Volvo is making a bold move into an all-electric future, and the 2025 EX90 is leading the charge as its new flagship model. This full-size, seven-seat SUV is not just spacious and family-friendly; it’s packed with luxury and cutting-edge technology, positioning itself as a serious contender in the competitive Best Luxury Suvs market. Built on Volvo’s first dedicated EV platform, the EX90 is slightly larger and more advanced than the current XC90, signaling a significant step up in Volvo’s luxury offerings. With plans to launch a new EV each year and go fully electric by 2030, Volvo is clearly betting big on electric luxury. The EX90, available for pre-order now and slated to hit the market in early 2024, is just the beginning. Following its heels is the 2025 Volvo EX30, a smaller, more accessible subcompact SUV, arriving in dealerships in the latter half of 2024.
Priced starting under $80,000, the EX90 is squarely aimed at the best luxury SUVs segment. It’s poised to compete with other premium all-wheel-drive electric SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, Rivian R1S, BMW iX, the forthcoming Lucid Gravity, and the three-row configurations of the Tesla Model X. Volvo’s sister brand, Polestar, also offers the Polestar 3 SUV, which, while smaller than the EX90, shares its platform, albeit with unique tuning and suspension. While the 2025 EX90 might not be the largest or most powerful in its class, it holds its own and comes with a more accessible price tag than most rivals, except for the Rivian. Importantly, the EX90 brings updated safety and driver-assistance systems, including the hardware and software necessary for potential hands-free highway driving, reinforcing Volvo’s long-standing reputation for safety. Volvo confidently proclaims it will be their safest vehicle to date, a key selling point in the best luxury SUVs category where safety and peace of mind are paramount.
The EX90 will offer dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configurations, and Volvo estimates a range of 300 miles or more, placing it competitively among best luxury SUVs in terms of range and practicality for daily driving and longer journeys.
Inside, the EX90 adopts a minimalist, Tesla-inspired aesthetic, featuring a sleek dashboard dominated by a large, vertically oriented touchscreen. The exterior design is unmistakably Volvo, featuring signature Thor’s Hammer headlights, a prominent Volvo logo, vertical taillights, and strong, sculpted rear fenders. A notable feature highlighting its technological leadership is the bulge at the top center of the windshield. This houses an array of lidar sensors, enabling the car to “see” in complete darkness and significantly enhancing the precision of its lane and obstacle detection systems. This advanced technology is a crucial factor that elevates the EX90 into the conversation of best luxury SUVs, where innovation and safety technology are highly valued.
Deliveries are set to commence in early 2024, and Volvo has announced that customers who pre-order will have the opportunity to configure their vehicles later this year with priority delivery. Initial availability is expected to be concentrated in EV-friendly regions such as Southern California, Silicon Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Pacific Northwest, the Eastern Seaboard, Colorado, and Texas. The EX90 will be manufactured at Volvo’s plant in South Carolina, and certain models priced under $80,000 may qualify for the federal clean vehicle tax credit of up to $7,500, contingent on battery content requirements. This potential tax credit adds further value, making the EX90 even more appealing in the best luxury SUVs market.
Volvo unveiled the EX90 well in advance of its production start, and details regarding standard versus optional features are still forthcoming. Driving evaluations are also pending. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of the EX90’s overall competitiveness within the best luxury SUVs segment will require waiting for driving impressions and more detailed specifications. However, on paper, the Volvo EX90 presents a compelling package of luxury, technology, safety, and electric performance, firmly positioning it as a vehicle to watch in the best luxury SUVs category for 2025.
