Facelifted Volvo XC90 arrives with glitzy new look

• New exterior design
• Overhauled interior
• Pricing announced later in September 2024

Volvo’s largest SUV, the XC90, is to get a revised new look to keep it fighting fit against premium seven-seater rivals. The current Volvo XC90 has been around since 2015, but underwent a minor facelift in 2019 meaning it’s aged well. With the all-electric Volvo EX90 having landed recently, this update to the XC90 will keep it fresh right up until the brand goes fully-electric by 2030.

What does the facelifted Volvo XC90 look like?

Being merely a facelift, the new Volvo XC90 keeps the same silhouette as before, but the most noticeable difference on the outside is a completely new front grille which plays on Volvo’s classic diagonal band logo – now the rungs of the grille run diagonally through the logo from one side overlapping those of the other for an interesting asymmetrical look.

The ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights are now thinner for a sleeker look, while the tail-lights are mostly the same as those of the outgoing model, albeit with a revised light signature.

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What about the Volvo XC90’s interior?

The inside of the Volvo XC90 has been more heavily revised with a modernised new look. Volvo hasn’t abandoned its minimalist approach, but the dashboard gets a completely new design with wider use of textured materials, a new shape to the air vents, and a large 11.2-inch central infotainment screen that’s snappier to use with sharper graphics than the outgoing car’s nine-inch display.

Now the XC90’s infotainment system will run the same operating system as that of the Volvo EX90 and EX30 electric cars, which is designed to be more intuitive to use than the old XC90’s interface with fewer taps and submenus to access functions. Google Maps and Google Assistant are now integrated into the software and there’s a greater number of third-party apps available via the Google Play Store, while Apple CarPlay is still available for iPhone users.

Other improvements include upgraded ambient interior lighting, a 360-degree camera with split screen, plus a premium 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system which is said to be one of the most advanced used in any car.

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What about practicality?

While the Volvo XC90’s overall proportions are the same as before, Volvo has added some useful practical touches such as a new storage space in the centre console, an extra cup holder for small drinks cans, and the wireless smartphone charger has been relocated to free up space.

As before, the XC90 gets seven seats as standard, even in plug-in hybrid models. Fold all the rear seats down and you get an absolutely cavernous 1,856 litres of cargo space, so Volvo’s largest SUV is as handy for load-lugging as it is at transporting passengers in comfort.

What engines will be offered on the new Volvo XC90?

The Volvo XC90 won’t be electric – that’s the job of the latest EX90 EV – but entry-level models will be offered with a mild-hybrid 2.0-litre four-cylinder, badged B5. This produces 247bhp and can do 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds, while official fuel economy is 33.2mpg. For extra power there’s another turbocharged and supercharged version of the same engine with 295bhp that will do the same 0-62mph sprint a second faster – you can expect this model to be less efficient on fuel, however.

The T8 plug-in hybrid makes use of the same turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre engine but pairs this with an electric motor on the rear wheels as well as an 18.8kWh battery. The result is an output of 449bhp and a 0-62mph time of just 5.4 seconds.

What makes the T8 plug-in hybrid appeal the most, however, is its ability to travel for up to 44 miles on electric power alone, which is a slight increase over the old model’s figure. The official fuel economy is 235mpg with just 30-36g/km, which will make it the company car of choice from the range as it will sit in a low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band.

The Volvo XC90 has always been a thoroughly refined car, but the Swedish brand has upped the ante by adding extra sound-deadening and insulation from road and wind noise. The suspension has gained new Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) tech which improves ride quality without negatively affecting the handling, although air suspension will still be offered as an option.

Full pricing is yet to be confirmed for the new Volvo XC90 but is expected to be announced later in September 2024, although we wouldn’t expect a major increase over the outgoing model’s circa £62,000 price tag.