Driving the Volvo ES90 was a welcome antidote to endless SUVs | Stuff

Introduction

If, like me, you feel the motoring world has overdosed on SUVs lately, the Volvo ES90 will bring some welcome respite. The lavish fastback is both refreshingly different and a return to form for the Swedish marque, being its first true electric car – something it used to sell rather a lot of before pivoting to the high-riding alternative.

The ES90 arrives early next year to rival the BMW i5, Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE, giving the executive class a level of choice that’s been missing since Volvo discontinued the combustion-powered S60 and S90. Deliveries also start ‘the right way round’, with single model versions arriving first – an about-face from the EX90 SUV, which launched first in top-spec trim.

Dual motor and performance variants are on the way, but for now prices kick off from £69,760 in the UK for a single motor, extended range car in Plus trim. Stepping up to the Ultra spec adds air suspension, Pixel headlights, 21in alloys as standard, massaging seats, an electrochromic sunroof, and a version of the superb Bowers & Wilkins stereo system that blew me away in the EX90 late last year.

After an extended test drive in Nice, France, I think distilling a lot of what made the EX90 so appealing into a bodystyle traditionalists still favour could’ve put Volvo onto a winner – with one or two caveats.

The styling

The ES90 is a big, brawny car – sort of like an S60 saloon that’s been on a protein-heavy diet. All the Volvo signatures are present, including the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ LED headlights up front and ultra-minimal nose, only everything is that little bit more purposeful. The roofline proudly incorporates the LIDAR equipment, just like the EX90 SUV, while sharp cutlines along the sides make it look rather purposeful.

To my eyes, there’s more road presence here than you’ll get from a BMW i5. It didn’t feel out of place among considerably more expensive supercars around the Monaco Grand Prix route. It helps that Volvo has broken with its entirely earthy colour options for once, with denim blue and Mulberry Red being my standouts.

It’s most certainly taller than a combustion saloon, as all electric ones are – those batteries have to go somewhere, after all – but black trim panels on the lower extremities have a slimming effect. They don’t disguise how wide it is, though. I have a feeling it’ll fit in very well on US roads. The 22in wheels on my test car also play a part; the fact you can’t go smaller than 20s suggests the design team had quite a lot of sway over the final product.

Inside there’s a new level of Scandi minimalism, with pretty much all the physical switchgear removed in favour of a dashboard-filling portrait touchscreen. There are a few hard plastics, but all below your eyeline. The electrochromatic sunroof is also a first for any Volvo car; it’s fast to change, and very effective at keeping occupants protected from the sun.

A lighter interior trim definitely feels like the way to go: it made the cabin feel even airier to me, and helped disguise the high window line. The ventilated, heated seats provide plenty of support for driver and passenger. While there’s no hiding the presence of a battery under the floor with the elevated driving position, you sit far closer to the road than Volvo’s towering EX90.

That also means the rear seats have been raised slightly, lounge-style. This provides a better outside view for those in the back, but feels like you’re looming over the driver a bit. BMW avoids this with cutouts around the battery cell lowering the floor.

The drive

The switchback single-lane mountain roads of the French Rivera arguably aren’t the natural habitat of a car that feels only a set of bonnet flags away from being diplomatic transportation. The ES90 felt especially wide here, with a fairly large turning circle making hairpins that bit hairier when something big was coming the other way.

There’s plenty of stopping power when required, although I largely stuck to the one-pedal driving mode. It’s easy to modulate but pretty conservative, coming to a stop in standstill traffic with a little more room in front than I thought was necessary. I guess that plays to Volvo’s safety mantra.

The ES90 felt more at home on wider city streets and on autoroutes, where it ate up the miles serenely. Straight line performance is more than respectable, given the car’s weight and the fact I was only driving the single motor version. I’m genuinely relieved to find a high-end EV that doesn’t insist on violent foot-to-floor acceleration; power delivery is more linear here, which will surely appeal to the brand’s target audience.

