Volvo V90 Recharge PHEV (2022-) Review

Introduction

Looks can be deceptive, and it’s hard to believe the Volvo V90 estate was first released seven years ago. Since its launch in 2016, the V90 has barely aged, so clean and modern are its external lines. Yet with such established and competent rivals constantly evolving and improving, the Volvo estate has had to do exactly the same thing. Admittedly, the external image hasn’t changed much – it didn’t need to – but Volvo has made changes inside and under the skin.

Chief among the updates is a new infotainment system that leans more heavily on its Google underpinnings, incorporating Google Maps and other such features much more cleverly, but that’s not all. Volvo has also made merry with the engine range – particularly with the popular plug-in hybrids – in a bid to improve efficiency and performance. The question is whether that will be enough to keep the V90 up there with the best in its class?

At a Glance

Estate cars aren’t known for their style, but the Volvo V90 still manages to be quite the looker. Strong, defined lines and a clean, Scandinavian style mark this car out from the German competition, making the Volvo feel a little less like a rival for the likes of Audi and more like an alternative. This is where you go when you’re fed up with German wagons.

When you get to the Volvo, you’re greeted by an interior that’s even more attractive than the exterior, although it carries on the Scandinavian feel. The cabin is light and airy – particularly with one of the brighter upholsteries – and it has very few buttons. Most functions can be found in the touchscreen, which uses Google technology to be more intuitive than most other companies’ systems.

But a Volvo’s raison d’etre is surely the space inside, and the V90 has plenty of that. There’s a big boot at the back and plenty of room in the back seats, while the estate bodywork means rear headroom is better than in the S90 saloon. The sensation of space continues through to the front, too, where the driving position is good, there’s plenty of room between the front seats and there’s lots of glass around.

Combine that with good ride comfort and a remarkably smooth plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the V90 becomes a force to be reckoned with, giving the Germans food for thought while remaining different enough to appeal to a very different customer. It’s an appealing position to hold in such a competitive market.

Key Features

Key to the Volvo V90’s appeal is its sense of style. Although the basic design is now getting on a bit, the V90 still looks as fresh as a Scandinavian winter. From its ‘Thor’s hammer’ headlights to the chunky shoulder line, it’s every inch the premium model, and though it might not be as flashy as a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the understated coolness makes it a strikingly desirable piece of kit.

But the exterior design is nothing compared with the interior. Again, the cabin is as old as the bodywork, but it still looks the part. There are clean lines, big screens and Scandinavian minimalism everywhere, while comfortable seats and stylish upholstery make the Volvo a very relaxing and welcoming place to sit. There’s plenty of space anyway – this is a Volvo estate, after all – but the design makes it feel even lighter and more spacious than normal.

Range & Batteries

The plug-in hybrid or ‘Recharge’ versions of the V90 come with an 18.8kWh battery that’s capable of taking the car between 46 and 55 miles on a single charge. Of course, that’s according to the official economy test, and we wouldn’t expect to see much more than 40 miles from a charge in day-to-day usage. Need to make every charge go far? Take a read through our guides to help you get ready for electric with everything you need to know.

Still, that’s pretty good going for a family car, and it should be more than enough to get you most places without troubling the petrol engine. If you can charge at home, you should be able to get impressive economy from the big Volvo. But, if you need an EV with extra range, take a look through our top 10 longest range electric cars of the year.

Performance & Drive

The Volvo V90 is offered with a choice of two different plug-in hybrid powertrains, and the system you get depends on which trim level you choose. Basic Plus models come with the less powerful T6 version, while the range-topping Ultimate gets the more potent T8 version.

However, while it sounds as though there might be quite a big difference between the two, there isn’t all that much to choose between them. Both use 2.0-litre petrol engines and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, while both also come with all-wheel drive. The difference, then, is purely in the power output, which stands at a plentiful 253hp in the T6 and an even more plentiful 455hp in the T8.

