Louth Motors: The cool EX90 Scandinavian SUV is zen on wheels

It’s my contention that the least divisive maker of cars on sale is Volvo. There is a warm vibe off them and people buy them based on safety and luxury rather than being attracted to a must have badge.

There is also the penchant for cool Scandinavian design that oozes out of all their cars.

A few years ago I was invited to a future look by Volvo and they said they’d be an all-electric brand by 2030 - since modified to be 90%. They are nearly there but at the time I wondered how they'd electrify the daddy of all Volvo's, the hugely desirable XC90.

That would be some achievement and I made a mental note to follow their progress. Well, they have only gone and done it with the new EX90.

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They did it by fitting a whopping 106kW battery to the car and in my case twin motors for a power rating of 680hp.

That would certainly move the 7-seater talismanic Volvo. It'll push it to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds with a max. speed of 180km/h as - hugely impressive. But that's not why you want an EX90.

You want it for the characteristics I’ve said earlier and they are present here in full.

Design-wise the EX90 has become a lot smoother and sleeker. There’s no front grille for better aerodynamics, the door handles pop out like they do on a Tesla, it’s not as square as the XC90 and generally any sharp lines have been ironed out.

It retains more or less the same proportions and the transition proposed by Volvo to move their customers from petrol/diesel to all-electric won't be as difficult as it could have been.

The only design issue I have with the external looks is the siting of their amazing LIDAR safety cameras.

It looks like an afterthought and resembles an old London Taxi. Volvo is not fitting it to the car as standard from this year to avoid deterring customers.

Technology and safety advancement aside, it's probably a good marketing move but they must find a better way of incorporating this incredible technology into the car.

Inside you get a Tesla minimalist vibe. It seems where Tesla leads others follow and I’m surprised Volvo has copied this from a safety perspective as that is their forte.

Above:  Interior of the Volvo EX90

Using touchscreens introduces a driver safety reduction factor which Volvo are all about trying to avoid. There’s only one knob in the entire cabin for audio control and this is regrettable.

It makes for a super Scandinavian clean look but there are some items a car needs that should not be sacrificed for the sake of an image/look.

Using a touchscreen to adjust mirrors, the steering wheel and even to open the glovebox(why do we still call it that?) is tiring, delaying and in my opinion totally unnecessary.

The Driver Understanding System" that watches whatever you are watching is very intrusive and gives out to you for looking at the screen you are forced to use when performing any cabin or control functions. That’s “Mad Ted” and for sure, “Down with this sort of thing”.

There’s an entirely leather free interior without the sacrifice of it feeling non-leather with Volvo’s use of Nordico which is a textile made from recycled PET bottles and bio-attributed material from Swedish forests as well as Tailored Wool blend that’s a high-end sustainable fabric option that truly feels premium.

You can of course go against the, ahem, herd and opt for full fat Nappa leather if you so desire.

The EX90 is possibly one of the quietest cars I’ve ever driven. Serene and library-like is how I’d describe the experience and is what my expectation of a Rolls Royce is- I've still to drive one.

The EX90’s greatest trick is the total isolation of the outside world once you are in there. The ride is luxuriously comfortable and is the expectation of such a quiet car.

It’s 2.8 tonnes in weight, rides high and when that’s going around a corner there is inevitably some body roll. The suspension and computers do their best to keep it in check but at anything above moderate speed it’s there.

One feature I love is their Regenerative Braking. In "Auto" mode, the car's sensors automatically slow you down naturally based on traffic ahead so it’s always looking and watching ready to intervene if you are not.

Acceleration is brisk for what the electric motors are faced with trying to propel and customers who plunge for an EX90 will not be disappointed. It has, to use a Rolls Royce phrase, adequate power.

Consumption is quoted at 19.9-20.3 kW per 100km for an estimated range of 692km to 603km.. My Average was 24 kWh/100km for an effective range of 440km from the huge, and obviously necessary, battery.

Volvo with the EX90 demonstrates that if the XC90 can be electrified and not sacrifice any of its purpose and versatility then there really isn't a lot of arguments against all our Irish motoring to be electrified.

The price of all this chic and coolness from Volvo for my test model is €122,790 with prices starting at €97,790.

You always pay that bit extra for a Volvo but feel justified in doing so because of all of the qualities it has - not least the numerous safety aspects of the car.

It’s the gold standard for safety in SUVs without question. When compared to the “must-have” badges of others it's pricing is attractive because it has 7-seats the others only have 5-seats.

The EX90 demonstrates that the all-electric path Volvo are on works, especially on a car of this size.

Their flagship model remains so and is the discerning choice for a luxury 7-seater. You were already cool by choosing a Volvo and now to be seen in an all-electric SUV has moved you sub-zero.

For me, if I needed the seats and had the means, I’d have the car.