With the battery filled to its 88kW usable capacity, the ES90 reported 640km (or 397 miles) of range, putting it in spitting distance of the Mercedes EQE 350+. After an afternoon of test routes (admittedly split between sedate and spirited driving) I saw 19kWh/100km, or roughly 3.3m/kWh – not spectacular, but still well within the ball park I’d expect of a car so suited to eating up motorway miles. When it does come time to charge, a maximum 310kWh is up there with the best.

My test car rode on 22in wheels – often an indicator to expect a rough ride – but it felt relaxed at all times. The air suspension doesn’t feel super-wafty like some luxury cars can, and the steering, though light, feels largely representative of what’s going on with the front wheels. It’s not like you’ve got a bunch of driving modes to fiddle with, either; just ‘Standard’ and, ambitiously, ‘off-road’. The latter largely tweaks the ride height.

I was expecting the LIDAR-guided Driver Assist to put most camera-based adaptive cruise systems in the shade, but it didn’t feel any faster to react; it steers confidently around corners, and slows down and speeds up in heavy traffic, but you’ve got to take over if the car comes to a complete stop. Then again, I returned the car free from damage, so in that sense it’s working as intended.

The technology

Glowing glass-like volume roller aside, the EX90’s dashboard is practically devoid of all physical switchgear; pretty much everything has been shifted to the portrait-oriented touchscreen that dominates the centre console. That includes functions that seem like more effort to electrify, like opening the glovebox, although Volvo reps told me it saves the driver from leaning across. I know this is a wide car, but it’s not that wide. At least the steering wheel controls cover the basics like music playback and cruise control, and the indicator stalk hasn’t gone anywhere.

I didn’t find it especially hard to find my way around the various menus once I’d spent a bit of time exploring, and the way the categories are divided make sense, but there were certain things I resigned to being “when I’m pulled over” jobs. The colleague I shared the drive with was less keen, wanting the driving aids and one-pedal mode more readily accessible than the layout allows.

I also hope you like using cameras to bay park. No-one could find me a way to tilt the side mirrors automatically when shifting into reverse, and it can’t be done manually as you’re locked out of the rest of the Google-based interface until you shift back into drive or park. The cameras were of suitably high resolution given the car’s premium position, however.

The main screen is very responsive, the huge navigation pane responding effortlessly to swipes and scrolls. It plays nicely with Apple CarPlay, but Android Auto was seemingly MIA during my test drive. It’s unclear if that’ll change before launch. The three ‘responsive’ icons above the climate controls also insisted I needed the demister within quick reach, despite it being a balmy 22 degrees celsius outside.

While you could say ditching the traditional instrument cluster for a candybar-shaped screen behind the steering wheel was a cost-cutting move, it’s the best of its kind I’ve seen. The high resolution display clearly presents information, with a choice of screens including a detailed route view and real-time traffic detection. It’s sensibly placed for maximum visibility through the steering wheel, too.

The interior tech highlight has to be the Bowers & Wilkins stereo system, complete with bespoke Abbey Road tuning mode. It’s an absolute delight to listen to, and with less cabin space to fill than the more cavernous EX90, it’s arguably the sonic peak of any Volvo to date. The tonal balance is superb, with the dash-mounted tweeter helping give vocals a crispness that rivals struggle to match.

You’ve got to be stationary to slide between vintage and modern tuning, or between a live room and a more intimate recording booth, but having been to Abbey Road itself for a comparison, the sound engineers have done an epic job of capturing the place.

Volvo ES90 verdict

Now that Polestar is doing its own thing, Volvo hasn’t been forced to balance serenity with sportiness here. The ES90 is quick and handles well enough for an executive runaround, but it feels at its best when not being hurried along. It has a ride that prioritises comfort, a light and airy cabin, and plenty of electric range.

Not everyone will gel with the infotainment system, especially those that crave physical buttons, but the stunning sound system is quite the sweetener.

So as long as you’re not after a car that can also make your spine truly tingle in the twisty bits, there’s an awful lot to like here. And with electric saloons still in the minority, it’s refreshing to have even one more to choose from.

Volvo ES90 technical specifications