One SUV To Rule Them All? Road trip in the 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 Ultimate!
Having driven the first iteration of the current-gen Volvo XC90 in the form of the T8 Inscription Plus plug-in hybrid (PHEV) back in 2017, we concluded that it was unbeatable as a complete package where it’s capable of being luxurious, practical, safe, and efficient yet powerful at the same time.
Fast forward several years later, the XC90 T8 PHEV is now updated with a facelift and being rebranded as the Recharge Ultimate trim. All this while, we see other European brands arriving with all-new models, so let’s find out if a facelift is enough to let the XC90 hang with the newer competition.
Let’s start with the design of the XC90 which is rather timeless especially given that we remember attending its global debut in Paris back in 2014, making it an almost decade-old design. The new XC90 was later launched in Malaysia at the start of 2016 and remained in our market for 7 years strong and counting.
The current design stood the test of time so well that even Volvo find little need to significantly update its exterior and interior for the facelift. Software and hardware updates is where the facelift focuses on.
You will have to park one side by side to notice the differences, but at first glance the front and rear bumpers has been subtly revised, together with the front grille that used to have horizontal slats is now given a concave design. Chrome side moldings on the front doors now has the Recharge branding instead of Inscription branding. The rear tailpipe garnish has also now been deleted which looks cleaner although we prefer the sportier look of before.
Lighting wise, we don’t notice any difference as it’s already equipped with the signature “Thor’s Hammer” design with adaptive LED lighting. As for the wheels, the XC90 PHEV is now equipped with a 20-inch, two-tone diamond cut design which we personally prefer over the previous 20-inch ten-spoke design as it gives it a bit more flair.
Getting into the interior of the Volvo XC90 PHEV, you will be greeted with brown Nappa leather seats for all 3 rows (ventilated first row) which were extremely comfortable during our 3-hour plus drive from Subang Jaya to Kuantan. When driving at night, the illuminated Orrefors crystal shifter and the warm glow from the ambient lighting just makes it a rather classy and cosseting environment to be in. Combine that with the dark grey wood trim and various other design details, the XC90 interior punches well above its weight in terms of perceived quality and easily rival SUVs costing twice as much.
The second row seating is just as good, remaining rather comfortable for 3 grown adults, not to mention the unique middle seat that could also be converted into a child booster seat for those with a young child. You also get six rear air vents (4 in the 2nd row + 2 in the 3rd row) that effectively cools down the cabin for all passengers.
Speaking of which, the third row can actually ferry two grown adults comfortably as we have personally tested, even fitting someone who is 184cm tall! With the 3rd row folded down flat, luggage capacity in its five-seat mode is vast at 680 liters. Even with all seats up, the remaining space you get is still larger than some hatchback’s boot space.
The most significant interior update would be the infotainment system. The XC90 now uses Android Automotive OS for its infotainment system which is less buggy and much more responsive compared to the previous in-house SENSUS OS. One minor annoyance would be not able to display the map on the instrument cluster when we were using Apple CarPlay.
At least the audio experience is thoroughly enhanced by the 1,400-watt, 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system which made our Spotify playlist come to life and is hands down one of the best factory audio systems you can get in a car at any price point.
We got to experience its long-distance ride and handling during our drive to Kuantan, and we find that the ride quality is fantastic probably thanks to its air suspension. For such a big car, road and wind noise is also minimal. While it’s no sporty SUV nor it is trying to be one, taking bends on the Karak highway at speed was reassuring as body roll was very manageable. If a sportier drive is all that you’re after, offerings from Bavaria or Stuttgart might serve you better.
Overtaking on highways in the XC90 PHEV is effortless despite the smaller capacity engine relative to its German rivals. Thanks to the combined power of its 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor, the XC90 PHEV delivers a combined output of 462 horsepower and 709 Nm of torque which is class leading. As with all Volvos on sale today, the top speed is capped at 180km/h, but we know that it’s actually capable of 230km/h because that was the top speed of the 2016 XC90 PHEV.
Battery technology has also advanced significantly since 2016, and while they look similar on the outside, the XC90 PHEV we have here has more than double the battery capacity of the 2016 version (9.2 kWh versus 18.8 kWh) which translates to almost double the electric driving range. What’s incredible is that we started with a full tank, and during our entire week with the car we literally did not spend a single cent on petrol. That’s mostly because aside from the Kuantan trip, most of our time with the XC90 was in the city, and we were on Pure mode also known as full EV mode.
On a full charge, we managed to get around 75-77km of electric range which is more than enough to cover our day to day city driving needs. The only time where the combustion engine kicked in was when we were on the highway. Even so, the engine will shut itself from time to time depending on battery charge to further maximize fuel efficiency.
Of course, you will have to fully charge the XC90’s battery to maximize its efficiency benefits, and that can take quite awhile. DC fast charging is not possible, so expect 10-13 hours of charging using your regular wall outlet to fully charge the XC90’s 18.8-kWh battery from empty, or half that time with a dedicated AC wall box charger. Our calculation tells us that a full charge from empty should cost around RM9 in electricity at the time of writing, so that’s what it could cost for nearly 80km of driving range.
After having spent a week and clocking over a thousand kilometers with the Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge Ultimate, we struggle to find flaws with it as a 3-row family SUV. At its current price tag of RM432,888, no other brands come close in offering this amount of standard equipment, safety features, and performance in a 3-row SUV body.
Don’t need the 3rd-row seats? The BMW X5 xDrive45e comes the closest in price (RM456,750) and is also a PHEV with similar electric range, but you get less performance and miss out on any Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system. Yes, the X5 does not even get adaptive cruise control. The Germans will gladly sell you a 3-row SUV, but you will have to shell out hundreds of thousands more, and you’ll still get less standard equipment and performance than the Volvo. In the premium 3-row SUV market, the XC90 truly is in a league of its own in terms of value.
Volvo Malaysia is also currently offering those who purchase a new Volvo hybrid electric vehicle from July 1 to 30 September 2023 complimentary car insurance for the first year, and 5-year VSP (Volvo Service Plan) worth almost RM20k. VSP is a comprehensive car service package that covers your first five car services including wear-and-tear items and labour costs, free software updates and vehicle health checks. Click here to find out more information.*
*Full disclosure: This is not a sponsored article. The promotional info provided in the final paragraph is included at the request of Volvo Malaysia, while the link simply directs you to Volvo Malaysia’s XC90 product page and visiting the link does not provide any direct benefit or financial gain to our publication. The vehicle was provided by Volvo Malaysia, but the content and opinions expressed in this article remain independent and are not influenced by Volvo Malaysia.
