For 2023, Volvo continues to update its SUV to keep it relevant.
Quietly, and without much fanfare or advertising, Volvo continues to produce high-quality, driver-focused luxury cars. And at the top of it all comes the XC90. For the 2023 model year, Volvo continues to update and tweak it to keep it relevant. However, it is still an under-the-radar vehicle.
My tester this week is the recharge version of the XC90 Ultimate. That’s a lot of capital letters and fancy names. But what it does mean is that this is the top PHEV variant of the XC90. It can achieve around 35 miles of pure electric driving, thus significantly increasing over-performance as well as significantly improving fuel economy.
All-wheel drive recharge means this Volvo has a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. In addition, there are two electric motors and a 14.9 kWh battery. It all adds up to 455 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. What an impressive amount of performance for an SUV. The XC90 Recharge has silky smoothness on the road and torque off the line.
The 8-speed automatic transmission is great and can keep up with the turbo and supercharger. It’s one of the best submissions I’ve ever encountered.
The XC90’s appearance is elegant and timeless. It is an all-wheel drive vehicle with typical lines and pillars that has a strong stance and sculpted features. The grille is slightly concave and has the Volvo logo dotted over it. It’s special. The hammer-shaped headlights are equally distinctive. These are the most attractive headlights on the road today. They look great at night too and provide ample coverage on the darkest roads.
The rear is highlighted by a spoiler where the taillights start and meander down the back, ending almost at the bumper. When it comes to elegance and luxury, Volvo’s design team nails it with the XC90, which is as good as this Swedish automaker’s flagship gets.
Even from its very beginnings, Volvo has focused on high-quality interiors. Even with new Chinese ownership, Volvo hasn’t shied away from that. In the XC90, the interior design is top-notch. The three-row SUV has a generously sized cabin. The third row is a little cramped and limited, but that’s pretty common in this class. Passengers of the second row will be completely comfortable.
There are 15.8 cubic feet of space behind the third row. Fold the third row and cargo volume increases to 41.8 cubic feet. Total cargo volume for the Volvo XC90 is 85.7 cubic feet.
The big feature that detracts from the XC90 (and all Volvos for that matter) is the confusing infotainment system. Often times, the infotainment system in European cars lacks intuition. This is the case here as there is a high learning curve to utilize and understand all the features. Yes, the Volvo
The base XC90 starts at around $56,000, but my high-end hybrid tester has a great starting price of $79,400. With options like the Bowers and Wilkins sound system, four-corner air suspension, and the Ultimate Trim package, my tester had a final MSRP of $85,495.
Some of the savings can be recouped through the help of the electric motor as Volvo claims that this SUV, when fully charged, can achieve around 35 miles of pure electric driving. This combined with the efficient and powerful four-cylinder engine means the XC90 has fuel economy of 27 mpg (gasoline only) and 58 mpg (electric). Volvo says it takes about five hours of charging (240V) to achieve maximum electric driving.
The Volvo isn’t flashy but, boy, is it consistent. Over the years this has remained constant. Now, as the luxury brand begins its shift towards electric vehicles, Volvo is offering one of its best cars as a PHEV. If this is what Volvo’s future looks like, it will be a very bright future.
Jamie Dinsmore is a freelance motoring journalist. Email him at jimmydinsmore73@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @driversside
2023 Volvo XC90
Price/as tested ……………………………………….. .. $79,400 / $85,495
Mileage ……………………………………….. 27 mpg / benzene; 58 mpg/electric
Engine………………………………………… 2.0 Liter supercharged and turbocharged 4 cylinder
Horsepower…………………………… 455 hp/472 lb-ft.
Transmission………………………….. 8-speed automatic
Steering wheels…………….four wheel drive
Final assembly point……………. Gothenburg, Sweden
