Volvo’s ES90 is ’star performer’... but costly

Volvo’s premium ES90, launched last year, is a mix of saloon, liftback, and crossover. It is the sixth fully electric model in the brand’s line-up.

One glance confirms excellent design: a confident stance courtesy of a long wheelbase, aerodynamic lines provide a commendable drag coefficient of only 0.25, big 22-inch wheels and raised ride height providing a commanding view of the road. I always like the brand’s unique LED headlight design, inspired by the mythical hammer of the Norse god Thor, which helps excellent night-time visibility. The coupe-like style looks swell, but results in a letterbox view in the rear view mirror. At the back are C-shaped LED tail lamps.

The cabin is ‘business class’ all the way with full attention to detail. Volvo uses recycled and natural materials for sustainability, helping lower production CO2 emissions. Some 29% of all aluminium and 18% of all steel used is recycled, while wood panels come from FSC-certified wood.

My car had beautiful leather upholstery. There’s plenty of head and legroom front and rear. Front seats are sculpted for comfort and designed to ease shoulder strain, and with ‘almost’ integrated headrests. They come with power adjustments, lumbar support, and cushion extensions for extra thigh support. They can be heated and ventilated, depending on specification.

The 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen is quite intuitive to use, but I had to go through it to adjust the side mirrors and steering wheel, and to open the boot and glovebox, which I didn’t appreciate. Thankfully, there are real controls for favourite shortcuts and the audio volume. Apps include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, integrated Google Maps, and Google Assistant. There’s a wireless phone charger, and two C-Type USBs front and rear.

The customisable 9-inch driver’s cluster sits on top of the steering column, but I mainly relied on the Head-Up display for my current speed. You can choose from three views of Calm, Navi, which shows a detailed map, and Surround, that shows vehicles around. The multi-functional, three-spoke leather steering wheel is lovely to hold, and has voice and remote audio controls. Transmission selection is off the steering wheel, with the parking brake to the side.

The top two grades include a panoramic roof that runs almost the entire length of the car - there’s no need for a blind as the tinted glass is coated and laminated to reduce glare.

Other stand-out features are the double screen, rearview camera; the 360-degree parking Surround View camera with 3D view; and Volvo’s excellent blind spot alerts on side mirrors.

I’m sometimes at a loss to understand why designers include some nerd-like features in some new cars. With the ES90, the key-fob battery is rechargeable, and needs to be regularly placed on the phone charge space. Why not use a normal key fob?

The three rear seats can all recline individually and have extended cushions. Outer ones can be heated and ventilated and include ISOFIX attachments with top tethers. The rear armrest lowers to reveal two cupholders and a hatch through to the boot. The flat floor makes foot space easier for the person in the middle seat.

The wide liftgate and high boot floor make it easy to load and unload even large items. Luggage space is up to 424 litres with the rear backrests up; you can fold them individually or together to acquire up to 1,427 litres of space. There’s no spare, just a tyre sealant kit and compressor. A 12-volt outlet in the boot can power an electric cooler, air mattress pump, or camping stove. There’s a 27-litre front frunk to store the charging cable or washer fluid.

The entry Core grade includes a heat pump, four-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats, and heated steering wheel; Plus adds the head-up display, 360-degree camera, interior illumination with back-lit wood decor; while the top Ultra (my review car) adds the electrochromic panoramic roof, tinted rear windows, ventilated front seats, active air suspension, and a Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 25 speakers throughout the cabin, including in the headrest and ceiling.

Features include Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Park Pilot Assist.

My car was the Single Motor Extended Range Ultra RWD, but buyers have the option of Twin Motor or Twin Motor Performance variants, both with AWD. Charging from 10% to 80% can be achieved at fast-charging stations in around 22 minutes. While the claimed range for my car is around 696kms, my driver’s screen showed 50% of battery charge and represented another 280kms in real-world driving over all types of routes, which would give a 100% charge allowing around 560kms.

I appreciated how sublime and comfy the car was to drive, the 333hp power and huge torque of 480Nm which make it capable of 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds. The car proved a very refined drive and was very quiet on the road; the large wheels and high ground clearance as well as the suspension, added to comfort for all on board.

The car’s safety system sensors includes five radars, seven cameras, twelve ultrasonic sensors, and a lidar. These safety systems are designed to detect obstacles even in darkness, and activate safety measures.

The ES90 has not yet been tested by Euro NCAP.

PRICE: A practical car for those who can afford it. The Core Single Motor Extended Range starts at €82,100; Plus from €89,900, and Ultra from €102,400. Annual road tax is €120.