Volvo XC90 News

Volvo has updated its seven-seat XC90 SUV with a suite of design and tech upgrades as it transitions from a three- to a two-variant line-up.On sale in Australia now, the line-up kicks off at $104,990 before on-road costs for the entry-grade Ultra B5 Bright, which is an increase of $5050 on last year’s prices.The Ultra B6 Bright is gone as a mid-range option, with the top-spec Ultra T8 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) now priced at $130,990 before on-road costs, an increase of $2600.In exchange for the price hikes, the XC90 sports a new look for 2025, emphasised by a new diagonally-striped grille, sharper LED headlight signatures, new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and alloy wheel designs.Inside, both variants gain a larger, higher resolution 11.2-inch central touchscreen with over-the-air software update capabilities.Volvo has also delivered additional storage space in the centre console, including an extra cupholder, thanks to a redesigned dashboard that is more horizontal than before. It comes clad in new-look decorative panels made from recycled materials.No changes have been made to the base Ultra B5 Bright’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol in-line four-cylinder engine, which comes paired to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that delivers 183kW/350Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.Similarly, no changes have been made to the Ultra T8’s PHEV setup, which utilises the same petrol engine paired to a 107kW/309Nm electric motor and a 19kWh battery pack for total outputs of 340kW/709Nm.Total electric range is claimed at up to 77km, while fuel economy is claimed at 1.8L/100km, a fraction of the Ultra B5 Bright’s claimed 8.2L/100km.As standard, the Ultra B5 Bright carries new 21-inch multi-spoke Black Diamond-cut alloy wheels, keyless entry with a power tailgate, a 12.0-inch digital driver’s display, wireless charging, powered front seats with heating, cooling and memory functions, as well as a surround-view camera.The Ultra T8 PHEV adds new, larger 22-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, a Bowers & Wilkins High Fidelity speaker system, active air suspension, tinted rear windows, roof rails in gloss black, fully-coloured sills and bumpers, and black rear-view mirror covers.Standard safety features on both models includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane centring, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, park assist, hill-start assist, hill-descent control, rain-sensing wipers, and a head-up display.Volvo has sold 209 examples of the XC90 to April this year, a decline of 29.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. It remains outpaced by the BMW X5 (1103), Lexus RX (583) and the Volkswagen Touareg (330).

Volvo has breathed new life into the ageing XC90 large SUV with a serious makeover to help it keep pace with its rivals.The seven-seat premium family-hauler has been on the market since 2015, with a number of updates along the way, but this upgrade will ensure the XC90 will be with us for a while yet.Australian launch timing is unclear, but Volvo is also in the process of launching the EX90 - an electric sibling to the XC90. The EV will land in Australia in April.The refreshed XC90 will, however, be electrified. The main powertrain variant confirmed is the plug-in hybrid T8, but 48-volt mild hybrid B5 and B6 grades will continue as well. The Australian 2025 XC90 line-up is yet to be outlined.The updated PHEV has an electric driving range of 70km on the WLTP cycle, and according to Volvo has a combined petrol-electric range of more than 800km.Volvo has not provided any more detail about the powertrain, so it’s unclear if it will have the same 288kW/640Nm outputs as the current model. It will be all-wheel drive.Volvo Australia has previously committed to becoming an EV-only brand by 2026 - much earlier than Vovo’s global target of 2030.However, the Chinese-owned Swedish brand is still selling plenty of non-electric models so the XC90 update makes sense. This will appeal to family buyers that aren’t quite ready to commit to a fully electric model.Volvo said in the XC90 press release the model mix is appropriate for right now, but suggested some markets are taking longer to embrace EVs.“This balance between fully electric and plug-in hybrids is the right portfolio for the market of today, as the premium fully electric market is still developing in several key markets. Plug-ins remain critical to our sales and profit growth plans over the coming years.”Whether this means Volvo Australia will include PHEVs as part of its plan to be electric only is unclear for now.The new 2025 XC90 ushers in a fresh front-end design, incorporating a modern take on the 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, and a new bonnet and grille with an updated diagonal logo spread across the car's face, giving it a sharper, smoother and more up-to-date look.Volvo hasn't messed with the signature LED tail-lights, aside from making them a little darker. Inside the XC90 gets a refreshed cabin and adopts the user experience from the EX90 and its smaller EX30 stablemate.It gains a larger 11.2-inch central touchscreen with higher resolution and Volvo says this “improves the user experience and opens up a world of new features, apps and of course regular over-the-air software updates”.In fact, Volvo says it will roll out this updated UX via a free over-the-air software update for any existing models that have Google built-in. That could be up to 2.5 million customers on cars built as early as 2020.Other interior tweaks include more practical storage spaces, particularly in the centre console, a horizontal dash design, restyled air vents and ‘premium’ recycled materials for the dash panels and trim.Under the skin, Volvo has made changes to the suspension setup to help improve ride quality. An optional air suspension is available with adjustable ride height.Local pricing hasn’t been confirmed but the current XC90 range runs from $100,990 before on-road costs for the B5 Bright, to $128,990 for the T8 PHEV.The all-electric seven-seat EX90 is expected to be priced north of $130,000 when it lands next year. The XC90 rides on Volvo’s SPA architecture, while the EX90 uses the SPA2 platform, shared with the incoming Polestar 3 SUV.The XC90 will continue to compete against the likes of the Lexus RX, BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Genesis GV80 and Mazda CX-90.The current XC90 landed in 2015, replacing the first-gen model that went on sale in 2006 becoming a global hit for Volvo.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will have noticed a sharp increase in the number of electric cars on the roads of Australia in 2023. Sales are up nearly 200 per cent and more than 80,000 new examples were sold in the first 11 months of the year (almost as many as hybrid vehicles).

