Volvo EX90 first test drive: Still not fully used to it

The arrival of Volvo’s flagship electric SUV, the EX90, has been a long time coming, and despite its launch a full year later than planned, some of its standout technology and features are still in the “learning” phase. Volvo has promised some innovative features, but the technology still feels bare bones.

We spent a few hours driving an early version of the Volvo EX90 around Newport Coast, California. The car we test drove was the Twin Motor Performance version with the Sand Dune exterior.

According to the EPA, the EX90 can achieve a driving range of up to 310 miles with its 111-kWh battery pack. The Twin Motor Performance version puts out 510 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque, while the lower trim level puts out 402 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque.

Volvo says both models can be charged from 10 to 80 percent capacity in about 30 minutes on a 250kW DC fast charger, and the EX90 will have bidirectional charging capability, but the system won’t be functional until a software update at a later date.

Volvo has leaned into Swedish minimalism in both the interior and exterior design, and the understated interior is incredibly relaxing. Behind the steering wheel is a single 9-inch driver information screen that can be changed to show speed, distance and map information, along with a crystal-clear head-up display that can be similarly customised.

Volvo runs its infotainment system on Google’s Android Automotive platform, which means you can simply ask Google to change maps, radio functions, climate control and a host of other settings.

The car has very few physical buttons, just a big scroll wheel on the center console and a few buttons (including hazards) on the headliner. Everything else is controlled via the main 14.5-inch touchscreen mounted vertically in the dash. Like a Tesla, this includes adjustments to the steering wheel, side mirrors, seats, rain-sensing wipers, glove box opening, trunk height, lights, suspension settings, mapping, audio and more.

The system worked well, but if you just want to adjust simple settings like wiper sensitivity or performance settings, the menus are at least a few steps deep, which can be tedious; Volvo reckons these are features owners will set and forget.The EX90 can use your smartphone as a digital key, but it also comes with a physical key fob.

Unfortunately, the digital key we tried was buggy at best. Though Volvo said it’s working closely with Apple to perfect the technology (and integrating CarPlay, which will also be available later in a software update), the version we tried was unreliable. We repeatedly had to open the Wallet app, find the EX90 virtual key card, and place it on the wireless charging pad to get the car to recognize that the key was in the car. Several people at our test drive event had to do the same thing, including one who had to get Volvo support staff to plug in their laptop to get the car to recognize the key. Not very reassuring.

Volvo has also copied Rivian’s playbook with the EX90’s advanced adaptive cruise control feature, Pilot Assist. Instead of activating the feature with a button on the steering wheel, you pull the right drive select lever down toward Drive and hold it there for a moment until Pilot Assist is available (a grey steering wheel symbol appears on the driver information screen). Once engaged, you can use Lane Change Assistant to change lanes. The process is a bit slow, but it’s better and more predictable than many of the lane change assistant features in other vehicles.

On the road, this big SUV (a little bigger than Volvo’s XC90) doesn’t feel clunky. The cabin is especially quiet and comfortable; with a muted color scheme and minimal distractions, it’s surprisingly quiet. With the air suspension in its default Comfort mode, there’s no lurching or thumping over rough pavement. A sportier ride is also available, but we’re not sure owners will have the patience to sift through five layers of infotainment screens to get there. In Performance mode, everything gets a little more power, but this isn’t a canyon-carving car.

The EX90 also has new interior sensors, including a radar system that detects everything from your eye movement to whether you’ve left a child or pet inside the car. During a drive, I had to look at the infotainment screen while digging through menus to find drive settings, and after a few seconds the car chimed to let me know I was distracted. The system is a little sensitive, but not intrusive. For those of you who, like most LA drivers, would rather scroll through your phone than pay attention to the traffic ahead, the EX90 might be the wake-up call you need.

The EX90’s safety and tech features come from a number of big-name suppliers, including Nvidia, Google, Qualcomm and Luminar. Nvidia just released its ORIN computing platform this year, which performs 254 trillion operations per second, enabling the EX90 to manage everything from safety to infotainment to battery management. Qualcomm is responsible for the in-car tech, while Luminar’s LiDAR is responsible for the exterior adaptive and safety features. Everything needs to communicate with each other seamlessly, which is one of the main reasons the EX90 has been slow to get to market.

The oddly shaped lump at the top of the windshield is Luminar’s new Halo LiDAR, and the EX90, along with the Polestar 3, are among the first vehicles to feature the device. Unfortunately, the device isn’t functional yet as it’s in learning mode. The company says the device is gathering data about real-world scenarios before being “turned on.” Once available, Volvo says the device will enable hands-free highway driving, which will inevitably lead to “unsupervised” Level 3 automation.

Both Luminar and Volvo say they are focused on making sure the system is robust and safe before rolling it out to the public. As for when that might be, Volvo is not saying, citing various regulations and safety approvals in the countries where the vehicles are sold. They say the technology will be rolled out in stages and will only be available under limited conditions and on certain divided highways, similar to GM’s Super Cruise system. There are also reports that some of the advanced driving features will start to be available in early 2025.

Despite some technical issues and pending features, Volvo’s EX90 is moving forward. As a minimum viable product, the EX90 is still pretty good. With upcoming updates and bug fixes, it will be the premium car we’ve come to expect from Volvo, with all the promised features.