Pros: Classy, clean, minimalist design; powerful PHEV powertrain available; robust standard safety and driver assistance suite
Cons: While we like the design, it’s due for an update; upgrading to PHEV is costly
The 2023 Volvo XC90 is a three-row, full-size SUV that we like for its tasteful design, comfortable interior space and excellent safety. For 2023, the standard powertrains become mild-hybrid designs based on a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The plug-in-hybrid XC90 Recharge version raises the price considerably, but provides a generous amount of all-electric range while being the most powerful and fun XC90 by far. It won’t provide the sporty driving dynamics like some of the performance models from BMW and Mercedes, but there’s plenty to like about Volvo’s flagship crossover.
What Volvo does offer is oodles of safety, with excellent crash test results year after year, and a robust suite of safety and driver assistance technology that doesn’t feel like it’s working against you while you’re driving. The XC90 is also comfortable and roomy, seating six to seven passengers in an interior that’s comfortable and interesting to look at without feeling overwrought or ostentatious.
The XC90 is getting a little long in the tooth as it’s now in its eighth year since a complete redesign, but its unique, crisp design and modern technology hide its age well. If you want something all-electric, though, you’ll have to wait just a little longer. Volvo will release its full-size EX90 as a battery-electric successor to the XC90, expected to go on sale in 2023 with an all-new design and more safety tech than ever before.
