I’VE always liked a Volvo. They never seem to disappoint. In fact, it’s my wife’s favourite manufacturer as she finds the build quality, ergonomics and overall ambiance of the models to be exemplary. High praise indeed – and who am I to argue . . . ?
I, largely agree. There is something inately, honest, obviously ‘thought-through’ about a Volvo. Some cars try very hard to convince you they’re premium.They fit enormous wheels, fill the dashboard with ever larger displays and decorate every surface with glossy black trim in the hope you’ll mistake complexity for luxury.
Volvo simply let the engineering do the talking and after spending time with the Single Motor Extended Range Ultra, the overwhelming impression wasn’t its impressive range or its rapid charging capability. It wasn’t even the technology, extensive though it is. It was the silence.
Not the absence of engine noise – that’s expected in any modern electric vehicle – but the remarkable lack of everything else. Wind noise fades into the background. Tyre roar barely intrudes. Even at motorway speeds, the cabin remains so serenely quiet that conversations become a whisper and music takes on an entirely different character.
It’s one of the quietest cars I’ve ever driven – and I’ve driven one of the last ever Bentley Mulsannes.
In a market increasingly obsessed with headline figures, the silence might just be the ES90’s greatest achievement.
Overview
Volvo describes the ES90 as occupying a class of its own, combining the elegance of a saloon, the adaptability of a fastback and the practicality of an SUV. Normally, claims like that deserve a healthy degree of scepticism, but here they actually make sense.
It doesn’t really fit into an existing category.
The ES90 represents a fascinating new direction for Volvo. Rather than replacing an existing model, it creates an entirely new space within the Swedish manufacturer’s electric line-up. Sitting alongside the EX90 rather than beneath it, the ES90 is aimed at buyers who still appreciate the driving position and elegance of a traditional car but aren’t prepared to compromise on practicality.
In a world where almost every new electric family car seems destined to become another SUV, Volvo has chosen a different path and the result is a car that genuinely feels distinctive.
Built on Volvo’s SPA2 architecture and powered by the company’s latest Superset software platform, the ES90 is designed to evolve throughout its lifetime via over-the-air updates. It’s also the first Volvo to adopt an 800-volt electrical architecture, allowing significantly faster charging while improving efficiency and overall performance.
The car tested here was the Single Motor Extended Range Ultra, producing 333hp and 480Nm of torque through its rear wheels. Performance is comfortably brisk rather than ‘face-melting rocket ship’, with 0-62mph dispatched in 6.6 seconds and a limited top speed of 112mph. More impressive still is the official WLTP range of up to 398 miles, making it one of the longest-range electric cars currently available.
Priced from £77,260 in Ultra specification, with this Sand Dune example rising to £79,100 including options, the ES90 sits firmly within premium territory. Thankfully, it feels like it belongs there.
Design
The ES90’s proportions are unlike almost anything else currently on sale. From some angles it appears every inch the executive saloon. Walk around to the rear and the sweeping hatchback profile becomes apparent. Add the slightly elevated ride height and it begins to borrow some of the confidence normally associated with SUVs.
Instead of following the coupe-SUV trend that often sacrifices practicality for appearance, the ES90 embraces clean Scandinavian simplicity. Every line appears deliberate, every surface beautifully restrained.
The familiar Thor’s Hammer LED headlights immediately identify it as a Volvo, while the distinctive rear lighting signature borrows more than a little from sister-brand Polestar and gives the car real presence after dark.
The optional 22-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels complete the look without upsetting the visual balance.
Interior
If the exterior is defined by restraint, the cabin is defined by serenity.
Step inside and you’re immediately struck by the overwhelming sense of calm. The Dawn Nordico interior creates an atmosphere that’s bright, airy and unmistakably Scandinavian.
Rather than surrounding occupants with unnecessary decoration, Volvo allows the quality of the materials and the spaciousness of the cabin to speak for themselves.
The dashboard is beautifully uncluttered, centred around a crisp 14.5-inch touchscreen and a clean 9-inch driver’s display. Google Automotive Services are fully integrated, bringing Google Maps, Google Assistant and a familiar, intuitive interface that quickly becomes second nature.
The panoramic roof floods the cabin with natural light, while the four-zone climate control and advanced air purification system reinforce the feeling that every journey should be as relaxing as possible.
Then there’s the sound system.Volvo’s optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system is genuinely exceptional.
With speakers positioned throughout the cabin, including the headrests and ceiling, it delivers one of the most immersive listening experiences currently available in any production car. The Abbey Road Studios mode is more than a novelty; it genuinely transforms familiar music into something that feels richer and more involving. Combined with the astonishingly quiet cabin, it’s difficult to imagine a better place to enjoy a favourite album on a long journey.
Rear passenger space and practicality
Volvo has always excelled at designing cars around real families and the ES90 continues that tradition.
Its long 3.1-metre wheelbase provides exceptional rear legroom, creating a second row that feels genuinely spacious even for taller adults. Unlike many executive cars where rear accommodation is an afterthought, passengers here enjoy the same sense of openness as those sitting in the front.
The higher seating position also contributes to that feeling of space. You never feel as though you’re sitting deep within the car, while the expansive glass area ensures excellent visibility for everyone on board.
