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By Jonathan Crouch

The ES90 is a new kind of large electric Volvo. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 48

Here's a very different kind of Volvo saloon, the ES90. Derived from the big EX90 electric SUV but a step further on technology, this large electric sedan/fastback offers something interestingly different in the evolving market for premium brand luxury EVs. And it breaks new technology boundaries for Volvo.

Backgroundword count: 212

Essentially, this car is the spiritual successor to the Gothenburg maker's most recent combustion big saloon, the S90 (sold between 2016 and 2024). The ES90 has five doors, but as part of a chunky silhouette that's supposed to combine the genres of sedan, fastback and SUV, putting it (according to Volvo) 'fully in a class of its own'. Once defined by safety, this Swedish maker is now apparently a brand defined by computing power. The company now describes itself as 'an industry leader in software-defined cars' and back in 2025 at the launch of this car, claimed that this model was the most powerful model it had yet created in terms of core computing capacity. It was the first electric Volvo to use a properly cutting-edge 800V electrical architecture (since adopted by its identically-engineered EX90 SUV stablemate) - the kind of thing that will allow super-quick charging from the new breed of ultra-fast DC chargers springing up around Europe. That gives it an advantage over two class rivals - the BMW i5 and the Mercedes EQE - but not over another, the Audi A6 e-tron. And since Volvo hasn't been shy about pricing the ES90 against these rivals, this car will need to be very good indeed. Is it? Let's find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 250

Driving this car is a very serene experience, especially in a version fitted, like this test car, with Volvo's 'Active Four-C' Chassis dual-chamber air suspension set-up, which wafts you over poor surfaces. The perfect accompaniment to this ES90's exemplary refinement. All electric cars are pretty quiet, but the brand has gone to extraordinary lengths to make this one especially silent. Thanks in part to the sleekest shape of any Volvo yet made (0.25Cd), the Gothenburg marque says it's created the quietest-ever cabin of any model in its history. Three powertrains are available, starting with the Single Motor Extended Range model, which features a rear-mounted 333hp e-motor developing 480Nm of torque, propelling this big saloon to 62mph in 6.6s. Energy comes from the smaller of the two available batteries, a 'Standard Range' 92kWh unit (88kWh of which is usable) that nonetheless offers up to 412.6 miles of range. If, for reasons we're not quite sure we understand, you want your ES90 with a Twin Motor AWD powertrain, then the heavier provision of a motor on each axle means the need for a larger 106kWh battery (102kWh of which is usable). The added motor on the front axle boosts total output to 456hp with 670Nm of torque, which improves the 0-62mph sprint time to 5.4s. Range is up to 432.5 miles. As it is for the top 'Twin Motor Performance' flagship model, which has power output upgraded to 680hp and 870Nm - enough to get the car to 62mph in 4s flat.

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