length, 1.91 meters in width and 1.77 in height. On the scales, it actually comes in lighter than the EX90, with which comparisons are inevitable: 2,365 kg versus 2,787 kg.

The XC90 features updated, slimmer light clusters compared with its predecessor, while one of the details that undoubtedly helps freshen up its appearance is the front grille, with its diagonal slats converging towards the large Volvo badge. Everything else is perfectly in order, just like any IKEA department. Simple, but functional. The same philosophy applies to the cockpit, where you are welcomed by an almost obsessive yet thoroughly comfortable attention to surfaces and materials. There is synthetic leather, aluminium, a more traditional gear selector and a rotary knob for starting the engine. The touchscreen display measures 11.2 inches diagonally and houses the excellent infotainment system already seen on other models from the brand, complemented by navigation powered by Google Maps. Some shortcuts — such as those for the climate controls — remain physical, including the front and rear defrosters. Thank you.

When you think of Volvo, safety and comfort immediately spring to mind. But with 455 hp at our disposal, we cannot ignore driving involvement as part of the equation. Putting aside for a moment the fact that our test car is fitted with winter tyres which, inevitably, compromise at least some of the XC90’s remarkable resistance to body roll and pitch, the XC90 T8 is the perfect sleeper — the kind of car you would never expect to be capable of such serious performance. The fact is that for 99% of the time spent behind the wheel, you feel as though you are wrapped in a kind of bubble. Absolute relax that takes you from one destination to another without ever feeling the need to bury your foot on the throttle.

But if the situation calls for it, or if you simply feel like indulging one of the reasons why you spent almost €15,000 more than you would have on the entry-level model, the T8 will leave you genuinely stunned. In these circumstances, setting the steering response to “rigid” contributes to more precise cornering, while the different driving modes mainly alter the way the hybrid system manages the relationship between engine and battery: Hybrid, Power, Pure (electric only) and AWD. I don’t think much explanation is required. Put your foot down and you are pressed to the seat with a progression I can only describe as disarming. Of course, you do not get the instant response of an EV like the EX90, but the thrust is relentless and far more immediate than I would have thought possible — or, frankly, plausible. The fact that it can move this quickly with seven people on board, still offering the very latest in onboard technology and active and passive safety, confirms that the XC90 deserves its place at the very top of Volvo’s catalogue.

A position it shares, in one way or another, with the EX90 — but without range anxiety and with a 70-liter fuel tank that will keep you away from the petrol station for weeks or just a few days. That part is entirely up to you and how much you feel like unleashing the power at your disposal. Power that, translated into sterile numbers, means 0–100 kph in just 5.4 seconds — top speed remains electronically limited to 180 kph — but which is better expressed by its 709 Nm of maximum torque. At just 3,000 rpm, it feels as though a gigantic hand has grabbed you and thrown you across the border. I’ll say it again: the XC90 is a superb SUV, and it would still be one with 150 fewer horsepower. Its existence as a hybrid alternative to the EX90 only reinforces my belief that manufacturers should leave customers free to choose their preferred powertrain rather than steering them towards a single option. Too big? There’s the XC60, which costs less as well. Prefixes and suffixes that may sound as cold as a Scandinavian winter, but which in reality warm the heart of anyone looking for a reliable car designed not to impress, but to satisfy. The T8 is fast too — very fast — obviously not in the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S sense of the word. The fact that it costs more than €90,000 does not alter my final verdict; if anything, it confirms that the XC90 has rightfully earned its place in the premium segment.