Of course, that means the T8 is a bit faster in a straight line – it’ll get from 0-62mph in a tickle under five seconds, whereas the T6 takes 5.5 seconds to achieve the same feat – but you aren’t likely to notice most of the time. And with both cars limited to 112mph, neither is as fast as a Mercedes-Benz E-Class at full chat.

For use on the German motorway network, then, the V90 is fundamentally flawed. But aside from that very specific issue, it’s a lovely car to waft about in. Despite the power, the car is set up to be comfortable, rather than sporty, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s quite refreshing to drive a big estate that isn’t trying to ape an Audi RS 6.

As a result, the V90 is very relaxing and supple on the road, with excellent high-speed ride that means motorways seem almost silky, and though the low-speed comfort is less impressive, it’s still more than supple enough. Moreover, the V90 is remarkably quiet, with very little in the way of road noise, and while there’s a bit of wind rush, little will disturb the peace in the cabin. At least until you put your foot down, when the engine makes a bit of a dull drone, but even that isn’t overly intrusive.

Of course, all this means the handling suffers slightly, but we suspect few speed merchants really want a V90 anyway. Yet the steering is well weighted and it’s happy enough travelling briskly, if not at really high speed.

And because it’s all-wheel drive, it even has a modicum of off-road capability, albeit slightly limited by the lack of ground clearance. Still, with some good tyres fitted, it shouldn’t have too much trouble getting moving in bad weather or on slippery surfaces.

Charging

As with most plug-in hybrids, charging at home is the way to get the most from the V90 Recharge. If you can top up the battery at home – a feat that should be easily achievable in a night if you have a ‘wallbox’ home charger – then you should be able to do most everyday journeys without needing to start the 2.0-litre petrol engine. Do that, and the V90 will be surprisingly cheap to run. Find out how to pick your ideal EV charger in our guide!

Running Costs & Emissions

Plug-in hybrids often get some bad press, but they have the potential to save customers huge amounts of money. If you want to get around town cheaply and efficiently, but you still need the versatility of a petrol engine for longer trips, a plug-in hybrid could suit you down to the ground. As long as your day-to-day drives tend to be shorter than 30 or 40 miles and you can charge at home, the V90 should have enough range to leave the petrol tank untroubled for most of the week. Of course, for even the most ardent plug-in fan, the three-figure official economy figure will be a distant dream, but you could nudge 100mpg if you have a lifestyle that suits the car.

Perhaps more importantly, plug-in hybrids come with a considerable tax benefit for company car drivers, and the V90’s long range makes it particularly cheap to run. With tax rates kept to a minimum, it could be a very inexpensive way of driving a spacious premium car.

Interior & Technology

Like the bodywork, the V90’s interior is unmistakably Scandinavian, with a clean, minimalist look and a dashboard dominated by two screens. Buttons are few and far between, except for those on the stalks and the steering wheel, and that makes it feel modern and fresh. The quality is solid, too, with the upholstery and trim feeling tactile and classy at every turn. Yes, there are one or two mediocre plastics – including the aforementioned indicator stalks – but it’s generally very solid.

Admittedly, the design hasn’t changed all that much over the years, but Volvo has tinkered with the digital instrument display and the touchscreen since the car’s introduction. Now, there’s a cleaner set-up for the driver, albeit not especially intuitive, but the head-up display fitted to high-end Ultimate models takes most of the strain anyway.

Volvo has also changed the touchscreen, fitting the latest in Google-powered technology to create a more intuitive system than ever before. It’s sharply styled, too, and the inclusion of Google Maps is a godsend when you’re navigating. But it still has its problems, including the integration of the climate control system. The touch-sensitive system is a bit fiddly and awkward to use on the move, which makes us long for a conventional control system with physical switches, but such arrangements are commonplace these days.