Volvo Car Australia is on-track for another record year in 2023, as sales soar past 8000-units to the end of August and could top 12,000 by year’s end.

Volvo XC40 is now over 50 per cent electric as a share of sales, seemingly vindicating the brand's position that its customers are ready to go fully EV by 2026.

Pencilled in for a late 2023 launch, there’s still plenty left to reveal – including the all-important pricing info – but a clearer picture of what Kia’s anticipated circa-$100,000-plus EV SUV alternative to an BMW X7, Mazda CX-90 and Volvo XC90 is emerging.

Pricing is up across the range for most of Volvo’s new car offerings for 2023, with the adjustment leaving some models thousands of dollars more expensive.

The Volvo EX90 is another teaser closer to its reveal later this week, with the Swedish brand's UK arm tweeting two very blurry images of the electric SUV's headlight and headrest.But this is just the latest of many teasers and snippets of information Vol

Volvo has brave plans to accelerate its electrification plans, specifically in Australia to go all-electric early, but measuring itself against newcomers to the space is key to its success.The plan to go all-electric by 2026 will be backed by five new model launches, as the brand endeavours to replace or electrify all of its current nameplates.Obviously, it will face stiff competition from its traditional rivals, like BMW’s i range or Mercedes-Benz with its EQ division, but Volvo’s Australian managing director, Stephen Connor, said to succeed, the brand must pitch itself against EV newcomers.“We’ve got to move away from measuring ourselves against these traditional rivals,” he said. “We need to benchmark ourselves against newcomers, more like Tesla, BYD certainly. Why wouldn’t we see these brands as competitors? As a threat? We have to look at both the tech sector as well as the premium sector.”To that end, Volvo’s current EV strategy is notably in contrast from its premium rivals. The XC40 Recharge fully electric for example, starting from $72,990 before on-road costs is priced more closely a to Tesla Model Y (from $72,300) than the equivalent Mercedes-Benz EQA (from $78,513) or BMW iX1 (from $82,900).Targeting new-age rivals doesn’t just stop with the likes of Tesla and BYD though, Volvo Australia even considers its sister brand Polestar a rival in Australia.“Polestar is a competitor,” Mr Connor said. “We don’t discuss our product plans with them - their product strategy is different from ours and vice versa.“We don’t scrimp on safety for example, and our model range is simplified. There is one fully specified Recharge variant. In fact, we are even heading towards one powertrain, we could take out single and just sell the twin, C40 pre-sale is around 90 per cent twin motor. Simplicity is where we’re heading.”In contrast to the C40 or XC40 Recharge which is sold in just one variant with all the equipment included in either single- or dual-motor form, the mechanically related Polestar 2 starts with a much lower entry price (from $63,900 for the base Standard Range Single Motor), but requires a $3400 safety pack to match the Single Motor Volvos on active safety equipment.Volvo also plans to back its electric car strategy with an infrastructure play, installing fast-charging locations at all of its dealerships.“These will be free for our customers,” said Mr Connor. “Free coffee, tea, and our plan is for these locations to be 24/7.”While this might not provide as many locations as are offered by Tesla with its healthy list of ‘destination’ and ‘Supercharger’ locations which are mostly exclusive to Tesla owners, it does help to take the stress off for potential buyers worried about the lack of public charging locations available currently.Volvo says its fully electric move will also boost its volume, with Mr Connor claiming the brand can climb from its current 12,000 yearly units sold to 20,000 units by 2026.“By 2025 we predict we’ll be 70 percent electric anyway. We’re confident we’ll have the supply to meet our targets by 2026. If our product was available today we’d do it today. Our consumer is ready,” he said.Volvo’s next fully electric model will be the EX90, which will replace its popular XC90 large SUV. It is due to be revealed next week, for an international launch in 2023. Expect to see it in Australia some time in 2024, although Mr Connor hopes the Australian division’s new accelerated strategy may see our market prioritised for new model launches.

Pricing has crept up across two of Volvo's best-selling model lines - the XC40 small SUV and the XC90 large SUV.The Swedish carmaker's Australian arm has confirmed the price increase and said it was due to a combination of specification changes and logist