2025 Volvo XC90 PHEV Has Sharper Looks, New Tech

Despite having a range of new models in the pipeline, Volvo still relies heavily on the XC90 to drive sales.

2025 Volvo XC9053

Photo by: Volvo

Suvrat Kothari

By: Suvrat Kothari

Sep 4, 2024 at 9:15am ET

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Volvo has updated its best-selling car in the U.S. with more tech and sleeker design.
There's a larger central display with upgraded software and user interface, similar to the fully-electric EX90.
It goes on sale later this year at a starting price of roughly $60,000 with destination fees.

Volvo is doing pretty well globally. In the first seven months of 2024, its sales worldwide were up 13% compared to the same period last year. The surge is driven by its electrified lineup, whose sales are up 30%.

However, in the U.S., Volvo’s momentum has stalled. The EX30 is delayed until 2025 and the EX90 that InsideEVs recently reviewed isn’t fully polished. That means the brand must rely on its best-selling car stateside, the XC90 SUV, to do the heavy lifting before its next-generation models are fully ready to roll.

The Swedish automaker is calling the updated XC90 a "2025.5" model year car, which basically means it has some overlap with the current model on sale, but also offers some new stuff.

The obvious visual distinction is the updated exterior, which is more chiseled and cohesive than before. The grille is smoothly integrated with the body and new headlamps and taillamps look sleek. Inside, it gets a new central display with upgraded user interface and under the skin there are some improvements to the chassis.

2025 Volvo XC901

2025 Volvo XC902 2025 Volvo XC903 2025 Volvo XC904 2025 Volvo XC905 2025 Volvo XC906 2025 Volvo XC907

Source: Volvo

To recap, the powertrains remain the same. It will be offered with the all-wheel-drive B5 and B6 trims powered by mild hybrid four-cylinder engines. The T8 plug-in hybrid will continue to get the four-cylinder turbocharged engine paired to a rear-axle mounted electric motor.

The e-motor draws power from the same 18.8 kilowatt-hour (14.7 kWh usable) battery pack that delivers an EPA estimated 32 miles of range on a single charge. Combined output is a rather healthy 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque.

What's New On The 2025 Volvo XC90?

On the exterior, the air intake, front bumper, hood and front fenders are all subtly redesigned to make the XC90 look more in line with the all-electric EX90. Gone are the old headlamps and in come a new set of T-shaped Matrix LED lamps. The taillamps also have a new LED signature. Volvo will offer new 20-, 21- and 22-inch wheels.

Volvos already get a built-in Google system but now there’s an upgraded layout meant to be more user-friendly. Volvo said the most common apps on the central screen will now appear on the home page, on what it calls a “contextual bar.” That means fewer taps to open what you want. It’s all similar to what you get on the brand new EX90.

New Volvo XC90 infotainment

Volvo

Gone is the old dashboard integrated screen and in comes a new and larger 11.2 inch free standing central display. For the tech nerds: pixel density is up by 21%, meaning it's crisper than before. But even if your older Volvo doesn’t have this new and fancy screen, you will still get the upgraded user interface through an over-the-air update if your car was manufactured in 2020 or later.

There are also some other small tweaks, like improved sound insulation and more storage spaces inside. There’s an additional cup holder and the wireless charging pad is now positioned behind the central tunnel. Volvo said it made these changes based on owner feedback.

On the chassis side of things, the XC90 now gets Frequency Selective Damping. When you’re driving at slower speeds, these dampers basically make the suspension softer, making the ride smoother over bumps and undulations. But when you give it the beans, the dampers mechanically stiffen up for better control and stability.

Price And Availability

It will go on sale later this year in the U.S. in six and seven seat configurations at a starting price of $58,450, plus destination fee of $1,295. That’s roughly $2,000 more than the starting price of the current model. Customer deliveries start in the first quarter of 2025.

In a roundtable with reporters at Volvo's headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, CEO Jim Rowan said the company had to "pivot" because of the withdrawal of subsidies in certain markets and the new tariffs imposed by the U.S. and Europe on cars made in China. But despite that Volvo is still committed to electrification, even if that's now delayed.

"I still believe in electrification. I'm an engineer. Electrification is a much better propulsion system than petrol," he said. "Internal combustion engines are probably 35% efficient, electric systems are 91-92% when it comes to efficiency. So at the end of the day technology will win. Electric is the technology of the future but it will just take a little bit longer than everybody first thought."

If you want the latest and greatest Volvo, the fully-electric EX90 might be something to consider. But as InsideEVs found during the first drive review recently, that EV isn’t fully cooked yet, especially in the software department. CarPlay doesn’t work yet and Volvo’s new-gen driver assistance features are still under development.

What do you think?

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We haven't tested the updated XC90 on the road yet, but once we do, we’ll share our thoughts. For now, if you're after a large, family-friendly, electrified Volvo, the XC90 might still be your best bet.

Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com

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