2025 Volvo XC90 Review: Updated Where It Matters Most

With cars, as with good suits, over time a little fresh tailoring can pay dividends. By way of excellent example, take the 2025 Volvo XC90. Ostensibly supplanted at the top of Volvo's tree by the new, all-electric EX90, the three-row SUV finds itself unexpectedly relevant once again, after the automaker tempered its timeline for a wholesale switch to EV-only models.

That transition is still on the roadmap, Volvo insists, but — like so many of its car-maker counterparts — it concedes the future may not arrive as rapidly as once expected. So, the two SUVs cohabitate in handsome harmony: similarly scaled, but the EX90 targeting deep-pocketed early adopters, while the XC90 acknowledges that not everyone is quite ready to take that electric plunge.

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Volvo's decision to keep the XC90 on — in both mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid form — seems a sensible one, then. Not only does it ensure a lower cost of entry, with a 2025 XC90 starting at $58,450 versus a 2025 EX90 from $79,995 (both before destination and any applicable incentives), it gives potential owners a chance to dip a toe into electrification without having to commit fully.

Rather than simply allowing the XC90 as we knew it to keep puttering along, however, Volvo has given it a revamp for the 2025 model year. An admirably targeted series of changes have, at the risk of spoiling my conclusion, addressed the majority of the most notable criticisms leveled at what was still a fine SUV. Combined with a tasteful style update, the result is more appealing, in some ways, than its EV cousin.

For a design that launched in 2015, the XC90 has aged wonderfully. This is actually the second facelift for the second-generation SUV, smoothing out some of the lingering sharp edges, and embracing a new grille aesthetic that looks like the sort of wrap cardigan you can imagine a Scandinavian industrial designer favoring. It's not a huge departure from last year's model, but then again, it really didn't need to be.

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The base trim rides on 20-inch alloy wheels, shod in all-season rubber, with 21-inch versions an $800 option. The larger wheels are standard on higher trims. Volvo also earns some kudos for its color options, since while there are the usual array of white, black, and various silver and gray finishes, there's also a pleasant blue and the near-purple Mulberry Red shown here as no-cost options.

While Volvo offers a more affordable mild-hybrid version, the XC90's charm is most present in this T8 plug-in hybrid form. The standard SUV is offered with the automaker's B5 and B6 drivetrains: both based on an electrified 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine with all-wheel drive. The B5 packs 247 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque, while the B6 nudges that up to 295 horsepower and 310 lb-ft. They're each rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds.

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The XC90 T8 — which starts at $73,000 plus destination — throws more potent electrification at the gas engine, plus a bigger battery. The result is 455 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque, with standard AWD and the same towing capacity, but up to 32 miles of electric-only range. Volvo says the 18.8 kWh battery charges, on a Level 2 charger, in about five hours.

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Though the PHEV version of the SUV isn't light — at 5,053 pounds it's almost 600 pounds more than the B6 version — it's not slow. Volvo says 0-60 mph arrives in 5.0 seconds, versus 7.3 and 6.4 seconds for the B5 and B6, respectively.

It's the delivery of all that power which stands out, though, and frankly, the T8 could be my favorite plug-in hybrid drivetrain on the market right now. The ICE and EV halves play together beautifully, with a smooth and seamless transition between the two. A hefty chunk of the total torque comes courtesy of the electric motor, giving the XC90 a fulsome urgency from a standing start, while the slurred changes from the 8-speed automatic are equally salubrious in their refinement.

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By default, the XC90 T8 will start in Hybrid mode, the SUV deciding for itself the best blend of gas and electric. Pure will run down the battery first, while AWD and Off-Road emphasize all-wheel traction. Power mode leans into the performance side of things, the big Volvo possessing an impressive degree of hustle for something of its scale.

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The optional active chassis with air suspension package, at $1,800, feels like a no-brainer addition. It contributes to the XC90's poise, as well as dynamically adjusting ride height and damping at each wheel according to road conditions and driving style.

