Volvo finds itself in a rather tight financial spot these days, and you might naturally assume the newly unveiled ES90 would be exactly the vehicle to pull the brand back into the black. Unfortunately, this lower-slung sibling to the recent EX90 is highly unlikely to be the firm’s commercial saviour. Given current market sentiments, it is hard to imagine a more perplexing product.
This £69,000 premium EV bravely ignores the voracious appetite for play-it-safe SUVs, yet it deliberately stops short of being a traditional saloon. To complicate matters further, Volvo is not even attempting to sell the car in the United States, which has traditionally been its most lucrative market. The ES90 rolls out of the manufacturer’s Chengdu plant, where Chinese production has been ongoing since 2013, meaning crippling American import tariffs render a Stateside launch completely unviable.
Driving the Underdog
However, the stark reality of tepid sales forecasts shouldn’t cloud our judgement of the car itself. Often, a vehicle’s appeal to driving enthusiasts is inversely proportional to its commercial success. Take the Citroën SM, for example; it sold miserably and was similarly locked out of the American market, yet it remains deeply revered. While future legend status might be a stretch for the ES90, it actually boasts a remarkably agreeable balance of ride and handling. More crucially, it currently outpaces all of its German rivals when plugged into a rapid charger.
It is also arguably much easier on the eye than the competition, both inside and out, provided you can overlook the rather awkward, taxi-style protuberance on the roof that houses the lidar sensor. On the road, it proves fantastically comfortable on most occasions, boasting a slick drivability that masterfully masks the sheer heft of the vehicle. You will find the spacious, cosseting cabin is a genuinely lovely place to spend long journeys.
That is not to say it is flawless. The fidgety low-speed ride simply cannot match the buttery smoothness of a BMW i5, and the heavy reliance on infotainment-based controls continues to raise eyebrows. It can also become rather expensive once you tick the right option boxes, though the pricing never feels entirely offensive. Ultimately, despite a few questionable packaging decisions, the ES90 is the sort of left-field choice that genuinely grows on you as the miles clock up.
The Pragmatic Sibling
While the ES90 caters to a very specific, premium niche, Volvo is simultaneously shoring up its mass-market appeal with vital updates to the EX30 for the 2027 model year. If the ES90 is a daring corporate gamble, the revised EX30 is a highly calculated play for sheer volume. The Swedish manufacturer is introducing a brand-new entry-level powertrain to the compact electric SUV, specifically designed to make EV ownership slightly more accessible for the average buyer.
This fresh base model features a 110 kW (150 PS) electric motor paired with a sensible 51 kWh battery pack. Utilising this P3 motor setup, Volvo quotes a maximum driving range of up to 339 kilometres. It is a pragmatic, rather than scintillating, specification that perfectly suits the daily urban commuter.
Refining the Experience
Beyond the mechanical tweaks, the EX30 benefits from a noticeable interior spruce-up. Buyers will now have the choice of two new cabin themes: a light, airy design dubbed ‘Harvest’ and a sleeker ‘Black’ option. Acknowledging previous customer feedback, engineers have also significantly overhauled the human-machine interface. The revised operating system promises much smoother, quicker access to the most vital and frequently used controls, paring back unnecessary digital menu diving.
From a hardware perspective, the 2027 model gains essential preparation for Vehicle-to-Load functionality, adding a welcome dash of practical utility for owners wanting to power external devices from their car. Those keen to see exactly how much this updated package will cost will not have to wait long, as official pricing for the new model year is slated to be announced by the end of March.