Practicality & Boot Space

To the surprise of nobody ever, the V90 is a very spacious car. Volvo estates are famous for their boot space, and the flagship model delivers yet again, with a 551-litre boot that’s mighty impressive for an all-wheel-drive, plug-in hybrid estate car. It’s certainly much more than you’ll get from a BMW 5 Series Touring plug-in hybrid. And if you want to fold down the back seats, the space swells further still.

But there’s more to practicality than boot space. The V90 is also very accommodating for passengers, with ample rear legroom and headroom, and plenty of places for occupants to store odds and ends. We’d probably steer clear of the cloth upholstery, which manages to feel slightly less comfortable than the leather option and is less easy to clean – an important consideration when you have children.

Safety

Volvo has built its reputation on safety, and the V90 stays true to the brand’s values. Unsurprisingly, it managed a five-star rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP, with a particularly impressive score of 95% for adult occupant protection. It scored highly for safety assistance technology, too, and although the test has evolved since then, a 93% score is not to be sniffed at.

Nor is it a surprise when you consider what the Volvo comes with as standard. Every plug-in hybrid V90 comes with adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance to the vehicle in front and autonomous emergency braking, which can stop the car automatically if the driver fails to react to a hazard. Blind-spot monitoring is also included, showing you when a vehicle has wandered into the blind spots over your shoulders.

In addition, every V90 comes with lane-keeping assistance and a 360-degree manouevring camera, not to mention parking sensors and a digital instrument display. Automatic lights and windscreen wipers are standard, too.

Options

The V90 Recharge range is pretty simple to get your head around, with just two trim levels on offer. The basic Plus version comes with leather upholstery and a Harman Kardon sound system, not to mention climate control, a heated steering wheel and four heated seats. You get a heated windscreen, too, which comes in really handy on frosty mornings. Add in the 360-degree manoeuvring camera, power-adjustable seats and powered tailgate operation and you’ve got a pretty comprehensive kit list.

But if you want more, you can always go for the Ultimate model, which adds a more upmarket Bowers and Wilkins sound system, plus a panoramic glass roof and a head-up display that projects onto the windscreen. It replaces the Plus model’s 19-inch alloy wheels with larger 20-inch rims, too.

With all that kit as standard, there’s no real need for extras, so the V90 doesn’t come with many option packs. You can add tinted windows and a towbar to the Plus, while the Ultimate is only offered with a tow bar as an option. Otherwise, it’s just a straight choice between a couple of alloy wheel designs, a few interior colour schemes and some paint jobs. Volvo isn’t known for its colourful palettes, and the only real ‘colour’ on offer is the greyish Denim Blue. Aside from that, it’s a monochrome selection.

Rival Cars

The V90 is up against some of the biggest hitters in the executive car market, including the mighty Audi A6 Avant, the fabulous BMW 5 Series Touring and the majestic Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. All three bring their own take on German luxury, with the Audi majoring on technology and solidity, while the BMW is all about driving pleasure and the Mercedes is the comfortable option.

Together, those three cars have the market pretty well stitched up, but there is still competition from the Jaguar XF Sportbrake, which can match the 5 Series for handling, if not in terms of quality. It’s a selection of formidable opponents for the Swedish estate, but it still manages to hold its own by offering something very different.

Where the German (and British) alternatives feel common and unimaginative, the Volvo offers something refreshingly different. If you’re bored of the German status quo, it might be time to take a look at the V90.

Verdict & Next Steps

In many ways, the V90 is not the best executive estate car on the market. It isn’t as comfortable as an E-Class and it doesn’t drive as well as a 5 Series, and though the hybrid systems are impressive, the lack of a strong six-cylinder diesel engine probably still holds the V90 back a bit. But brilliance is about more than facts and figures, and with that seemingly timeless style and the much-improved touchscreen, the V90 feels every inch the premium model. More than that, its sense of unassuming solidity makes it a fantastic thing to live with, and one of the more likeable cars on the market.

Where to next?

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*Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews of the Volvo V90.

**Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 09/05/23.