For the cabin, Volvo's approach of "change only what needs changing" pays dividends. The old XC90 couldn't really be faulted for its materials or general degree of pleasantness, but its technology had dated. Luckily, the recent all-electric models debuted a new infotainment system, and the new XC90 gets the benefit of that.

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An 11.2-inch portrait touchscreen is markedly larger than the old, 9-inch display (though the EX90 bests it, with its 14.5-inches) and is paired with a 12.3-inch digital cluster. Google built-in remains the OS, but with a newer, fresher, and easier-to-navigate UI. 

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There's still Google Maps, the Google Assistant for voice commands, and the Google Play Store for third-party apps, but Volvo has brought some of the features that previously required menu-digging closer to the surface.

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A persistent bar across the bottom offers access to the quad-zone climate control, app launcher, and vehicle settings. Above that are dynamically-selected shortcuts, for things like switching to Apple CarPlay or pulling up a charging network app, along with a Google Assistant shortcut, and driving-related links to things like the cameras and drive modes. Above that, a map monopolizes roughly half the display, along with widgets for multimedia and phone calls. It all operates much like a tablet, and is fast and lag-free.

Otherwise, Volvo has mostly left the XC90 interior alone. The base Core PHEV trim gets faux-leather upholstery, brown ash wood trim alongside the metal on the dashboard, and an Orrefors crystal transmission shifter; seven seats are standard, and of those, the front two are heated. 

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Plus trim adds a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats; for $500, there's a six-seat configuration with second row captain's chairs, though no ultra-lavish spec with recliners and massage like some rivals offer.

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This Ultra trim, meanwhile, adds a head-up display, Nappa leather upholstery with front row ventilation, and a Harman Kardon audio system. $3,200 swaps the latter for the excellent-sounding (but ouch, that price) Bowers & Wilkins audio system. 

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The $1,700 Lounge Package adds massage to the front seats, along with a fancier Nubuck headliner. A digital rear-view mirror is $995.

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Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warnings, rear collision mitigation support, lane-keeping, and front and rear parking sensors are standard across the board. Plus trim adds a 360-degree camera and side parking sensors. Joy of joys, this new infotainment system can also show both the reversing and the bird's eye view simultaneously.

Otherwise, the pros and cons list for the XC90 remains much as it has been for the past few years. The first and second rows are spacious; the third row has legroom better scaled for kids. There's a noticeable step in the rear floor, to accommodate the PHEV's battery. 

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With all three rows up, there's 9.3 cu-ft of cargo space; that expands to 22.6 cu-ft behind the second row, or 85.7 cu-ft behind the first.

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The EPA says the XC90 T8 is good for 58 MPGe, or 27 mpg combined on gas alone. SUVs that have both three rows of seats and plug-in hybrid drivetrains are still fairly rare. Mazda's CX-90 PHEV is cheaper, from around $50k before destination, though down on power and (at 26 miles) EV range. The 2025 Lexus TX 550h+ starts at just over $78k before destination, is slightly more spacious inside, down a mile on EV range versus the Volvo, and also less powerful overall. It's also only available in select U.S. markets.

Make no mistake, the EX90 is an enormously likable EV. Potent, refined, and generously equipped without feeling gimmicky, it's a fitting flagship to Volvo's lineup, and a convincing example of the automaker's all-electric future. Yet, despite all that, the XC90 remains nipping at its heels.

Certainly, there are cheaper plug-in hybrid SUVs, even with three rows of seats; there are more spacious examples, too, and more lavish. None quite manages to capture the Volvo's combination of prestige without being flashy, nor match the cohesiveness of its drivetrain. And, while the XC90 T8's EV range may fall well short of the EX90's maximum 310 miles, its 32 miles is sufficient for the daily demands of many, and it's very nearly as quick.

Beyond the uncertainties of the U.S. government's attitude toward electric vehicles, the truth of it is that plenty of people still aren't in a position to embrace full electrification. However rapidly the EV era arrives, the 2025 Volvo XC90 delivers far more than just a stopgap or compromise.