As Volvo transitions to an electrified future and ramps up production of its large, luxurious EX90, the Swedish automaker acknowledges that not everyone is ready to go fully electric. So it’s updated one of its most successful sellers with a new look and new technology to serve as its flagship combustion-powered model. Meet the revised and refreshed 2025 Volvo XC90 SUV, available in hybrid and plug-in hybrid specs.
The XC90’s updates begin front and center at the fascia. There you’ll find a new overlapping pinstripe grille design that pays homage to the diagonal motif of the automaker’s historic logos and vehicles, while also drawing an interesting contrast with the minimal, grille-free fascia of its full-electric stablemate, the EX90. The intake now flows smoothly with the resculpted headlamps, which have gotten a high-tech makeover of their own, with new Matrix Design LED tech shaping the brand’s now-hallmark Thor’s Hammer light signature.
Still based on Volvo’s modular SPA combustion car platform, the three-row SUV’s dimensions are largely unchanged. However, the revised XC90 will roll out with new wheel designs and a new Mulberry Red color option. Around back, the tail lamp housings have been darkened for a more premium look. Look closely and you may also notice that the charging door on the XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrid variant has also been redesigned.
Volvo has made small changes to the interior, from reshaped vents that create more visual dashboard width to increased use of sustainable and reclaimed materials for its Nordico leather alternative and Herringbone Weave premium textile.
However, the biggest change is that the main display seems to have outgrown its housing and now stands proud of the dashboard at 11.2 inches. The new touchscreen isn’t just bigger, it’s also higher resolution and more responsive than the previous generation. Android Automotive OS continues to power the cabin technology with Google Assistant, Google Maps and the Google Play app store built-in (as well as Apple CarPlay connectivity for iPhone-toting drivers).
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The 11.2-inch main screen breaks out of its frame with a new user interface. Existing XC90 owners will also be able to update their 9-inch screen to the new software.
However, the new XC90 trades its former tile-based interface for a tiered design — similar to what’s found in the EX90 and EX30 — that Volvo says is simpler, faster and less distracting. The new interface’s main party trick is a contextual shortcut bar occupying the lower third of the screen that changes depending on whether the SUV is stopped or at speed. On the plug-in hybrid, here’s also where you’ll find quick access to the different drive modes, so swapping to the Pure electric mode only takes one tap.
The XC90 has featured over-the-air software update capability for a generation now and that tech will ensure that the dashboard technology stays up to date down the road. It also enables Volvo to bring this new software interface to current XC90s, so if you just bought a second-gen model, you can expect to get an update to your Android Automotive OS in 2025.
The XC90’s center console has also been revised with a new 2+1 cupholder configuration that the automaker says is a better fit for wide vessels and narrow cans. There’s also a new wireless phone charging pad that’s easier and more convenient to reach.
Changes to the engine room are minimal, with the 48-volt mild hybrid B5 and B6 configurations making the switch to the Miller combustion cycle, which is said to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. The result is a 2 mpg bump for the 2.0-liter turbocharged B5 (247 horsepower, 266 pound-feet of torque) to a new 26 miles per gallon estimate combined, on the Environmental Protection Agency’s cycle. The turbocharged and supercharged B6 spec’s (295 hp, 310 pound-feet) estimate is unchanged at 23 combined mpg.
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The hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains see modest updates for 2025.
At the top of the lineup is the T8 plug-in hybrid configuration, which mates a 310-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to the SUV’s front axle with an electric motor powering the rear wheels with 145 ponies of its own. All-in, that makes 455 hp and a combined 523 pound-feet of torque, which is unchanged from last year.
The PHEV is still rocking the same 18.8-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack (14.7 kWh net) as before, which charges in 5 to 13 hours depending on whether you’re at a Level 2 or Level 1 charger. Volvo estimates you’ll get up to 33 miles of full electric range in its “Pure” electric driving mode — one mile more than last year’s 32-mile estimate — before the combustion engine kicks delivering an estimated 58 mpge on the EPA’s test cycle.
Beneath the sheet metal, Volvo has updated the XC90’s chassis to reduce road and wind noise, which it says helps boost relaxation. The automaker is also offering a new laminated side glass option for owners who need an even quieter ride.
Looking deeper, the SUV’s front suspension moves to a double wishbone configuration for improved control and ride quality, while the rear multilink setup gets a new link that is said to improve towing stability and traction. The standard shocks have been updated with new frequency selective damping, which improves comfort over harsh bumps. Shoppers can also opt to upgrade to an electronically controlled air suspension that can adjust up to 500 times per second. The air ride also adds automatic leveling to the XC90’s bag of tricks and the ability to raise or lower the ride height (+40 mm or -20 mm) for better ground clearance, improved high-speed aerodynamics or easier loading when parked.
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The suspension changes, on the other hand, should result in big handling and performance upgrades.
This is Volvo we’re talking about, so you can bet that the XC90’s safety technology has also been enhanced. The SUV features an upgraded 360 camera system with a new split-screen view that aids in parking safety. Meanwhile, the software powering its standard radar and camera-based Pilot Assist tech has also been tweaked with a vehicle-to-cloud warning system that can pass warnings along to other drivers if, say, it experiences slippery conditions. Missing from the XC90’s safety suite is the lidar sensor so prominently found atop the electric EX90 — the new sensor tech is seemingly incompatible with the XC90’s older SPA platform.
The premium hybrid SUV will serve as the Scandinavian automaker’s co-flagship alongside the EX90, giving shoppers a petroleum-powered option as the automaker ramps up production of its BEV. Orders for the updated XC90 open today, with the first example expected to reach customers in the first quarter of 2025.