The large hatchback tailgate immediately sets the ES90 apart from traditional executive saloons, making it far easier to load bulky luggage, pushchairs or holiday equipment. The boot offers 424 litres with all five seats in place, expanding to 733 litres when the individually folding rear seats are lowered. There’s even a small front storage compartment for charging cables, ensuring they remain separate from your luggage.
Technology and safety
The ES90 certainly has the technology to compete with the very best, but what impressed me most was how little of it ever demands your attention.
The centrepiece is Volvo’s latest generation infotainment system, built around a crisp 14.5-inch touchscreen running Google Automotive Services. Google Maps remains one of the finest navigation systems available in any car, while Google Assistant and the Google Play Store make the whole experience feel familiar from the moment you climb aboard.
The accompanying 9-inch driver’s display and head-up display ensure the information you actually need remains directly within your line of sight.
Perhaps more importantly, the software has been designed to improve over time. Like the EX90, the ES90 sits on Volvo’s new Superset technology stack, allowing the company to continually refine performance, functionality and safety through over-the-air updates. Rather than becoming outdated, the car should continue evolving throughout its life. Well, that’s the theory.
Safety, of course, remains synonymous with Volvo. The ES90 builds on that reputation with an impressive array of cameras, radars and ultrasonic sensors working alongside powerful onboard computers to create a constant 360-degree understanding of the world around the car. Pilot Assist continues to be one of the better driver assistance systems available, offering subtle steering support and adaptive cruise control that feels reassuring rather than intrusive.
Driving
Not every luxury car needs to feel sporty. In fact, I’d argue many are better when they don’t and the ES90 is a perfect example.
Powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 333hp and 480Nm of torque, performance is more than adequate. The official 0-62mph time of 6.6 seconds ensures motorway slip roads and overtaking manoeuvres require little thought, yet the car never encourages you to chase every gap in traffic.
That’s entirely in keeping with its character. The ES90 isn’t interested in proving how quickly it can reach the national speed limit – it’s interested in how relaxed you’ll feel once you reach your destination.
And then there’s the driving refinment. Volvo describes the ES90 as one of the quietest cabins it has ever produced and having driven it, I can believe it.
Even at motorway speeds, the cabin remains astonishingly isolated from the outside world. The result is a sense of calm that’s difficult to appreciate until you’ve experienced it for yourself.
The suspension deserves equal praise.
There’s a composure to the way the ES90 deals with poor road surfaces that immediately inspires confidence. Sharp imperfections are absorbed with little fuss, while larger undulations never unsettle the body. It doesn’t float like the luxury cars of old, nor does it fall into the increasingly common trap of confusing firmness with sophistication. Instead, it simply feels settled.
The ES90 encourages a different style of driving. Smooth inputs are rewarded, the serene cabin invites you to relax, and before long you begin to realise you’re arriving at your destination feeling noticeably less fatigued than you normally would.
Increasingly, premium electric cars seem determined to impress you with their acceleration, however Volvo appears far more interested in impressing you with how effortlessly the miles disappear.
Range and Charging
The ES90’s refinement would count for little if it couldn’t comfortably cover long distances, but thankfully, that’s another area where it excels.
The Single Motor Extended Range tested here combines a 92kWh battery (88kWh usable) with an official WLTP range of up to 398 miles, placing it firmly among the longest-range electric cars currently available. Efficiency is equally impressive at up to 3.9 miles per kWh, suggesting the official figures should translate well into everyday use.
Charging performance is also competitive, thanks to Volvo’s new 800-volt electrical architecture. The ES90 supports DC rapid charging at up to 310kW, allowing a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in as little as 22 minutes. At home or the workplace, charging from empty to full using an 11.5kW AC charger takes around 10 hours, making overnight charging straightforward.
Rivals
Finding direct competitors for the ES90 isn’t as straightforward as you might imagine.
Traditional executive saloons such as the BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE and Audi A6 e-tron all compete for similar buyers, while cars like the Polestar 5 occupy neighbouring territory.
Then there are the SUVs.
Volvo itself acknowledges that many buyers who may once have chosen a large saloon now instinctively gravitate towards vehicles like the EX90 or BMW iX.
The ES90 offers a compelling alternative. It delivers much of the commanding feel buyers appreciate in an SUV while retaining the elegance, efficiency and driving manners of a lower-slung car. Combined with the practicality of its hatchback design, it occupies a niche that’s becoming increasingly rare.
And that’s precisely what makes it so appealing.
Verdict
In an age where premium cars often compete to offer the biggest screen or the most dramatic styling, the ES90 quietly focuses on the qualities that matter once the novelty has worn off. Exceptional refinement, thoughtful design, genuine practicality and technology that enhances rather than overwhelms.
It’s a remarkably complete car. The impressive range, rapid charging and sophisticated software are all important, but they aren’t what stayed with me after I handed back the keys.
What I remembered was the sense of serenity. The feeling that every journey had somehow become less stressful.
That’s something no spec sheet can properly explain.
At a Glance
Model: Volvo ES90 Single Motor Extended Range RWD Ultra
Price: £79,100 (as tested)
Power: 333hp
Torque: 480Nm
Battery: 92kWh (88kWh usable)
Drive: Rear-wheel drive
0–62mph: 6.6 seconds
Top Speed: 112mph
WLTP Range: Up to 398 miles
Charging: 11.5kW AC (0–100% in around 10 hours) / Up to 310kW DC (10–80% in 22 minutes)
Efficiency: Up to 3.9 miles/kWh
